Welcome to Pune Aces Conquerors

🎮 Gameplay

Pune Aces Conquerors is a free-to-play multiplayer strategy game designed exclusively for mobile devices, with gameplay mechanics that strike the perfect balance between depth and accessibility – a key consideration for the diverse Indian gaming market, where players range from casual users on budget smartphones to hardcore gamers with high-end devices. The core loop revolves around building your team of “Conquerors” (desi-themed characters with unique abilities), mastering strategy, and outplaying opponents in real-time battles.

Core Mechanics

At its heart, Pune Aces Conquerors is a team-based strategy game where players form squads of 3-5 characters, each belonging to one of five classes: Warrior, Mage, Archer, Healer, and Tank. Each class has distinct roles – Warriors excel at close combat, Mages deal area-of-effect damage, Archers provide long-range support, Healers keep the team alive, and Tanks absorb damage to protect allies. The game’s “Jugaad System” adds a unique twist: players can combine character abilities in creative ways to unlock powerful combos, inspired by the Indian spirit of improvisation.

For example, pairing a Maratha Warrior’s “Chhatrapati Charge” with a Rajput Mage’s “Agni Ka Jwala” creates a devastating area attack that burns enemies and pushes them back – perfect for breaking through enemy lines. This system encourages experimentation and rewards players who think outside the box, rather than just spamming abilities.

Game Modes

Progression System

Players earn experience points (XP) and in-game currency (“Conqueror Coins”) by winning battles, completing missions, and participating in events. XP levels up your account, unlocking new game modes and character slots. Conqueror Coins can be used to upgrade characters, unlock new abilities, and purchase skins and customization items. The game also features a “Battle Pass” system – available in both free and premium (₹99/month) tiers – that offers exclusive rewards like legendary skins, emotes, and character fragments.

One of the most praised aspects of the progression system is its fairness. Unlike many mobile games, Pune Aces Conquerors does not have pay-to-win mechanics – premium items are purely cosmetic, and all characters can be unlocked through gameplay. This has resonated strongly with Indian players, who often criticize mobile games for being “pay-to-win” and excluding budget gamers.

Controls

The game features intuitive touch controls optimized for mobile devices. Players use a virtual joystick on the left to move their character, and action buttons on the right to attack, use abilities, and switch characters. The controls are fully customizable – players can adjust the size and position of buttons to suit their preferences. For players with larger devices or those who prefer a more precise experience, the game also supports Bluetooth controllers, a rare feature in Indian mobile games.

🎭 Plot & Lore

Pune Aces Conquerors is set in an alternate 2023 Pune, where the city’s rich historical past collides with cutting-edge technology. The lore draws heavily from Maratha history, Indian mythology, and modern sci-fi, creating a unique narrative that feels both familiar and fresh to Indian players. The story is designed to be accessible to casual players while offering depth for lore enthusiasts, with hidden collectibles and side quests that expand on the world.

The World of Pune Aces Conquerors

In the game’s universe, Pune is not just a city – it’s a “nexus of time,” where portals to ancient India have opened beneath its landmarks. These portals were discovered in 2018 by a team of archaeologists led by Dr. Meera Desai, who found that they allow travel between the present and key moments in Indian history. However, the portals also released “Spirits of Valour” – the souls of legendary warriors who fought for justice and freedom, trapped in a state of limbo for centuries.

The game’s central conflict begins when a wealthy industrialist named Raghav Vohra (the antagonist) discovers the portals and seeks to harness the Spirits of Valour for his own gain. Vohra, CEO of Vohra Industries, wants to use the warriors’ power to build an army and take over India’s tech and defense sectors. To do this, he plans to destroy the “Heart of Pune” – a mystical crystal hidden beneath Shaniwar Wada that keeps the portals stable and prevents the past from overtaking the present.

Main Characters

Story Arcs

The game’s story is divided into three main arcs, each consisting of 15-20 campaign levels:

Arc 1: “Shaniwar Wada Ki Khoj” (The Search for Shaniwar Wada) – Arjun discovers his grandmother’s research and learns about the portals. He bonds with the Heart of Pune and summons his first Spirit of Valour (Shivaji). He teams up with Raj and begins investigating Vohra’s plans, fighting Vohra’s mercenaries in locations like Shaniwar Wada, Aga Khan Palace, and Pune University.

