ITV

Category: iWorld

  • Revenant and Team XSpark merge to create Esports powerhouse

    Revenant and Team XSpark merge to create Esports powerhouse

    Mumbai: In a monumental move for Indian esports, Revenant Esports and Team XSpark have merged, unveiling a united brand, Revenant XSpark, set to make waves across the gaming world. This strategic merger combines the talent, resources, and fan base of both powerhouse organisations, aiming to dominate multiple esports titles while expanding into international markets.

    The partnership sees Revenant XSpark ready to engage fans with community events, brand collaborations, and international competitive gameplay. The organisation has already debuted its BGMI lineup, featuring celebrated players Sarang, Spraygod, Shadow, and Joker, under the guidance of Coach Osmium. Recently, these players made history with back-to-back victories in the BGMI Pro Series and BGMI India Series, marking them as the only team to achieve consecutive LAN event wins in BGMI.

    In another boost, Revenant XSpark has been selected as one of 10 organisations by The Pokémon Company to participate in the upcoming Pokémon UNITE ACL India League 2025, with an official roster announcement expected soon.

    Tanmay ‘ScoutOP’ Singh, one of India’s most popular esports figures, now joins Revenant XSpark as its brand ambassador. With over 10 million followers, Scout brings his influential presence to the team, fostering a global fan base. Scout, who originally built the Team XSpark roster and led them to historic victories, will bring his expertise and following to this new partnership.

    “I’ve known Rohit for some time and admire Revenant’s content style—witty, with a touch of banter,” said Scout. “It’s the vibe I envisioned for XSpark. Our combined vision to expand esports across India and internationally made this partnership a perfect fit. Joining forces to take Revenant XSpark global was a no-brainer.”

    Revenant Esports, founder & CEO, Rohit Jagasia added, “Scout and I share a personal connection, and our brands naturally align in values and fan appeal. Scout’s approach to content, covering gaming and entertainment across platforms, makes him the ideal ambassador as we establish Revenant XSpark as India’s premier esports organisation.”

    To celebrate the merger, Revenant XSpark, along with ScoutOP and the BGMI team, will host an exclusive meet-and-greet in Mumbai this November. Fans can look forward to a chance to meet their favourite players and Scout himself; updates will be shared via Revenant XSpark’s social media channels.

    Continuing its momentum, Revenant XSpark plans to launch new esports IPs. Recently, Revenant Esports partnered with IPL’s Gujarat Titans for the BGMI Titans, an open-for-all esports tournament. Revenant Esports has also made strides internationally, representing India in the Pokémon UNITE World Championship, the Brawl Stars World Finals, and winning VALORANT Challengers 2024: South Asia – Split 2 to represent India at VCT Pacific Ascension.

  • Eight teams revealed for Pokémon Unite ACL 2025 India League

    Eight teams revealed for Pokémon Unite ACL 2025 India League

    Mumbai: The Pokémon Company has announced details of the newly launched India League, part of the Pokémon Unite Asia Champions League (PUACL) 2025. As part of this initiative, eight Indian esports organisations have been invited to participate in the tournament, with the unique roadmap and incentives attracting the country’s top esports organisations to sign rosters in India.

    The eight partnered teams for the inaugural PUACL 2025 India League are as follows:

    ●    GodLike Esports
    ●    Gods Reign
    ●    Global Esports
    ●    Marcos Gaming
    ●    Reckoning Esports
    ●    Revenant Esports
    ●    S8UL Esports
    ●    True Rippers

    These teams will compete in the regular season of the PUACL 2025 India League, which takes place across eight matchdays on weekends from 16 Nov 2024 to 26 Jan 2025. The competition will include a group stage and playoffs to determine the champion team, which will represent the country at the Pokémon Unite ACL 2025 offline final in Japan.

    Seven of the matchdays will feature the group stage, where teams will compete in a single-elimination bracket on each day of competition. The overall standings in the group stage will decide their seedings for the Playoffs on 26 Jan 2025, where the eight teams will compete in a knockout round system to crown the champion.

    The prize pool for the Pokémon Unite ACL 2025 India League is an impressive $40,000, distributed as follows:

    ●    First place: $16,000
    ●    Second place: $8,000
    ●    Third place: $6,000
    ●    Fourth place: $4,000
    ●    Fifth place: $2,000
    ●    Sixth place: $2,000
    ●    Seventh place: $1,200
    ●    Eigth place: $800

    The Pokémon Unite team at The Pokémon Company said: “We are thrilled to bring the first-ever partnered PUACL League to India, marking a historic step in the evolution of the Indian Pokémon Unite community. With this tournament and our dedicated roadmap, we’re spotlighting the incredible talent within the country. This format provides a pathway for Indian teams to showcase their skills on a global stage in Japan, underscoring our commitment to building a vibrant, competitive future for Pokémon Unite in India.”

