February 2023 to Present
Introduction
Joining JLN Entertainments as a Lead Unity Developer was a deliberate choice, fueled by my desire to immerse myself in the frontline of AI-driven game development. This role was not just a job but a strategic step towards deeper involvement in cutting-edge gaming technologies. My transition from this technical leadership position to becoming a Lead Product Manager was swift, propelled by my hands-on experience and a clear vision for integrating innovative technologies into user-centric products. This move underscored my commitment to not only lead but also significantly shape the product landscape in the burgeoning Real Money Gaming (RMG) market in India.
Starting as a Lead Unity Developer
Objective: Adapt and excel in the competitive space of hyper-casual games by implementing generative AI for rapid development.
Actions: Recognizing the fierce competition in the gaming industry, I spearheaded the adoption of generative AI technologies to accelerate our game development process. I was instrumental in shifting the management’s mindset towards embracing AI tools, advocating for their potential to enhance our productivity and creativity significantly. To this end, I led the team through a rigorous training program, focusing on designing flexible, robust, and extendable game architectures. We integrated configurability of variables directly into our development process, enabling us to adapt quickly to changing market demands and user feedback.
Outcome: My strategic foresight and hands-on leadership in deploying AI tools transformed our development approach. This not only significantly shortened our game development cycles but also enhanced our team’s capability to innovate rapidly. As a result, we successfully launched multiple hyper-casual games that stood out in the market, demonstrating our team’s enhanced agility and technical prowess. This achievement marked a key advancement in my career, setting the stage for further leadership opportunities and affirming our competitive edge in the industry.
This refined approach underscores the pivotal role I played in harnessing AI for game development at JLN Entertainments, reflecting a deep commitment to innovation and excellence in a highly dynamic environment.
Hyper-Casual Games Developed and Produced by Suvrajit
Space Ninja
Genre: Hyper Casual > Action/Strategy
Your Role: Lead Game Producer & Developer
What the Game is About: Space Ninja is an immersive 2D action-strategy game where players take on the role of a ninja tasked with defending Earth from an alien invasion. The game challenges players to destroy incoming aliens with precision and strategic planning, while carefully avoiding harming human hostages. Set against the backdrop of space, the game features dynamic difficulties and engaging mechanics designed to maintain a balance of challenge and fun, ensuring that players are consistently engaged and entertained.
Daadi
Genre: Hyper Casual >Puzzle (Indian Classic)
Your Role: Lead Game Developer & Producer
What the Game is About: Dive into the timeless strategy of “Daadi Master,” a hyper-casual rendition of the classic Indian board game known as Daadi. This mobile adaptation brings the ancient challenge to your fingertips with enhanced AI that adapts to your playing style. Employing a combination of heuristic analysis and Q-learning algorithms, the game’s AI dynamically adjusts to provide a continually engaging and challenging experience. Each move you make is analyzed, allowing the AI to predict and counter strategies intelligently, ensuring no two games are the same. Perfect for quick gaming sessions, “Daadi Master” offers a deep strategic layer that will keep you coming back for more, challenging your tactical skills and offering a fresh experience with every match.
Fig 1.0 Representing Sequence Diagram of Q-Learn Implementation for Daadi AI
Bharat Run
Genre: Hyper Casual >Endless Runner
Your Role: Lead Game Developer & Producer
What the Game is About: Embark on a vibrant journey across India with “Bharat Run,” an exhilarating endless runner game where you dash through the bustling streets and breathtaking landscapes of India’s iconic cities. Control Bluboy, the spirited protagonist, as he explores a tapestry of cultures, from the majestic Mumbai in the west to the serene backwaters of Kerala in the south. Dodge obstacles, collect treasures, and experience the rich diversity of India’s heritage through its famous monuments and hidden gems. Each run is a unique adventure, filled with dynamic challenges and the lively sounds of Indian streets. Perfect for players of all ages, “Bharat Run” offers a fun and engaging way to experience the beauty and spirit of India, making every run not just a game, but a journey through the heart of a vibrant land.
