PM Modi Pitches Ramayana, Mahabharata as Source Material for Global Gaming Industry

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

• PM Modi pitched Indian mythology as the next big source material for the gaming industry.

• Rockstar Games launched an official mod marketplace after years of banning modders, marking a dramatic reversal in policy.

• Ubisoft cuts 55 jobs at Swedish studios as its three-year restructuring drive continues.

• A Glasgow tribunal rejected interim relief for Rockstar employees fired last year, ruling union membership likely wasn't the primary dismissal reason.

• Gaming M&A hit $161 billion in 2025, fueled by Netflix's Warner Bros. acquisition and EA's buyout.

Let's get into it.

PM Modi Pitches Indian Mythology for Global Gaming Industry

Prime Minister Narendra Modi pitched Indian mythology as source material for the global gaming industry during his address at the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue 2026 in Delhi.

Modi highlighted the commercial potential of Hindu epics in game development. "The Ramayana and the Mahabharata hold enormous potential in the global gaming market," he said, suggesting that adapting these stories could create new entertainment experiences.

The Prime Minister pointed to specific characters as gaming opportunities. "Hanuman alone can power an entire gaming universe," he said, referring to the deity from the Ramayana. Modi framed the gaming sector as a convergence opportunity for India's cultural heritage and modern technology. "By bringing these stories into the world of gaming, we can create new experiences," he told the gathering of young leaders.

Rockstar Launches Official Mod Marketplace After Years of Crackdown

Rockstar Games launched Cfx Marketplace, an official digital storefront for mods across Grand Theft Auto 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2, marking a dramatic reversal from its earlier policies.

The marketplace offers props, scripts, maps and other user-created content, with some mods available free while bundles can cost several hundred dollars. Rockstar acquired Cfx.re, the modding team behind multiplayer roleplay servers FiveM and RedM, in 2023.

The move represents a significant policy shift. In 2015, Rockstar and partner Take-Two labeled FiveM "an unauthorized alternate multiplayer server that contains code to facilitate piracy," banning three of its creators.

Rockstar changed course in November 2022, permitting roleplay servers that remain non-commercial, respect intellectual property rights and don't interfere with official online services.

The company said the marketplace will roll out in stages and features a curated list of partner creators who helped develop the platform. The storefront aims to give modders a sanctioned venue to monetize their work.

⚡️Quick Bytes

Ubisoft Cuts 55 Jobs at Swedish Studios Amid Restructuring

Ubisoft is laying off 55 employees at Massive Entertainment and Ubisoft Stockholm, following a voluntary redundancy program launched last year. The French publisher said development continues on The Division 3 despite the cuts. The move follows closure of mobile studio Ubisoft Halifax earlier this month, part of a three-year cost-cutting drive as Ubisoft restructures into new business units.

UK Tribunal Rejects Interim Relief for Fired Rockstar Workers

A Glasgow employment tribunal rejected interim relief for Rockstar employees fired last year, ruling union membership likely wasn't the primary dismissal reason. Rockstar insists workers were dismissed for sharing confidential Grand Theft Auto 6 information in a Discord server, not union activities. The company welcomed the decision, while the Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain called the firings "deeply unjust" and remains optimistic about the upcoming full hearing.

Gaming M&A Hits $161 Billion in 2025, Fueled by Mega-Deals

Gaming industry mergers and acquisitions reached $161 billion in 2025, driven by Netflix's $82.7 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. and Electronic Arts' $55 billion buyout, according to Drake Star's Global Gaming Report. Private financing rebounded strongly in the second half after hitting lows in Q2, with mobile and AI investments dominating activity. Major investors included Play Ventures, Bitkraft, and Griffin Gaming Partners.

⚔️Side Quest

🤣Laugh:

📺 Watch: Indie Game Luke spent a month analyzing 100+ viral gaming videos to crack TikTok's algorithm. The surprising findings: solo devs have an advantage, posting bugs gets millions of views, and gameplay-focused virality dramatically outperforms "funny dev content."

🎮 Play: After Hours challenges you to solve a 30-year-old mystery by exploring an abandoned computer, but the twist is that: you'll need to actually send emails to progress. This 2018 ARG has gotten harder over time, not because of updates, but because younger players apparently don't know how to write emails anymore. A fascinating meta-commentary on digital literacy wrapped in a compelling puzzle game. 

📚 Read: In this GI interview, Michał Kiciński reveals why he spent $25.3 million buying GOG from CD Projekt RED. The co-founder dismisses DRM as "plain stupid," explains his strategy for competing with Steam's 80% market share, and hints at following Nightdive's remaster approach. 

💡Did You Know

Your gaming sessions might actually be making you a better driver. Research reveals that playing Mario Kart improves fundamental driving abilities by sharpening visuomotor-control skills; (ie) the coordination between what you see and how you respond. Meanwhile, first-person shooters like Unreal Tournament enhance your ability to predict input error signals, essentially boosting your reflex control behind the wheel. These findings suggest that the quick decision-making, hand-eye coordination, and split-second reactions required in competitive gaming translate directly to real-world driving scenarios. So next time someone questions your gaming habits, remind them you're actually practicing for the road ahead.

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