    Skyesports, which has been working with The Pokémon Company since 2022 to develop Pokémon Unite esports in India, has been selected as the esports partner for the event.

    Additionally, an open-for-all tournament for Indian players, the winter open, is also coming soon. More information about it will be announced at a later date.

    Skyesports founder & CEO Shiva Nandy commented: “Since 2022, we have been diligently working with The Pokémon Company to grow Pokémon Unite in India. Now, with a clear roadmap that ensures sustainability and offers a path to represent the country on an international stage, we’ve successfully brought India’s top esports organizations into the game, establishing it as a leading title in the country. The open-for-all Winter Open further gives every player a chance to earn their spot at PUACL Final in Japan, creating a truly inclusive and unprecedented opportunity for the Indian gaming community.”

  • Piracy, LaLiga, BCCI and the Indian government

    Piracy, LaLiga, BCCI and the Indian government

    MUMBAI: LaLiga president Javier Tebas said he is prepared to collaborate with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to stamp out piracy of sports broadcast and streaming signals  in Europe and all over the world.  Speaking at sports and tech conference  Sportel Monaco 2024 on 29 October during a keynote address he addressed his pet subject for the past few years once again: piracy and how big tech is aiding in its spread.

    He pointed that  piracy – especially illegal internet streaming  – is causing huge losses to sports federations, broadcasters, and advertisers with the LaLiga alone losing around Euros 700 million each season.

    His belief is that big tech companies like Google, Cloudflare, X, are actually benefiting from piracy. (He has raised his voice against Google in the past on several forums but he expanded the responsibility towards X and Cloudflare in his latest address during Sportel Monaco.)

    He explained that Google is making money through searches online and on android phones through its ads that pop up during searches for pirated sites by viewers. Downloads of illegitimate apps  on its Playstore give it oodles of money. It has no mechanism – either reactive or otherwise – to tackle piracy.

    Cloudflare is profiting by providing reverse proxy services to pirates and more than 50 per cent of rogue sites are behind it. What’s alarming according to  him is that 70 per cent of delisted content by Google is behind a Cloudflare IP.

    X, he highlighted, is monetising through advertising on pirated streams and has been delaying enforcement by not providing automatic content detection. It does not have a content moderation team, neither is it blocking illegal content on its platform.

    He appealed to sports federations to come together  and raise their voices against big tech. In this regard he extended his hand towards the BCCI welcoming it to come and be a part of the anti-piracy campaign.

    “After football, cricket has a large fan base globally and revenue leakages through piracy could be reduced by making the tech companies  culpable,” he said. “The federations, accompanied by the broadcasters, need to lobby with governments to put in place the proper legislation.”

    Tebas requested governments world over  to pass legislation that would force big tech companies to clamp down on piracy. For the “how of doing it,”  he said, they can turn to Argentina where a federal court ordered Google to block the download and use of a pirate platform Magis TV.  Prior to this, Google had cited its inability to block the android application from being downloaded, but then it was forced to.

    “We need hard measures to be put in place.If we have to stand a chance of reducing the menace of piracy, ” said Tebas in closing. 

  • Nodwin Gaming partners with Konami for ‘eFootball Diwali Showdown’

    Nodwin Gaming partners with Konami for ‘eFootball Diwali Showdown’

    Mumbai: The ‘eFootball Diwali Showdown,’ a special influencer tournament organised by Nodwin Gaming and Konami Digital Entertainment, concluded with S8UL Aman as the champion.

    Eight prominent Indian gaming personalities, including Dreamboy, Yes Smarty Pie, Ezio18Rip, Sid, Senpai Spider, K18, Binks, and Aman, competed in group and knockout stages.

    To celebrate Diwali, Konami announced special in-game rewards for Indian gamers. Players can log in to eFootball and earn exclusive Diwali-themed rewards, including unique player packs featuring stars from the Indian football team and special Diwali-themed jerseys available only during the festive period.

    Tournament participants K18, Senpai Spider, and Yes Smarty Pie will stream matches for fans on their individual YouTube channels. These initiatives demonstrate Konami’s commitment to India’s growing mobile gaming market. As a free-to-play title, eFootball provides open access to gamers of all backgrounds.

