How WAFA a Voice Centric Gaming Platform is Taking on Yalla and Roblox

In an exclusive interaction with Muhammed Aqib TP, CEO of WAFA, a voice-centric socio gaming platform tells Reshmi AR talks about the growth of online gaming in India and how WAFA is changing the gaming landscape.

1. Tell us about your days when you created Facebook pages and how it raked in thousands of dollars.

Laid my foot into image and video content creation way before the Fast-unfolding revolution of social media panned out in India. From curating status posts to sending free live SMS updates that focused mainly on Entertainment and the Undying love of Indians for cricket, that which started off as a leisure activity had later realized it’s future revenue potential. Along with a few like-minded friends who shared their mutual love for the same, The BACK Benchers was set up in 2012.  With almost 20 sub-pages of its own and access to over a 100 pages across different verticals, Initially generated revenue by Diverting traffic from the page to the website. We were one of the first to undertake media campaigns with PayTM and Flipkart for their Big Billion Days, and to start video amplification for brands. We have also worked with LG, Pringles, Dream11, Oppo, Adidas, Zee5 and many more, for the same. With more than 100+ pages involved, doing 5 rounds each, we executed one of the biggest campaigns for OnePlus and took meme marketing to a whole new level. Ever since the era of influencer marketing befell, and with media trends exploding every now and again, there has been no looking back.

2. The BACK Benchers, what's the idea behind this?

Initially started off as a means to kill time, we focused more on content and posts that were based on and around a student’s life. Further with time, we adhered to the likes and wants of the audience, thereby branching out to general news, facts and entertainment.

3. You have executed social media campaigns for huge brands. How much of a difference do these campaigns make to the brand?

Back in 2017-2018 when influencer marketing wasn’t a trend and meme marketing was in its initial stage, consumers of the content would not understand the subtle integration of brand in memes. It influenced the feelings of the consumers and could influence the consumer’s attitude towards the brands, creating high recall value among the consumers and thereby consequently increasing sales.
 

4. There are still a good number of brands that are not too visible on social media. Will that hurt them in the long run?

Mobiles and their increased usage becoming an integral part of our lives have given an outlet to brands; an opportunity like never before. Yes, eventually they would need to adapt to social media to connect with their consumers or risk having their competitors snatch away their customers with great stories chaperoned by creative and performance marketing. Digital consumers using social networks to discover new brands and products, exposes them to a substantial threat of losing out. Social media advertising is certainly a worthy investment as brands see and have seen a huge positive impact from ROI to awareness and conversions.

5. How did the idea of building a  voice-centric socio-gaming platform happen?
    

• The number of online gamers using their smartphone has grown by 60% if you compare the data during pre-covid and lockdown.
• Another factor that paved the way to the growth of the online gaming market is the penetration of high-speed 4G internet. With 5G going to provide the necessary thrust in making socio-gaming accessible to all, Esports has a huge potential in the Indian market, given that India has the right distribution of consumers and players, thanks to the high youth population.
• This paves way to build a virtual world and environment in the metaverse, and to provide comfortable and real time social connection for Indians.

6. What is Wafa app all about?
   With a mission to build the most popular voice-centric socio-gaming platform and to integrate metaverse and social gaming, we’re now working towards building a virtual world and environment, and to provide comfortable and real time social connection (a virtual party at their comfort) for Indians, in the metaverse.

7. Who are your competitors and what sets you apart from them?
   Yalla and Roblox. WAFA is a blend of the duo. Both Voice chat room and a virtual universe at one place, making it more seamless and powerful.

• Supports multiple communities.

• Localized and superior user experience.

• Highly engaged and interactive user community.

• Recommendation of rooms based on language and interests.

   

8. What's your user base like in terms of diversity?
   As most of our users are in the age group of 18 to 35 and majority hailing from India, we have the highest number of Hindi speaking users followed by Tamil, Telugu and Urdu.

9. How is Wafa App changing the gaming landscape?
   With voice communication breaking grounds in full-tilt, it bagged its spot in the gaming world by alleviating the gaming experience. Making way for an efficient mode of communication at ones ease, a chance to virtually talk and hang out, all the while battling, WAFA offers virtual events, better social features and envisages to offer a truly unparalleled state-of-the-art metaverse experience in its near future.

10. With the online gaming community increasing by the day, do you think esports will gain momentum in India?
    Given that India with its high and ever-growing youth population, has the right distribution of consumers and players, gives E-sports in itself a huge potential in the Indian market. And with the number of online gamers using their phones having grown by 60%, mobile gaming in India is now at $1.5Bn and is expected to be $5Bn+ by 2025. With the penetration of high-speed 4G internet, gaming and socialization are being coupled like never before, and with 5G going to provide the necessary thrust in making socio-gaming accessible to all, the world still is learning just how influential gaming really is.

11. Integrating voice with games, how does it work?

Contrary to the time when gaming was merely just about playing games, gamers then have realised their want to talk to their gaming friends even when they weren't in a game, and to talk about things other than games. To bring this thought into reality and to bring out the maximum potential in the socio-gaming economy, a call for crossover was made. With the advancement in technology, integrating gaming with voice sailed smooth.

12. What trends do you foresee for India in the gaming sector, particularly adopting voice technology

With 5G providing necessary thrust in making socio-gaming accessible to all and owing to the surge in young population, soaring use of smartphones, easy availability and accessibility of technology and internet, and rising investment by capitalists, gaming today is considered the most lucrative business sector in India, comprising an ecosystem of engaged and enthusiastic gamers.