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Category: Gaming

  • Revenant Xspark levels up to worlds glory

    Revenant Xspark levels up to worlds glory

    MUMBAI: Talk about a supercharged respawn! Revenant Xspark has blasted its way into the Brawl Stars World Championship 2025, marking another milestone moment for Indian esports.

    After a power-packed performance at the Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ) held in São Paulo, Brazil, from October 10–12, the team secured one of only four golden tickets to the world finals. Led by India’s Ashmit “Sergeant Clash” Raj Singh, along with Singapore’s Jayden “x9Jay” Wong and Jerome “Response” Kuek, a former world champion, Revenant Xspark proved that strategy, synergy and sheer skill can bridge borders.

    This triumph makes it just the second time an Indian team has qualified for the global Brawl Stars stage, further cementing India’s growing might in competitive gaming. In their debut season back in 2023, Revenant Xspark had already made waves with a Top-8 finish at the World Championship, and this year, they’ve truly powered up.

    “Our victory at the LCQ in São Paulo is not just for Revenant Xspark, but for Indian esports as a whole,” said Revenant Esports founder Rohit N Jagasia. “The players showed world-class skill, discipline and resilience. Representing India at Worlds will be a huge honour.”

    For team captain Ashmit Raj Singh, the journey was anything but easy. “We had a tough bracket with some of the best in the world, including two-time world champions Crazy Raccoon, yet we were called dark horses,” he said. “We put in the most effort into both draft and gameplay. Now, we want to show the world that our region can’t be underestimated anymore.”

    From clinching their first LPL Monthly Finals title in March to dominating the Subregional Grand Finals and now finishing Top-4 at the LCQ, Revenant Xspark’s 2025 has been nothing short of a highlight reel.

    With this achievement, Revenant Esports, founded in 2021 and home to over 45 athletes across eight rosters, continues to prove that India’s esports scene is no longer playing catch-up. It’s in it to win it.

     

     

  • Bangkok levels up for VCT Ascension Pacific 2025

    Bangkok levels up for VCT Ascension Pacific 2025

    MUMBAI: Game on in Bangkok! The city’s turning into a virtual warzone as VCT Ascension Pacific 2025 kicks off, bringing ten elite VALORANT teams face-to-face in a high-stakes shootout for a ticket to the 2026 Pacific League.

    From 14 to 26 October, the Imperial Samrong Convention Hall will witness the region’s sharpest aimers and coolest strategists clash for two golden berths in next year’s league and a share of the 100,000 dollars prize pool.

    Representing South Asia, Velocity Gaming takes centre stage after clinching a 3–1 victory over S8UL in the Omen Valorant Challengers South Asia qualifiers. The team now sets its sights on conquering Asia-Pacific giants like Boom Esports, Full Sense, and Riddle Order, all gunning for Ascension glory.

    The tournament features two groups of five teams each, battling it out in best-of-three matches before the top six advance to the playoffs. The tension will peak on 25 and 26 October with the upper and lower bracket finals, where only two teams will ascend to the VCT Pacific League 2026.

    Fans can catch the live action in Bangkok or stream every headshot and heartbreak across multiple languages online, courtesy of Acer, Intel, and Benq. For those in Thailand, tickets are available via Ticketmelon, search for “Valorant Ascension Pacific 2025” and grab your seat before they’re gone.

    The countdown to chaos has begun, and in Bangkok this fortnight, only the boldest will level up.
     

  • Saatchi & Saatchi India turns gamers into drivers with Renault Kiger challenge

    Saatchi & Saatchi India turns gamers into drivers with Renault Kiger challenge

    MUMBAI: Saatchi & Saatchi India has given car launches a fresh spin with a gamified on-ground activation for the all-new Renault Kiger, designed to bring the brand’s “Rethink Performance, Rethink Kiger” positioning to life. The campaign turned bystanders into players, transforming a digital billboard into a live gaming experience that showcased the Kiger’s speed, agility, and responsiveness.

    Conceptualised by Saatchi & Saatchi India and executed by Digitas India, the activation ran from 23rd to 29th September at Dlf Cyberhub, Gurugram. Participants simply scanned a qr code to sync their smartphones as controllers and navigated a fast-paced, one-minute virtual course, complete with sharp turns and obstacles that mirrored the Kiger’s dynamic capabilities.

    To fuel the buzz, RJ Naved joined the challenge, inviting fans to beat his high score, a move that lit up social media. The activation trended as the 4th most talked-about topic on X, generated over 500,000 views, and drove strong engagement through influencer collaborations.