    Recently, eFootball was selected by FIFA as an official title for the FIFAe World Cup, with India among 18 participating countries. Additionally, eFootball will be featured in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting’s WAVES Esports Championship 2025 (WESC), enhancing its relevance in India’s gaming landscape. Earlier this year, Konami announced that eFootball has surpassed 700 million total downloads worldwide.

  • Social media has evolved from a brand awareness platform to now driving direct sales for consumers: Ruksheen Palia

    Social media has evolved from a brand awareness platform to now driving direct sales for consumers: Ruksheen Palia

    Mumbai: In the bustling lead-up to India’s festive season, the digital marketing landscape is set for a significant boost, with brands across e-commerce, retail, FMCG and small businesses are eyeing this time to connect deeply with consumers through digital avenues, aiming to capture the excitement and enthusiasm that characterises Diwali, Dussehra, and other festivals. As online engagement becomes the core strategy, brands are leaning into innovative digital marketing trends that make their presence felt and drive conversions.

    This season is also known for an uptick in consumer spending and has traditionally been the prime time for brands to invest heavily in advertising. It is primarily driven by the need to engage India’s increasingly digital-first population, where mobile phones are the primary medium for product discovery and purchases. Brands are setting aside significant budgets for click-to-WhatsApp ads, video content, and social media campaigns to capture consumer interest during this period of heightened shopping activity.

    Indiantelevision.com’s Rohin Ramesh caught up with Social Panga VP – business & strategy Ruksheen Palia, where she touched upon ad spends expected this festive season and some Key trends to look out for in digital marketing.

    Edited excerpts

    On the overall marketing budget are brands planning to allocate specifically for this festive season compared to previous years

    While budgets will differ industry to industry, marketers are upping their spends this festive season for campaigns. However the focus is changing from traditional to digital advertising with real time bidding AI generation, which will allow brands to maximise their spends.

    From the past years’ experience, brands are estimated to spend 25-30 per cent of their marketing budgets on festive campaigns which is similar to previous years but will be more focused on digital advertising strategies.

    On media channels (social media, traditional media etc) you are seeing the most significant increases in ad spend this festive season

    For 2024, the obvious answer would be the digital side of marketing is going to get the biggest ad spends this festive season. From social media, connected TV & retain media playing a huge part.

    On the anticipated ROI metrics for ad spending during this festive season

    Brands are optimistic this festive season & are targeting higher ROI metrics compared to last year. With enhanced AI, content personalisation & omnichannel strategies to make content creation especially of videos more efficient & cost effective.

    Brands are also focusing on emotional connections, convenience & innovative strategies to build more long term goals to acquire customers.  They are not just looking at short-term sales but also focusing on building lasting relationships and brand loyalty, which can pay dividends beyond the holiday season

    On importance of data analytics in shaping ad spend decisions for the upcoming festive campaigns

    A crucial role! With increasing competition & higher expectations from all consumers today, brands are relying extensively on targeting accurately. Data analytics help with personalisation & targeting, Real time optimisation, Channel selection & more data analytics to help improve strategies.

    This festive season, data analytics will play an important part in decision making, helping brands optimise both short-term & long-term goals to build consumer loyalty.

    On importance of personalised marketing during the festive season and strategies are brands using to create personalised experiences

    One of the ways to cut through all the noise this festive season, will be to adopt personalised marketing! Since personalised marketing helps in boosting engagement, enhances customer experience & increases likelihood of conversion a lot of brands should adopt this strategy. Few of the strategies that can be adopted by brands are: Personalised mailers, AI, Dynamic content websites & interactive and experiential marketing.

    On the role you foresee social commerce playing in festive marketing campaigns this year

    This year even more than before, Social commerce is going to play a huge role in festive marketing campaigns. With the integration of e-commerce & social media on platforms like Instagram, FB the role this would play for customers would be: Seamless shopping experience, quick on the go shopping, influencer led & testimonial based buying.

    On brands investing more in social media platforms for sales

    Yes, most definitely. Brands are significantly increasing their investments on social media platforms for sales, especially during the festive season. Social media has evolved from a brand awareness platform to now driving direct sales for consumers.

  • OTTplay Premium partners with JioCinema

    OTTplay Premium partners with JioCinema

    Mumbai: OTTplay Premium, India’s super OTT app and leading AI-based recommendation engine, has announced a partnership with JioCinema, enhancing its content portfolio and streaming experience for users.

    With this partnership, OTTplay Premium subscribers will gain access to JioCinema’s content library, including popular shows like Bigg Boss, Game of Thrones, regional hits such as Unaad and Rathnam, and exclusive Jio Originals like Khalbali Records, PILL, Gaanth, as well as live TV channels like Colors, Comedy Central, and MTV Beats. Subscribers will also benefit from premium titles from HBO and Peacock, including The Penguin, Chicago P.D., Succession, Suits, The Fall Guy, and The Office.

