In this episode of The Great Indian Gaming Podcast, we dive into the journey of Karan Khairajani, a game developer and entrepreneur who went from struggling to getting acquired. Karan shares his early challenges, including running out of money while trying to keep his studio alive, and how his team eventually found success with hyper-casual games. Their three hit games—Soap Cutting, Acrylic Nails, and Hair Dye—have collectively amassed over 400 million downloads worldwide. Karan reflects on the challenges of the Indian gaming industry, emphasizing the immense talent available but the lack of homegrown games that have scaled globally. He discusses his entrepreneurial spirit, having co-founded multiple companies, and the lessons he learned along the way. He recalls his early days in game development, his decision to return to Mumbai for family, and the ups and downs of running a game studio with limited resources. The conversation also delves into the booming hyper-casual market, the influence of Turkish developers, and the evolution of user acquisition strategies in mobile gaming. Karan highlights the importance of analytics, optimizing ad creatives, and balancing attention-grabbing content with ethical advertising practices. Finally, he shares insights on the acquisition process, the challenges of navigating legal documentation, and his experience working with Crazy Labs post-acquisition. Throughout the episode, Karan provides valuable takeaways for aspiring game developers, emphasizing persistence, adaptability, and the importance of learning from failures.