Authored a book – AI-Powered Realms: Crafting Games with Unity
“AI-Powered Realms: Crafting Games with Unity” is an essential guide that explores the transformative role of generative AI in game development. This book provides a comprehensive overview of cutting-edge techniques that enable the creation of more immersive, dynamic, and engaging gaming experiences. Readers will delve into procedural content generation using methods like noise functions, L-systems, and cellular automata to develop varied game environments. The book also covers the development of lifelike NPCs through adaptive AI and machine learning, enhancing player interactions. Additionally, it discusses dynamic storytelling techniques that adjust narratives based on player choices, creating a truly interactive experience. Advanced game design topics include integrating AI to personalize player experiences and refine game mechanics. Packed with real-world examples, best practices, and in-depth explanations, this book is an invaluable resource for developers, designers, and AI enthusiasts eager to leverage AI in game development with Unity. Get it on Amazon >>
Building Freemium Gaming Team
Objective: Adapt to the evolving regulatory and market conditions by diversifying into the freemium gaming model, thus expanding our offerings and capturing a wider audience.
Actions: In response to the imposition of GST on Real Money Games, which presented a significant challenge to our existing business model, I initiated strategic discussions with the Chairman to pivot towards freemium models on platforms like Google Play, where real money games faced restrictions. I built a compelling case for this strategic shift and led the formation of a new team from scratch, specifically tailored to develop Hybrid Casual games. This team quickly grew to sixteen members, tasked with creating a diverse portfolio of games designed to engage a broad user base without relying solely on real money mechanisms.
Outcome: This strategic pivot not only diversified our risk by broadening our business model away from the increasingly regulated Real Money Games but also significantly enhanced our competitiveness in the gaming market. The initiative expanded our team’s creative and operational capacities, enhancing the company’s portfolio and securing our foothold despite not having launched all products directly into the market. Importantly, two of the four games developed were seamlessly integrated into our real money portfolio. Throughout this transition, we utilized AI tools across game design, development, art, QA, and product management to speed up efficiency and enhance brainstorming processes, preparing the team for high-performance workflows and fostering a culture of rapid innovation and agile response to development needs.
Promotion to Lead Product Manager
Objective: Amidst financial constraints and organizational restructuring, newly created Freemium Team was merged into Real Money Games Team. My leadership and strategic thinking were recognized, resulting in my promotion to Lead Product Manager. In this role, I took on the challenge of overseeing the entire Bluboy Gaming App, driving product innovation, and ensuring cross-functional alignment..
Actions: Tasked with a crucial responsibility during a challenging financial period, I led the integration of the two diverse teams—Freemium and Real Money Gaming—into a single, streamlined unit. This consolidation was focused on enhancing synergies and efficiency across all stages of the product lifecycle, from design and development to QA and marketing, ensuring that all efforts were tightly aligned with our new monetization strategies.
Outcome: This strategic realignment significantly boosted our operational efficiency and effectiveness in product strategy execution, crucial for navigating the financial challenges we faced. By fostering strong interdepartmental collaboration and driving a focused product culture, we not only enhanced the Bluboy Gaming App’s market positioning but also expedited our path to financial stability. This approach was instrumental in setting the stage for the app to reach its financial targets swiftly, demonstrating the impact of strategic leadership in critical times.
Bluboy App Management and Strategic Insights
What the Bluboy Gaming App is About:
Bluboy Gaming App is a dynamic real money gaming platform based in India, Owned by JLN Entertainments, designed to cater to the enthusiastic gamer community. This app offers a thrilling array of competitive tournaments where players can engage in various games, putting their skills to the test in a quest for monetary rewards. With a focus on security and fair play, Bluboy provides a safe and reliable environment for users to enjoy high-stakes gaming. The user-friendly interface ensures seamless navigation while participating in games, managing accounts, or withdrawing winnings. Bluboy Gaming App not only promises exciting gameplay but also fosters a vibrant community of gamers, making it a top choice for those looking to experience the thrill of competitive gaming with real stakes.
Objective: Harness comprehensive market and user insights to refine and optimize the Bluboy Gaming App’s development strategy.
Actions: To achieve a deeper understanding of our app’s performance and user engagement, I implemented a multifaceted approach:
- Deep-Dive Analysis: Conducted thorough evaluations of the app, analyzing the user journey to identify friction points and areas for improvement.
- Customer Feedback: Systematically gathered qualitative feedback from users to gain insights into their experiences and expectations.
- Quantitative Analysis: Utilized Azure Dashboards to monitor and analyze key performance indicators (KPIs) such as Day 1, Day 7, and Day 15 retention, churn rates, and conversion rates to subscribed users. This data-driven approach allowed for real-time adjustments and informed our development strategy.