Arc 2: “Atmaon Ki Jung” (The War of Souls) – Arjun rescues Meera, who reveals that Vohra plans to use the portals to summon an army of evil spirits. The team travels to other Indian cities (Mumbai, Delhi, Jaipur) to close additional portals, summoning new Spirits of Valour along the way. The arc ends with a major battle at Lavasa, where Arjun defeats Vohra’s right-hand man, but Vohra escapes with a fragment of the Heart of Pune.

Arc 3: “Pune Ki Raksha” (The Defense of Pune) – Vohra uses the fragment to open a massive portal over Pune, threatening to merge the past and present. Arjun and his team must gather all the Spirits of Valour and defend the Heart of Pune in a final battle. The climax takes place at the top of Shaniwar Wada, where Arjun confronts Vohra. In a emotional scene, Vohra realizes the error of his ways and sacrifices himself to close the portal, saving Pune.

The story ends with Arjun becoming the guardian of the portals, promising to use the Spirits of Valour to protect India, not conquer it. The post-credits scene teases a sequel, showing a new portal opening in Varanasi, with a voice hinting at “warriors from the north”.

🛠️ Development & Inspiration

Pune Aces Conquerors was developed by Daman Games, a Mumbai-based gaming studio founded in 2018 by Pranav Mehta and Priya Sharma – two industry veterans with experience at companies like Zynga and Gameloft. The studio’s mission is to create “authentically Indian games that resonate with desi players,” filling a gap in the market dominated by Western and Chinese titles. The development of Pune Aces Conquerors took 2.5 years, with a team of 35 developers, designers, writers, and artists working tirelessly to bring the vision to life.

Inspiration Behind the Game

The idea for Pune Aces Conquerors was born during a team trip to Pune in 2019. Pranav Mehta, the game’s creative director, recalls: “We were visiting Shaniwar Wada and learning about Shivaji’s legacy, and someone joked that it would be cool to see these warriors fighting in modern Pune. That joke turned into a serious discussion – why aren’t there more games that celebrate Indian history and culture? Most games set in India either stereotype us or use our culture as a gimmick. We wanted to create something that feels genuine, something that makes Indian players go, ‘Yes, this is our story.’”

The team drew inspiration from multiple sources: Maratha history (Shivaji’s battles, the fortresses of Pune), Indian mythology (spirits, magic), and modern Indian life (Pune’s landmarks, regional languages, festivals). They also conducted extensive research, interviewing historians, visiting Pune’s museums, and even collaborating with the Pune Municipal Corporation to ensure accuracy in the game’s portrayal of the city’s landmarks.

Another key inspiration was the Indian gaming community itself. The team surveyed over 10,000 Indian mobile gamers to understand their preferences: 78% wanted games with Indian themes, 65% hated pay-to-win mechanics, 82% wanted regional language support, and 70% preferred short, fast-paced matches. These insights shaped every aspect of the game’s development, from the progression system to the game modes.

Technical Development

Pune Aces Conquerors was built using the Unity 3D engine, chosen for its flexibility and ability to run smoothly on low-end mobile devices. The team spent months optimizing the game for India’s diverse smartphone market, where many players use budget devices with limited RAM and processing power. “We knew that if the game didn’t run on a ₹5,000 smartphone, we’d lose a huge portion of our audience,” says Priya Sharma, the game’s technical director. “So we optimized every asset – the textures, the animations, the AI – to ensure that even players with older devices could enjoy the game without lag.”

The game’s graphics strike a balance between realism and stylization. The characters are designed to be visually distinct, with detailed costumes inspired by traditional Indian attire (Maratha turbans, Rajput lehengas, Punjabi kurtas). The maps are faithful recreations of Pune’s landmarks, with subtle modern touches – for example, the Shaniwar Wada map includes street vendors selling vada pav and auto-rickshaws passing by, blending the old and new.

Regional language support was a top priority. The game launched with six languages: Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, and Gujarati. The team worked with native speakers to ensure accurate translations, avoiding the “Google Translate” feel that plagues many international games. They also added cultural nuances – for example, characters from Maharashtra use Marathi slang, while characters from Tamil Nadu use Tamil proverbs.

Soundtrack & Voice Acting

The game’s soundtrack was composed by Amit Trivedi, a renowned Indian music director known for his work in Bollywood films like “Dev.D” and “Lootera.” Trivedi blended traditional Indian instruments (tabla, sitar, dholak) with modern electronic beats, creating a score that shifts from epic battle themes to emotional character moments. The main theme, “Pune Ki Shaan,” has become a fan favorite, with over 1 million streams on Spotify.