    JioCinema’s content will first be available on OTTplay’s Android and iOS apps, followed by desktop and smart TVs in the coming weeks, ensuring a smooth experience across multiple platforms.

    OTTplay CEO Avinash Mudaliar said, “This partnership with JioCinema marks a significant milestone in OTTplay’s journey to become the ultimate destination for content discovery and streaming. By offering access to JioCinema’s rich catalog, including exclusive originals, we are broadening our content library to meet the diverse preferences of our users. With this integration, we are confident that OTTplay Premium will continue to lead the market in providing personalised, high-quality content across all regions of India.”

    This collaboration significantly expands OTTplay’s offerings, giving users access to a broader range of local and international content. With the addition of sports programs, highly anticipated Jio Originals, and iconic series from HBO and Peacock, OTTplay Premium can enhance engagement and increase user satisfaction in the OTT aggregation space.

    With JioCinema, OTTplay Premium now offers access to 38 plus OTT services across 10 plus languages and 18 plus genres. This partnership solidifies OTTplay’s position as India’s largest OTT aggregator, simplifying content discovery for users nationwide.

  • Dice Media kicks off ‘Arranged Patch Up’ season two

    Dice Media kicks off ‘Arranged Patch Up’ season two

    Mumbai — Dice Media announced the return of ‘Arranged Patch Up’ with season two, presented by Ikea India in association with Peter England. The web series, which explores the lives of modern Indian couples navigating the ups and downs of arranged relationships, released its first episode on 26 October 2024. Featuring Ankush Bahuguna, (India’s first male beauty creator to attend the Cannes Film Festival), and ‘Munjiya’ fame Bhagyashree Limaye in lead roles, this new season promises to captivate audiences with a delightful mix of humour, romance, and emotional depth.

    Season two picks up with Aditya (Ankush Bahuguna) and Prajakta (Bhagyashree Limaye) freshly engaged and in the midst of planning their wedding. While Aditya envisions a grand celebration, Prajakta prefers an intimate gathering, setting the stage for contrasting perspectives.

    With Ikea India as the presenting sponsor and Peter England as an associate sponsor, the show beautifully blends modern-day relationship struggles with the charm of everyday life. Its engaging characters and compelling plot offer a fresh, relatable take on contemporary romance that will resonate with viewers.

    Pocket Aces D2C business head, Viswhanath Shetty commented on working on Arranged Patch Up, “Season 2 of Arranged Patch Up is a perfect example of our Flywheel strategy in action. We started by testing the concept in short-form content, followed by a mini-series on FilterCopy, and now we’re bringing the full series to life on Dice Media. This evolution highlights our ability to take relatable, audience-driven ideas and scale them into comprehensive narratives that resonate across platforms. We’re thrilled to kick off our partnership with the iconic global brand IKEA India, which aligns beautifully with the show’s themes of modern relationships and everyday living. We’re also excited to deepen our long-standing relationship with Peter England, with whom we’ve previously collaborated on engaging formats, including music videos and sketches on FilterCopy. Together, these partnerships enable us to create authentic, impactful stories that both entertain and resonate with viewers.”

    Ikea India country integrated manager Jayendra Gupta commented on working with Pocket Aces, “We are thrilled to be part of this series that resonates with modern couples and their journey toward creating a home and life together. At IKEA, we are passionate about life at home, with a vision to enhance everyday life for many people. This collaboration beautifully embodies our dedication to supporting those meaningful, everyday moments—bringing warmth, togetherness, and joyful memories into the heart of the home. We hope to inspire young couples to design spaces that celebrate their unique journeys, making their homes a true reflection of who they are.”

    Peter England brand COO Anil S Kumar said, “We are excited to be part of Arranged Patch Up Season 2, a series that beautifully captures the essence of modern relationships. At Peter England, we celebrate individuality and the personal journeys of our customers, and this collaboration allows us to align with a story that mirrors those values.”

    The first episode of season two premiered on 26 October across Dice Media’s YouTube channel and social media platforms, ensuring that audiences can dive into the latest chapter of this delightful series.

    Trailer : 
     
    Episode: 

  • Despicable Me 4 streams from 5 November

    Despicable Me 4 streams from 5 November

    Mumbai: Despicable Me 4 is set to make its debut on JioCinema Premium on 5 November. The latest installment returns with characters and new adventures, streaming in seven languages— English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Marathi, and Bengali— on JioCinema Premium.

