Reality show, competition, bigger IPs – how Poker High is growing the game

India is on road to become the most important market for online gaming. The Indian online gaming industry is predicted to grow at a CAGR of 22% to reach Rs 11,880 crore by 2023 from Rs 4,380 crore in 2018, according to KPMG. Numerous online games have developed with innovative formats, one of which is online poker game, which is creating disruption in the online gaming industry.

Poker High (previously known as Adda52) is an established brand in the online poker circuit, offering real cash games and tournaments to poker aficionados all over India, and is the first legal online poker site with FDI in Online Poker. It has launched the first online Poker reality show, ‘The Player Hunt’, hosted by Rannvijay Singha and Harman Singha. It is a community-based competition, where the players take part in a reality poker series packaged into a web series. Season 2 of ‘The Player Hunt’ is set to be broadcast as a seven-episode series on YouTube on Rannvijay’s channel.

In conversation with Adgully, Rannvijay Singh Singha and Harman Singha speak about the inception of ‘The Player Hunt’ Seasons 1 and 2, the growth of online gaming in India, the challenges and opportunities for the online poker industry, and much more.

What is ‘The Player Hunt’ all about? How did the idea originate?

‘The Player Hunt’ is a reality show where different poker players from across the country get an opportunity to compete with each other. It’s a platform for them to showcase their skills and then be the face of poker in India. Though it is a show where the backdrop is poker, it is about the personalities of these people, the stories of the contestants, the different backgrounds that they’ve come from and what it means for them to win and how does being a poker player empower them in their lives? So, it is an interesting story and there is an angle of personality and there are tasks where it is not just about poker, but if you win or lose the task, it kind of gives you an advantage or a disadvantage on the poker table.

We did the first season during the pandemic, so it was an online show. We received such a good response and great views that we decided to take it offline as soon as we could shoot. We had a great time shooting it. We saw a lot of bonding, camaraderie, and competition – all in all, every contestant becomes an ambassador of poker.

‘The Player Hunt’ Season 2 will be going online very soon, and we are proud that these contestants will go ahead and spread the word for poker.

The idea for ‘The Player Hunt’ originated from the Poker High team. We did a lot of brainstorming after which we came up with idea up doing a reality show, where you can have people from across the country coming together to compete in poker. Poker offers a level playing field.

What was the response to Season 1 of ‘The Player Hunt’?

The reception of Player Hunt has been awesome. And that is why after the season one, we decided to do season two in a bigger way – shooting physically at location with all the players in a reality show format. Non-poker playing people also became aware about the game, what it take to be a good poker player, the kind of skills that one requires and how these skills can help one in their life, in all walks of life.

What are the other games that Player Hunt will venture into besides Poker?

Player Hunt Season 2 is about poker and the skills that you need to win in poker; but the other competitions that enable you to get an advantage or a disadvantage on the poker table pose a lot of challenges that are based on personalities and their risk-taking abilities. It is about their skills, talent, etc. We all had a lot of fun making the show. Though the participants were highly competitive, they also formed a bond with each other. I think that is what the viewers will enjoy – that it is not just about poker, but who these people are, what are their stories, and how and why this journey is so important for them.