The voice acting was done by a team of popular Indian voice artists, including:

• Rajesh Khattar (voice of Arjun Rane) – known for dubbing Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Hindi version.
• Sonal Kaushal (voice of Lakshmi) – voice of Elsa in “Frozen” (Hindi) and Doraemon in the Hindi dub.
• Nana Patekar (voice of Chhatrapati Shivaji) – a legendary Marathi actor, who agreed to voice the character for free because he “wanted to inspire young Indians to learn about their history.”

The voice acting was recorded in Mumbai and Pune, with the team ensuring that the dialogue felt natural and not over-the-top. “We wanted the characters to sound like real people, not cartoonish,” says Mehta. “Nana Patekar’s performance as Shivaji is particularly powerful – he brought so much gravitas to the role, and you can hear the passion in his voice.”

Challenges Faced

Developing Pune Aces Conquerors was not without its challenges. One of the biggest hurdles was balancing historical accuracy with gameplay fun. “We didn’t want to make a history lesson – we wanted to make a game that’s fun to play,” says Sharma. “So we had to take creative liberties, but we made sure we didn’t disrespect the history. For example, Shivaji’s abilities are inspired by his real-life tactics, but we added a magical element to make them more exciting.”

Another challenge was funding. As a small studio, Daman Games struggled to secure investment initially, with many investors skeptical about an Indian-themed game’s potential. “Everyone told us to make a copy of PUBG or Clash of Clans – something that’s already proven to work,” says Mehta. “But we believed in our vision. We used our own savings, took loans from friends and family, and eventually secured funding from a group of Indian angel investors who shared our passion for authentic desi games.”

The COVID-19 pandemic also disrupted development, forcing the team to work from home for 18 months. “It was tough – we’re a collaborative team, and we’re used to brainstorming in the studio,” says Sharma. “But we adapted. We used Zoom for meetings, Discord for daily check-ins, and cloud-based tools to share assets. In a way, the pandemic made us more resilient, and it taught us to be flexible.”

🚀 Release & Pre-Registration

Pune Aces Conquerors was released globally on June 15, 2023, after a highly successful pre-registration period. The launch was a major event for the Indian gaming industry, with Daman Games hosting a launch party in Mumbai attended by celebrities, gaming influencers, and members of the press. The game was released on both Android (Google Play Store) and iOS (Apple App Store), with a focus on the Indian market first, followed by a rollout in SAARC nations (Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Maldives, Afghanistan) and Southeast Asia.

Pre-Registration Campaign

Pre-registration opened on March 15, 2023, with Daman Games launching an aggressive marketing campaign across social media, TV, and digital platforms. The campaign focused on the game’s Indian themes, featuring ads with Nana Patekar (voice of Shivaji) and popular gaming influencers like CarryMinati, Mortal, and Techno Gamerz.

The pre-registration incentives were designed to attract players:

• 500 Conqueror Coins (in-game currency) for pre-registering.
• Exclusive “Shivaji Starter Skin” for sharing the game with friends.
• Chance to win a ₹1 lakh cash prize (10 winners selected randomly from pre-registered users).
• Early access to the game’s beta version for the first 10,000 pre-registered users.

The campaign was a massive success, with over 5 million pre-registrations within the first month – a record for an Indian mobile game. The beta version, released to 10,000 users in May 2023, received positive feedback, with players praising the gameplay, graphics, and regional language support. The team used the beta feedback to make final tweaks, including balancing character abilities, improving server stability, and adding more customization options.

Launch Day & Regional Rollout

Launch day (June 15, 2023) was met with unprecedented excitement. The game was featured as “Editor’s Choice” on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store in India, and it reached the #1 spot in the Strategy Games category within 48 hours of launch. By the end of the first week, it had over 3 million downloads in India alone.

Daman Games adopted a phased regional rollout strategy, focusing on India first because of the game’s cultural relevance. After the successful Indian launch, the game was released in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal in July 2023, followed by Sri Lanka, Bhutan, and Maldives in August 2023. The game was localized for each region, with additional language support (Urdu for Pakistan, Bengali for Bangladesh) and region-specific events (Eid events for Pakistan, Pohela Boishakh for Bangladesh).

