Gaming Report: WinZO Onboards CarryMinati; Zynga Poker Launches Short Deck Hold’em Variant

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  • RUPAM THAKUR January 24, 2022
  • 3 Minutes Read

We are back with two updates from the gaming industry.

In an exciting new brand collaboration, interactive social gaming start-up WinZO has onboarded the well-known YouTube content creator Ajey Nagar, AKA ‘CarryMinati,’ as brand ambassador.

The other update is about the free-to-play mobile poker game Zynga Poker that recently rolled out Short Deck Hold’em on the popular app, the first new game variant to be launched on the app since its inception 14 years ago.

WinZO Signs YouTuber Sensation CarryMinati as Brand Ambassador

The social gaming and entertainment company WinZO has signed on the immensely successful independent YouTube content creator Ajey Nagar, known more popularly as ‘CarryMinati,’ as its brand ambassador. As a part of the collaboration, the 22-year-old YouTuber will produce gaming-centric content that is interactive, unique, and relatable for WinZO on his streaming channel ‘Carryislive’ and a solo integration on his primary YouTube channel ‘CarryMinati.’

WinZO - CarryMinati
WinZO – CarryMinati

 

The brand ‘CarryMinati’ enjoys a massive fan following of over 50 Million for his inimitable comic skits and rib-tickling roasting videos. WinZO, through this collaboration, will seek to establish a stronger base within the gaming community.

Speaking on the collaboration, ‘CarryMinati’ said, “I am excited to partner with WinZO.”

He added, “India is at the epicenter of a swiftly growing trillion-dollar global gaming opportunity. The country is the largest market for mobile games, contributing to nearly 40% of the worldwide downloads, which speaks volumes about the untapped potential of the social gaming community. It is important that visionaries in the marketplace join hands to discover and develop this untapped industry to build a robust ecosystem.”

WinZO Co-Founder, Saumya Singh Rathore, sounding optimistic on the new sign-up, said, “Gaming is rapidly evolving and isn’t limited to only playing anymore. The advent of live streaming and community engagement has resulted in the evolution of a 360-degree gaming ecosystem, which Carry Minati has been at the forefront of. We are thrilled to have him on board. We collectively hope to further our vision of promoting the spirit of winning and culturally relevant content across Bharat.”

WinZO has been aggressively pursuing brand collaborations to further its reach among the mainstream audience. They had recently partnered with the Ranveer Singh starrer ’83’ as the movie`s official sports brand partner.

WinZO has also signed principal sponsorships for two foremost Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) teams, Bengal Warriors and Gujarat Giants, and associate sponsorship for Patna Pirates.

The brand is also making a push to expand its presence in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities through a multilingual brand campaign in collaboration with Ogilvy’s global chief creative officer Piyush Pandey.

WinZO is a well-funded company and has raised $100 million already. It is backed by marquee investment funds like Kalaari Capital, Griffin Gaming Partners, Maker’s Fund, Courtside Ventures, and Pags Group.

Zynga Poker Launches Short Deck Hold’em

For the first time since its inception 14 years ago, the free-to-play mobile poker game Zynga Poker had rolled out a new game variant, i.e., Short Deck Hold’em, on the popular app.

 

Short Deck Hold’em, or Six-Plus Hold’em is an action-packed game variant of Texas Hold’em, where the cards from 2-5 are removed from the deck. Each player is dealt two cards face down, and the aim is to make the best five-card poker hand from any combination of the seven cards, including the five community cards.

The hand rankings in Short Deck are different from NLHE, with a flush ranking better than a full house. The hand rankings are as follows: high card, pair, two pair, straight, three-of-a-kind, full house, flush, four-of-a-kind, straight flush, royal flush. It is a popular game among high-stakes players in several parts of the world, including Asia.

Speaking on the launch, Product Manager at Zynga Poker, Malhar Singh, told PokerNews, “Short deck hold’em is now available in-game for a limited time,” and added, “Unlocking at level 5, players will be able to easily join a short deck of hold’em tables from the main lobby on the main screen. Once players have chosen their desired stake, they will be automatically assigned to a table to start playing.”

Singh also acknowledged many of his clients wouldn’t know how to play the game when they first join a game. He said, “If a player joins a table and the short deck is new to hold’em, specific tips and help will be provided in the player’s first game if needed. Other than that, Short Deck Hold’em will function normally.”

He further said, “Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting out, players can easily get into the game and enjoy short deck hold’em,” and continued, “As a shorter 36-card deck with only high-value cards is dealt, it becomes an action-packed game for all players. This is a unique version of Texas hold’em, and we are excited to bring the experience to ourselves. Loyal poker fans at Zynga Poker community.”

Content & Image Courtesy: PokerNews

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