    “With the new Kiger, we wanted to shift the conversation from design to performance,” said Saatchi & Saatchi India chief creative officer Kartik Smetacek. “The playable billboard combined the reach of outdoor with the interactivity of gaming, an eye-catching way to make people experience performance rather than just hear about it.”

    Renault India VP – sales & marketing Francisco Hidalgo Marques added, “Innovation for Renault isn’t just in our cars, but in how we connect with people. Under the ‘Rethink’ umbrella, this activation turned a product showcase into an immersive gaming experience that redefined how consumers engage with the brand.”

    Following its on-ground success, the Kiger Challenge hit the digital racetrack, rolling out as playable ads online, allowing users to test their reflexes and experience the car’s performance anywhere, anytime.

  • Gamingcon Bharat 2025 set to level up India’s gaming scene

    Gamingcon Bharat 2025 set to level up India’s gaming scene

    MUMBAI: India’s gaming revolution is about to hit a new high score. The Indian Game Publishers and Developers Association (IGPDA) has announced Gamingcon Bharat 2025, taking place at the NESCO Bombay exhibition centre on 29–30 November. Billed as India’s largest gaming festival and industry conference, the event promises to unite gamers, developers, publishers, investors, and policymakers under one roof.

    With over 10,000 attendees expected, Gamingcon Bharat will feature epic esports showdowns including FAU-G: Domination, Indus Battle Royale, BGMI, and Valorant, alongside the Indieverse Showcase highlighting Made-in-India IPs such as Mukti, Age of Bhaarat, and Ludo King. Fans can also catch the Cosplay Grand Finale, explore 100 plus tech and gaming brands in the Expo zone, and enjoy eight action-packed fan zones and stages.

    For creators and industry leaders, the IGPDA India Gaming Conference will run alongside, offering insights on AI, cloud gaming, global IPs, and policy frameworks. Senior government officials and policymakers will engage directly with the gaming ecosystem.

    Nazara Technologies CEO Nitesh Mittersain said, “For the first time, India has a platform of this magnitude to showcase its own IPs to the world. Gamingcon Bharat is the launchpad for India’s next gaming success stories.”

    Tara Gaming co-founder and best-selling author Amish Tripathi added, “Video gaming is the biggest creative industry, and it’s about time India had a rallying point for gamers and the industry to call its own. Gamingcon Bharat 2025 is that rallying point.”

    Gametion CEO Vikash Jaiswal summed it up, “For culturally-rich Indian games to succeed globally, they first need to succeed at home. Gamingcon Bharat 2025 is the home for Indian gaming. The world has Gamescom, we have Gamingcon.”

    From indie developers to global investors, Gamingcon Bharat 2025 aims to level up India’s gaming industry, creating a home-grown stage where local talent can shine globally.
     

  • India’s gaming industry gets its own showcase

    India’s gaming industry gets its own showcase

    MUMBAI: India’s gaming sector is finally getting the spotlight it craves. On 29-30 November, Mumbai will host GamingCon Bharat 2025, the country’s largest gaming festival and industry conference. The Indian Game Publishers and Developers Association (IGPDA), which represents the country’s only video-games-focused industry body, expects over 10,000 gamers, developers, publishers, investors and policymakers to descend on the Nesco Bombay Exhibition Centre.

    The event marks a coming-of-age moment for an industry that has long operated in the shadow of its western counterparts. GamingCon Bharat splits into two distinct experiences: a consumer festival showcasing Indian-made titles like Mukti, Age of Bhaarat and Ludo King, alongside esports tournaments featuring FAU-G: Domination and Indus Battle Royale; and the IGPDA India Gaming Conference, a business summit tackling AI, cloud gaming and policy frameworks.

    That last bit matters. Following India’s Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, senior government officials and politicians will engage directly with industry leaders. The timing is deliberate. India’s gaming market is booming, but lacks the infrastructure and policy support that turned Montreal and Poland into gaming powerhouses with franchises like Assassin’s Creed and The Witcher.

    Industry heavyweights are bullish. Nazara Technologies chief executive  and founding member of IGPDA Nitesh Mittersain calls it “the launchpad for India’s next-gaming success stories.” Ncore Game founder Vishal Gondal says it’s “where India’s gaming future begins.” Gametion founder & chief executive Vikash Jaiswal puts it bluntly: “The world has Gamescom, we have GamingCon.”