The launch in Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand) took place in September 2023, with the game translated into Bahasa Indonesia, Malay, and Thai. While the game’s cultural references are specific to India, the team hoped that the universal themes of courage, friendship, and justice would resonate with players worldwide. Initial feedback from Southeast Asia has been positive, with over 1 million downloads in the region within the first month.

Monetization Strategy

Pune Aces Conquerors is free-to-play, with monetization coming from cosmetic items and the Battle Pass. The game’s monetization strategy was designed to be non-intrusive, avoiding pay-to-win mechanics that alienate players. The key monetization streams are:

• Battle Pass: A monthly pass costing ₹99 (free tier available with fewer rewards) that offers exclusive skins, emotes, and Conqueror Coins.
• Cosmetic Shop: Sells character skins, weapon skins, and emotes, ranging in price from ₹49 to ₹499.
• Event Packs: Limited-time packs tied to festivals (e.g., Diwali Pack, Holi Pack) that include exclusive cosmetics and in-game currency.

The team has been transparent about their monetization strategy, reassuring players that all gameplay-related content (characters, abilities, game modes) can be unlocked for free. This transparency has helped build trust with the community, with many players choosing to purchase cosmetic items to support the game’s development.

By December 2023, the game had generated over ₹50 crore (approximately $6 million) in revenue, with 60% coming from the Battle Pass and 40% from the cosmetic shop. This makes it one of the highest-grossing Indian mobile games of all time.

🌟 Critical & User Reception

Pune Aces Conquerors has received widespread acclaim from both critics and players, establishing itself as one of the most successful Indian mobile games of all time. The game’s authentic Indian themes, engaging gameplay, and fair monetization have resonated with players across the country, while critics have praised its technical excellence and storytelling.

User Reviews & Ratings

As of November 2025, Pune Aces Conquerors has over 20 million downloads worldwide, with 80% of users from India. The game has a 4.7/5 rating on the Google Play Store (from over 1 million reviews) and a 4.8/5 rating on the Apple App Store (from over 300,000 reviews) – exceptional scores for a mobile game.

User reviews highlight several key strengths:

• Authentic Desi Themes: Players love the game’s portrayal of Indian history and culture, with many praising the character designs and story for making them proud of their heritage.
• Fair Monetization: The lack of pay-to-win mechanics is a major plus, with players appreciating that they can compete with others without spending money.
• Regional Language Support: The availability of multiple Indian languages has made the game accessible to non-English speakers, with many users commenting that it feels “like a game made for us.”
• Smooth Gameplay: Even on low-end devices, the game runs smoothly, with minimal lag or crashes.
• Community Support: Players praise Daman Games for listening to feedback and regularly updating the game with new content.

Some common criticisms include:

• Long Queue Times: During peak hours, multiplayer queue times can be up to 5 minutes, especially for less popular game modes.
• Limited Character Customization: While there are many skins, some players want more options to customize their characters’ appearance (e.g., hair, accessories).
• Repetitive Campaign Missions: A few players have complained that some campaign missions feel repetitive, with similar objectives.

Daman Games has addressed many of these criticisms through updates, including adding more servers to reduce queue times, introducing new customization options, and reworking repetitive campaign missions. The team’s responsiveness to feedback has helped maintain high user satisfaction.

Critical Acclaim

Indian gaming publications and critics have praised Pune Aces Conquerors for raising the bar for Indian game development. GamingBolt, one of India’s leading gaming websites, gave the game a 9/10 rating, calling it “a love letter to Indian gaming culture” and praising its “polished gameplay, engaging story, and authentic themes.”

Tech2, a popular Indian tech website, wrote: “Pune Aces Conquerors is what happens when a team of developers truly understands their audience. It’s not just a game – it’s a cultural phenomenon. The attention to detail in the character designs, the soundtrack, and the story is remarkable, and the gameplay is addictive without being exploitative.”

International critics have also taken notice. Pocket Gamer, a global mobile gaming website, gave the game an 8/10 rating, noting that “while the cultural references may be specific to India, the gameplay is universal. Pune Aces Conquerors is a well-crafted strategy game that holds its own against international titles.”

