Pixel P&L: Assam Unveils Concert Tourism Strategy

Welcome to another Pixel P&L edition. This issue takes 4 minutes to read. If you only have one, here are the 5 most important things:

• Assam launches concert tourism policy with Post Malone headlining inaugural show.

• PlaySuper, the gaming commerce platform, raises $1M to embed branded rewards in games across India and Southeast Asia.

• Sony Pictures confirms Chainsaw Man film hits Indian IMAX theaters September 26 — competing with Demon Slayer's record numbers.

• Monster Hunter Now celebrates its second anniversary despite a 69% revenue drop.

• New study reveals 90% of gamers played remakes last year, sparking debate over creative stagnation vs. profitable nostalgia. 

Let's get into it.

Assam Courts International Stars With New Concert Tourism Policy

Assam unveiled an ambitious concert tourism policy, announcing that American rapper Post Malone will headline its inaugural international performance in December, as the northeastern state seeks to capitalize on its neighbor's entertainment industry success.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said Post Malone will perform December 8 at Guwahati's Khanapara Veterinary Ground, marking the artist's second India tour after his 2022 Mumbai debut. "This is just the beginning, as more stars will descend on Assam," Sarma declared, calling the booking a "big win" for the new policy.

The initiative follows Meghalaya's successful concert tourism model, which generated ₹133.42 crore ($16 million) on ₹23.5 crore in spending last year. Former Meghalaya Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh defended such investments against criticism, emphasizing their economic multiplier effects.

Assam plans to transform cities including Guwahati, Jorhat, and Dibrugarh into regional concert hubs, betting that international performances can boost cultural engagement and economic activity in the state.

Gaming Platform PlaySuper Raises $1M to Embed Real-World Rewards in Games

Indian gaming commerce platform PlaySuper that integrates branded rewards into gameplay, raised $1 million in seed funding to expand across India and Southeast Asia.

Singapore-based gaming venture capital firm Chimera led the round, joined by Audacity VC, IAN Capital Fund, and Dhruv Vohra, Meta's managing director for Asia-Pacific.

The platform, helmed by CEO Shouradeep Chakraborty, addresses declining performance of in-game advertising while offering alternatives to cash incentives that face regulatory constraints. PlaySuper enables free-to-play and skill-based gaming platforms to embed non-monetary branded rewards (gift cards and consumer products) directly into games.

The company reports monthly gross merchandise value of $350,000, with early partners seeing improved user retention and monetization.

"Gaming in India and Southeast Asia is at an inflection point," said Abhir Das, PlaySuper's co-founder. "Every gaming session becomes a chance to win something aspirational."

Chimera's Krish Anurag called gaming commerce "the next big monetization unlock for emerging markets."

⚡️Quick Bytes

Sony Pictures Confirms 'Chainsaw Man' Film for Indian IMAX Release

Sony Pictures India announced that "Chainsaw Man - The Movie: Reze Arc" will release September 26 in IMAX theaters nationwide, offering both Japanese and Hindi audio options. The dark fantasy anime film, based on Tatsuki Fujimoto's manga and produced by MAPPA studio, continues from the 2022 series while introducing character Reze. The Indian release follows the film's September 19 Japan debut, entering a competitive market where "Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle" set record opening numbers since September 12.

Monster Hunter Now Marks Second Anniversary Despite Revenue Decline

Niantic's location-based game Monster Hunter Now celebrated its second anniversary with new content, though revenue fell 69% in year two to $63.4 million after generating over $200 million initially. The geolocation title, acquired by Scopely in a $3.5 billion deal three months ago, maintains strong engagement with over 50% of players active seven days weekly. New anniversary features include monsters Garangolm and Lunagaron, plus upcoming Exploration Bases encouraging community cooperation through landmark development.

Study: 90% of PC, Console Gamers Played Remakes in Past Year

Strategy consultancy MTM found 90% of PC and console gamers played remakes or remasters in the last 12 months, with 76% finding them appealing despite industry concerns about creative stagnation. The survey of 1,500 US and UK gamers revealed 85% played updated versions without experiencing originals. While many titles are "far out-selling their original release," MTM's Martin Bradley warned studios face a "tight balancing act" between profitable nostalgia and innovation as the trend continues through 2026.

⚔️Side Quest

📺 Watch: This investigation reveals a potential YouTube algorithm change around August 10th that may be impacting your digital marketing metrics. Creator Josh Strife Hayes presents data showing desktop view counts dropped significantly across multiple channels, potentially affecting ROI calculations for video marketing campaigns. 

🎮 Play: Play Conquest Dark if you enjoy fast-paced ARPGs with excellent visuals and responsive combat. It's more Diablo speedrun than survivors-like, letting you go "zero to number machine" in 20 minutes. While progression becomes grindy after initial unlocks and combat choices feel repetitive, the generous hitboxes, interesting bosses, and responsive developers make it worthwhile for ARPG fans seeking quick power fantasy sessions.

📚 Read: Moloco's analysis of 100 top mobile game publishers reveals that iOS downloads grew 6% while Android declined 2%, with emerging markets driving growth. Crucially, auction competition surged 32-47% globally, forcing savvy advertisers to diversify into overlooked markets like Poland and South Africa while investing heavily in playable ads and re-engagement campaigns. Read this to understand how mobile gaming's biggest spenders are adapting to 2025's shifting landscape.

💡Did You Know

Did you know that "Steal A Brainrot," a meme-inspired tycoon game, attracted nearly 24 million players in a single day across Roblox and Fortnite? The community-created title peaked at 23.4 million daily Roblox players and 542,000 concurrent Fortnite users on September 14, surpassing many official Fortnite modes and demonstrating the massive influence of user-generated content in modern gaming.

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