Thursday, April 23, 2026: Indian game-tech startup LightFury Games has raised $11 million in a pre-Series A round, as it looks to accelerate development of its flagship AAA cricket title and scale its live operations infrastructure.
The company is upbeat on high production value and realism to stand out in a crowded mobile gaming market. Built on Unreal Engine 5, eCricket aims to deliver physics-driven gameplay combined with strategic batting and bowling mechanics designed to mirror real-world match conditions.
Investors say the startup is attempting something few Indian studios have successfully executed: building globally competitive intellectual property at AAA quality. “Creating a AAA game demands sustained creative and technical excellence over a long period,” said Karthik Reddy, co-founder and managing partner at Blume Ventures. He added that the team’s global experience and use of AI-led tools could help position eCricket as a landmark title from India.
LightFury Targets Global Gaming Market with Homegrown Title
LightFury has also secured licensing rights to a roster of over 600 professional cricketers, including international stars such as Chris Gayle, Ben Stokes, and Pat Cummins, giving it a strong foundation for authenticity and global appeal.
The fundraise highlights increasing investor confidence in India’s premium gaming segment, where studios are beginning to move beyond casual formats to build high-fidelity, globally marketable titles.
Founded in 2024 by Karan Shroff, Anurag Banerjee, and Tina Balachandran, LightFury is building eCricket, a mobile-first AAA game scheduled for release later this year. The fresh capital will be directed toward completing development and strengthening post-launch capabilities, including content pipelines, backend systems, and overall player experience.
The round drew participation from Blume Ventures, V3 Ventures, MIXI, and Times Internet, alongside an unusual roster of high-profile athlete investors. Cricketers MS Dhoni, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Shreyas Iyer, Ravindra Jadeja, Tilak Varma and Sai Sudharsan have joined the cap table, signalling growing crossover between sports and gaming investments.