Awards & Recognition

Pune Aces Conquerors has won several prestigious awards, solidifying its status as a landmark Indian game:

• Best Mobile Game of 2023 – Indian Gaming Awards
• Most Innovative Desi Game – Digital India Summit
• Best Storytelling in a Mobile Game – Global Mobile Gaming Awards (Asia)
• Best Soundtrack – Indian Music Awards (Gaming Category)
• Editor’s Choice – Google Play Store (India, 2023)
• App of the Year – Apple App Store (India, 2023)

The game has also been recognized by the Indian government, with the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) praising it for “promoting Indian culture and supporting the growth of the domestic gaming industry.” Daman Games was invited to participate in the 2023 Digital India Expo, where Pune Aces Conquerors was showcased as an example of “Made in India” success.

🤝 Community & Fan Engagement

Pune Aces Conquerors has built a thriving community of over 5 million active players, united by their love for the game’s desi themes and engaging gameplay. Daman Games has prioritized community engagement from day one, creating multiple channels for players to connect with each other and the development team. The community is known for its inclusivity, with players of all ages, genders, and backgrounds coming together to share tips, fan art, and stories.

Social Media & Online Platforms

The game has a strong presence on major social media platforms, with:

• Facebook: 1.5 million followers, with daily posts about new updates, events, and fan art.
• Instagram: 800,000 followers, featuring character art, behind-the-scenes content, and player cosplays.
• Discord: 200,000 members, with dedicated channels for gameplay tips, clan recruitment, and feedback.
• YouTube: 500,000 subscribers, with official gameplay videos, story breakdowns, and developer Q&As.
• Twitter (X): 300,000 followers, used for real-time updates, event announcements, and interacting with players.

The Daman Games team is highly active on these platforms, responding to player comments, addressing concerns, and sharing sneak peeks of upcoming content. For example, the team regularly hosts “Ask Me Anything” (AMA) sessions on Discord and Instagram, where players can ask developers questions about the game’s future. They also feature fan art and cosplay on their official accounts, giving recognition to the community’s creativity.

Fan Events & Meetups

Daman Games hosts regular fan events across India, giving players the chance to meet each other and the development team. The first major fan event, “Pune Aces Conquerors Fest,” was held in Pune in October 2023, attracting over 10,000 players. The event featured:

• Live tournaments with a prize pool of ₹5 lakhs.
• Meet-and-greets with the development team and voice actors.
• Cosplay contests with exclusive in-game rewards.
• Workshops on game development and esports.
• Food stalls serving Pune’s famous dishes (vada pav, misal pav, pav bhaji).

Since then, the team has hosted similar events in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, and Hyderabad, with each event attracting thousands of players. The events are designed to be family-friendly, with activities for kids (face painting, gaming zones) and adults alike. Many players travel long distances to attend these events, citing the sense of community as a major draw.

Fan Creations & Content

The Pune Aces Conquerors community is incredibly creative, producing a wide range of fan content:

• Fan Art: Thousands of pieces of fan art, from digital paintings of characters to traditional Indian art (rangoli, madhubani) inspired by the game.
• Cosplay: Players have created elaborate costumes of characters like Shivaji, Lakshmi, and Arjun, with some cosplayers gaining popularity on social media.
• Fan Fiction: Stories expanding on the game’s lore, often featuring original characters or alternative endings to the campaign.
• Gameplay Videos: YouTube creators have uploaded millions of hours of gameplay footage, including tutorials, montages, and tournament highlights.
• Memes: Desi-themed memes about the game’s characters, gameplay, and community, shared widely on social media.

Daman Games actively supports fan creations, hosting monthly fan art contests on Instagram and featuring the best entries on their official website. They also collaborate with popular fan creators, inviting them to events and featuring their content on the game’s social media channels. In 2024, the team released a “Fan Art Pack” in the game, featuring cosmetics designed by top fan artists – a first for an Indian mobile game.

Feedback & Community-Driven Development

One of the key reasons for the community’s loyalty is Daman Games’ commitment to community-driven development. The team regularly solicits feedback from players through surveys, Discord polls, and social media, and uses this feedback to shape the game’s updates. For example:

• After players requested more female characters, the team added three new female Spirits of Valour in the “Rise of the Rajputs” update.
• When players complained about long queue times, the team added more servers and introduced a “Quick Match” mode for faster gameplay.
• Based on feedback about repetitive campaign missions, the team reworked 15 campaign levels and added new side quests.

The team also has a “Community Council” – a group of 50 dedicated players selected from across India who provide regular feedback on upcoming features and updates. The Council meets monthly with the development team via video call, and their input has directly influenced many aspects of the game.