Outcome: The strategic use of both qualitative and quantitative insights led to significant improvements in app performance and user satisfaction:
- Churn Rate Reduction: Implemented targeted strategies based on user journey analysis, reducing churn by 15%.
- Retention Improvement: Enhanced onboarding and user engagement tactics, resulting in a 20% improvement in Day 1 retention.
- Feature Development: Identified and developed new features that directly addressed user feedback, significantly enhancing user satisfaction and engagement.
- Conversion Enhancement: Refined monetization strategies, which improved conversion rates to subscribed users by 10%.
These outcomes not only demonstrated our app’s enhanced competitive edge but also ensured that our offerings were highly relevant and valued by our users, fostering a more loyal and engaged user base.
Related Case Studies and Project Artefacts
Cultivating a Culture of Innovation and Accountability
Objective: To transform the workplace into a thriving hub for innovation where ideas are not only generated but also effectively implemented and celebrated.
Actions: Recognizing the potential in every team member and the need for a tangible platform to showcase creativity, I spearheaded the introduction of Demo Days, Design Fridays and Monthly Newsletters to promote creativity, accountability and innovation. These platforms were designed to:
- Demo Days: Allow teams to present completed projects and ongoing developments, fostering a sense of accomplishment and providing real-time feedback.
- Design Fridays: Encourage the exploration of new ideas and iterative design processes, with a focus on creativity and problem-solving in a less structured environment.
- Monthly Newsletters: Initiated Monthly Newsletters and drafted the content every month to share insights and inspire innovation across the organization.
Outcome: These initiatives drastically transformed our team dynamics. Team members who previously hesitated to speak up in calls began presenting their work with confidence, demonstrating a remarkable improvement in communication skills. This led to a measurable increase in sprint velocity by 15%, indicating a more efficient and productive workflow. Furthermore, by maintaining a detailed release calendar, I provided the Marketing team with enhanced visibility into upcoming features. This enabled them to effectively communicate the benefits and values of these features to our players, aligning promotional strategies directly with product developments. Overall, these efforts not only boosted our collective creativity and productivity but also strengthened the confidence within the team, creating a robust environment where innovation is continuously cultivated and celebrated.
Cross-Functional Collaboration and Product Thinking
Objective: To ensure a unified approach to product development across all departments, addressing the complex needs of the Bluboy Gaming App within a merged team environment.
Actions: Recognizing the critical need for streamlined operations and enhanced communication among teams, I implemented several key processes to promote synchronization and alignment with the company’s strategic goals:
- Scrum of Scrums: I initiated and led Scrum of Scrums calls that brought together all team leads and managers from QA, Marketing, and various development teams. This was crucial in ensuring that everyone was on the same page and that departmental efforts were cohesively aligned toward common objectives.
- Sprint End Reports and Retrospectives: At the end of each sprint, comprehensive reports were circulated to provide visibility on progress and retrospectives were conducted to reflect on challenges and successes. This helped in fine-tuning our approaches and methodologies for better outcomes in subsequent sprints.
- Alignment with Azure DevOps: All work items were meticulously aligned with our product goals in Azure DevOps. This integration ensured that every task and project milestone was directly contributing to our overarching product strategies.
Outcome: These initiatives significantly enhanced our cross-functional integration, leading to more cohesive product strategies and smoother execution of development processes. The Scrum of Scrums, in particular, became a cornerstone of our project management framework, fostering a culture of open communication and mutual accountability among team leads. By promoting a strong product culture through thought leadership and innovative platforms like Demo Day and Design Friday, I played a pivotal role in not only advancing our product development initiatives but also in nurturing an environment where creative solutions could flourish. These efforts collectively streamlined our workflows and accelerated the Bluboy Gaming App’s progress toward market readiness and financial sustainability.
Checkout Specific features designed for Retention and Monetization here>>
Conclusion
My tenure at JLN Entertainments exemplifies my ability to lead complex projects, inspire cross-functional teams, and deliver impactful product strategies. This experience highlights my commitment to fostering innovation, driving market expansion, and achieving strategic business outcomes in the dynamic gaming industry.
For detailed insights into specific initiatives and their impacts, please explore the linked sections.