    Gru (voiced by Steve Carell) faces a fresh challenge as he welcomes a new member to his family—Gru Jr. (voiced by Tara Strong). However, their peaceful life is disrupted when Maxime Le Mal (voiced by Will Ferrell) escapes from prison and vows revenge on Gru. As chaos ensues, Gru must team up with his family and the ever-adorable Minions to thwart Maxime’s sinister plans while navigating the ups and downs of fatherhood.

    Directed by Chris Renaud and Patrick Delage, Despicable Me 4 features a voice cast that includes returning favorites such as Kristen Wiig (Lucy Wilde), Miranda Cosgrove (Margo) and Pierre Coffin (the Minions). This animated adventure continues to explore themes of family, friendship and the importance of standing together in the face of adversity.

     

  • Dolby & BTS’s Jin team up for ‘I’ll Be There’ in Dolby Atmos sound

    Dolby & BTS’s Jin team up for ‘I’ll Be There’ in Dolby Atmos sound

    Mumbai: Dolby Laboratories has collaborated with Jin from BTS for the ‘Love More in Dolby’ global campaign. Jin stars in a commercial for his new single ‘I’ll Be There,’ now available worldwide in Dolby Atmos.

    Jin’s first solo album, Happy, will release in Dolby Atmos globally on 15 November.

    “When I first heard my new music in Dolby Atmos, I was truly amazed by the incredibly vivid and immersive experience. It felt like you are right inside the music,” said Jin. “The theme of this new single and the new album is ‘happiness.’ I wanted ARMY (BTS’ fandom) to fully experience the unique flavors of happiness through each song. Now, with Dolby Atmos, I believe fans around the world will feel the exact emotions that I wanted to share, more deeply.”

    “Jin has captivated audiences worldwide through his incredible performances and extraordinary ability to convey emotion through his music,” said Dolby Laboratories SVP and chief marketing officer Todd Pendleton. “With Dolby Atmos, fans will feel even more connected to Jin as they are drawn into the fun sing-along moments and musical details of ‘I’ll Be There’ and his upcoming album.”

    Dolby Atmos offers a new way to create and experience music, immersing listeners inside songs with clear, detailed sound that deepens connections between artists and fans. The format reveals every musical detail, from instruments moving around to a singer’s breath, creating a unique listening experience.

    Directed by Grammy-nominated Colin Tilley, the campaign’s commercial shows how Dolby Atmos can transform ordinary moments by bringing fans into music scenes where Jin delivers powerful performances.

    This commercial is part of Dolby’s ‘Love More in Dolby’ campaign, celebrating immersive entertainment through Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos in music, movies, gaming, and more.

  • Prime Video unveils Spanish original film Culpa Tuya’s official trailer

    Prime Video unveils Spanish original film Culpa Tuya’s official trailer

    Mumbai: Prime Video has unveiled the official trailer of the highly anticipated Spanish original film Culpa Tuya. The film will premiere exclusively in Prime Video on 27 December in 240 countries and territories worldwide as part of the Prime subscription.

    Culpa Tuya brings back Nicole Wallace (Skam España, Parot) and Gabriel Guevara (Mañana es hoy, Hit) in the roles of Noah and Nick. Also continuing in their roles are Marta Hazas (Días mejores, Pequeñas coincidencias), Iván Sánchez (Bosé, Hospital Central), Victor Varona (Cielo Grande, Dani Who?) and Eva Ruiz. Also, joining the cast for this sequel, the well-known actress Goya Toledo (Amores perros, Veneno) as Anabel, Gabriela Andrada (Los protegidos ADN, Los herederos de la tierra) as Sofía, Álex Béjar (Élite, Al fondo hay sitio) as Briar, Javier Morgade (Desaparecidos, Delfines de plata) as Michael, and Felipe Londoño (Entrevías, Perfil falso) as Luca.

    The love between Noah and Nick seems unbreakable, despite the maneuvers of their parents to break them up. But his job and her entry into college open their lives to new relationships. The appearance of a revenge-seeking ex-girlfriend and Nick’s mother with unclear intentions will shake the foundations not only of their relationship, but of the Leister family itself. When so many people are out to destroy a love story, can it really end well?

    Culpa Tuya has been directed by Domingo González (Culpa Mia, El Bar), who also returns as writer alongside Sofía Cuenca, produced by Pokeepsie Films (Banijay Iberia) (Veneciafrenia, 30 monedas, El bar) with Álex de la Iglesia and Carolina Bang as producers.