Gaming Startup Zupee Acquires Australian AI Startup Nucanon

Social gaming platform Zupee has acquired Australian AI startup Nucanon to develop a new interactive storytelling vertical. Following the exit from the real-money gaming (RMG) segment, Zupee has refocused on social and casual games. The company has also been experimenting with subscription-based offerings, including Zupee Plus, and producing original short-form content through Zupee Studio.

Nucanon Team to Lead Storytelling Product

As part of the acquisition, Nucanon’s founding team will join Zupee’s India headquarters to lead the new interactive storytelling product. This move is expected to strengthen Zupee’s capabilities in creating adaptive, choice-driven narrative experiences.

Zupee plans to expand its workforce across product, technology, and design to support the new initiative. Using Nucanon’s AI-powered engine, the platform will launch interactive story experiences for both Indian and international audiences.

Nucanon’s Technology: Immersive, Adaptive Storytelling

The integration of Nucanon’s technology will provide creators with advanced tools to design immersive story experiences. Features of the narrative engine include:

• Storylines that adapt to user choices
• Characters that remember past interactions
• Plotlines that evolve dynamically based on decisions

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About Zupee

Founded in 2018 by Malhi and Siddhant Saurabh, Zupee was a leading player in the RMG sector, boasting over 150 million registered users. In September, the company laid off around 170 employees (approximately 30% of its workforce) due to restructuring following the government ban on RMG platforms. Despite challenges, Zupee reported strong growth in FY24:

• Revenue increased 35% year-on-year to ₹1,123 crore from ₹832 crore in FY23
• The company turned profitable, posting a net profit of ₹146 crore.

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