    The festival will feature 100-plus exhibitors across eight fan zones and stages, a cosplay competition, and a developer showcase spotlighting homegrown intellectual property. For an industry desperate to prove it can create culturally relevant games with global appeal, GamingCon Bharat represents both challenge and opportunity. Whether India can translate this ambition into the next breakout hit remains to be seen. But at least now it has a stage to try.

  • Satellite broadband set to skyrocket to Rs 20 billion by 2030

    Satellite broadband set to skyrocket to Rs 20 billion by 2030

    MUMBAI: It’s not just rockets taking off satellite broadband revenues are too. A new study by global tech strategist Juniper Research predicts that fixed satellite broadband revenue will double from 10 billion dollars in 2025 to 20 billion dollars by 2030, fuelled by rapid advances in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) technology.

    LEO constellations are helping satellite providers slash latency and launch costs, making once-premium connectivity more accessible and efficient. Fixed satellite broadband, defined as internet delivered via a stationary satellite dish or terminal, is poised for its biggest leap yet and it’s the developing markets leading the charge.

    “Historically, fixed satellite broadband has been limited to affluent regions, such as North America. But emerging markets like India and Indonesia are now driving the next wave of growth,” said Juniper Research senior research analyst Alex Webb. He added that rising demand for reliable, high-speed broadband among consumers and enterprises in these regions will be the key catalyst.

    To seize this opportunity, Juniper Research advises satellite players to join forces with mobile network operators, internet service providers, and other communication service providers (CSPs). Such alliances can help accelerate market entry by leveraging existing billing systems, distribution networks, and customer trust.

    As the global race for connectivity intensifies, satellite broadband appears ready for liftoff, one orbit closer to bridging the world’s digital divide.

  • Playstation India Cup returns with EA Sports FC 26 and Rs 4 lakh prize pool

    Playstation India Cup returns with EA Sports FC 26 and Rs 4 lakh prize pool

    MUMBAI:  It’s game on for India’s football fans! Nodwin Gaming is bringing back the Playstation India Cup, this time featuring EA Sports FC 26 exclusively on the PS5. With a total prize pool of Rs 4,00,000, the tournament promises intense competition, exclusive Playstation merchandise, and a front-row seat to the country’s best console football action.

    The championship kicks off with daily online qualifiers from across India, running until 10th November 2025, with the top 8 players advancing to the grand finale at Delhi Comic Con, NSIC Grounds, Okhla, from 5th to 7th December 2025. Fans can expect high-octane matches, immersive gameplay, and live commentary in the festival’s 40,000 sq. ft. gaming arena.

    Players can register on PS5 starting 8th October 2025 via the “Events” or “Tournaments” section, ensuring they don’t miss a chance to battle it out on India’s only official console esports stage.

    Nodwin Gaming Co-Founder and MD Akshat Rathee said, “The Playstation India Cup perfectly blends competitive gaming and fan culture. Delhi Comic Con, where our journey began, provides the ideal stage to celebrate India’s growing console esports community. It’s a festival of football, gaming, and fandom all rolled into one.”

    The tournament will also feature influencer-led content, live streams, and weekly updates to keep both players and fans engaged. With the combination of football fever, competitive spirit, and gaming prowess, this year’s edition is set to be bigger, bolder, and more thrilling than ever.

    Players and fans can stay updated through Nodwin Gaming’s official social handles and the Playstation India community.

  • NBA takes a shot at AI with AWS as its official cloud partner

    NBA takes a shot at AI with AWS as its official cloud partner

    MUMBAI: From slam dunks to cloud chunks, basketball is getting a digital makeover. The National Basketball Association (NBA) has inked a multi-year deal with Amazon Web Services (AWS), making the tech giant its official cloud and cloud AI partner across the NBA, WNBA, NBA G League, Basketball Africa League and NBA 2K League.

    The partnership will tip off with the launch of NBA Inside the Game powered by AWS, a basketball intelligence platform designed to crunch billions of data points and spin them into real-time insights, snappy stats and interactive fan experiences. Think play-by-play breakdowns, AI-driven analysis, and content that takes fans closer to the action than ever before whether on the NBA App, NBA.com, or social channels.

    “Partnering with AWS provides us with an opportunity to elevate the live game experience through innovation and offer fans a deeper understanding of the game of basketball for years to come,” said NBA executive vice president and head of media operations and technology Ken DeGennaro. “AWS has a proven track record of delivering unique statistical insights and offering transformative experiences that will resonate with NBA fans around the world.”

    For AWS, it’s a chance to show off how its AI infrastructure and cloud firepower can change the game. “At AWS, we’re excited by the NBA’s vision to push the boundaries of what’s possible in sports. This partnership will showcase how cloud and AI can reimagine the game of basketball from generating new insights to creating experiences that bring fans closer to the game they love,” said AWS vice president of professional services & agentic AI, Francessca Vasquez.

    The deal not only strengthens AWS’s growing sports tech portfolio but also positions the NBA as a pioneer in using AI and cloud-driven storytelling to keep fans dunking into data and drama. With this courtship, the game won’t just be played on hardwood—it’ll be streamed, simulated, and supercharged in the cloud.

  • Call of Duty: Mobile goes gothic for Halloween with WWE crossover

    Call of Duty: Mobile goes gothic for Halloween with WWE crossover

    MUMBAI: Nothing says Halloween quite like watching Undertaker suplex a zombie on a haunted Mexican estate at midnight. Welcome to Call of Duty: Mobile’s latest update.

    Season 9—Midnight Rumble—launches today with a hefty serving of Halloween content, including the return of fan-favourite modes like Attack of the Undead and Hordepoint. The update introduces night mode on the Isolated map for the first time since 2020, forcing players to adjust their tactics in near-darkness. Hacienda returns as Haunted Hacienda, complete with ghost ships, jack-o’-lanterns and creatures lurking in the shadows.

    The headline addition is a limited-time WWE collaboration that lets players fight as wrestling legends including Undertaker. Players start matches with boxing gloves and can transform into WWE operators on winning streaks, gaining enhanced health and signature finishing moves that work from any direction. It’s an unlikely crossover that signals the game’s confidence in experimenting beyond military realism.

    The Halloween update kicks off a three-season arc dubbed Black & Gold that will run until the game’s sixth anniversary in Season 11. The campaign starts with Black, bringing back the most popular maps, modes, operators and weapons from the game’s history. Season 10 will flip to Gold  with fresh content before the anniversary finale.

    Beyond the WWE mode, players can earn free legendary weapons through seasonal events, including the FFAR—Shredder and RPD—Road Mongrel. The battle pass introduces the Sten submachine gun, widely used by British forces in the Second World War, alongside Halloween-themed operator skins like Ajax—Insanely Jacked and Seraph—Witch’s Holiday.

    The store update includes a new Mythic weapon draw featuring the Type 25—Deepstar Piercer, two WWE-themed draws for Alexa Bliss and Undertaker, and returning Halloween weapon blueprints in a series armoury. Two previous battle passes—Graveyard Shift and Winter War—are also returning to the vault.

    For a mobile game competing against console-quality shooters and battle royales, the strategy is clear: pile on the content, embrace the absurd, and keep players engaged with constant variety. Whether that approach sustains momentum through to the sixth anniversary remains to be seen, but Activision is betting that zombies and wrestlers make a winning combination.

  • Sarc Global teams up with Nodwin Gaming

    Sarc Global teams up with Nodwin Gaming

    MUMBAI: Level up and play big! India’s esports industry just got a power boost. Sarc Global, a strategic advisory and consulting firm, has joined forces with Nodwin Gaming, south Asia’s leading esports company, to turbocharge the country’s competitive gaming scene. The alliance is designed to push esports into the mainstream, with plans ranging from promoting tournaments and unlocking sponsorships to driving esports-friendly policies with government support.

    The move dovetails with prime minister Narendra Modi’s Viksit Bharat vision, giving esports a policy tailwind as states like Maharashtra, Bihar and Rajasthan draft pro-gaming frameworks. “This partnership is an important step towards unlocking the true potential of esports in India,” said Nodwin Gaming CEO Gautam Singh Virk. “We’re bridging the world of competitive gaming with the business and policy frameworks that will allow it to thrive.”

    Sarc Global will bring its expertise in investment facilitation and cross-border partnerships, while Nodwin leverages its deep roots in esports, youth culture and intellectual properties. Together, the duo aims to create a future-ready ecosystem that blends entertainment, regulation and opportunity.

    The timing couldn’t be sharper. The Online gaming act, 2025, now offers regulatory clarity, incentives for infrastructure and clear safeguards for young audiences. A recent FICCI-EY report notes that brand participation in esports will rise from 68 in 2024 to 75 in 2025, fuelled by bigger tournaments and growing youth engagement.

    As sponsorships, prize pools and large-scale youth campaigns gather momentum, the Sarc Global–Nodwin partnership is set to redefine India’s role in global esports. From boardrooms to battle arenas, the game has only just begun.