Tag: Skyesports

  • Skyesports and leadership partially cleared of charges  by employee harassment whistle blowers?

    Skyesports and leadership partially cleared of charges by employee harassment whistle blowers?

    MUMBAI: Did competitors play a hand in the employee harassment narrative  that was played out in the media against Sky esports, its founder Shiva Nandy and the company? If the turn of events that is being seen now is to be believed, it well might be the case.

    What initially appeared to be a serious controversy involving the company and Shiva, is now being viewed through a more nuanced lens—one that suggests the allegations may have been misdirected or prematurely amplified.

    The original claims, which gained traction on social media, pointed fingers at the company’s leadership. However, recent clarifications from the very individuals who raised concerns have painted a different picture. Former employee @NotyourAlexaa posted a statement making it clear that her negative experience stemmed from “a single person” and that the rest of the team, including leadership, “did not know about this earlier.”

    She further emphasised that she had no intention of casting the entire company in a negative light.

    Similarly, @Ananya_plays echoed the sentiment, stating: “One more time I will say I have issue with one person only,” directly tagging both JetSynthesys and Skyesports to clarify the scope of her claims.

    Adding to this, Shiva, has already issued a response, directly addressing the situation. He reiterated his support for a safe and inclusive workplace while expressing disappointment at the misinformation that circulated without proper context.

    As these clarifications emerge, many are beginning to question whether the original uproar was based on misunderstanding or miscommunication. Moreover, several industry voices and former Skyesports team members have stepped forward to vouch for the professionalism and integrity of the company’s leadership—particularly Shiva and Shashank—both of whom have been consistently described as respectful and supportive of women in esports.

    While the incident involving one individual deserves to be taken seriously, the evolving narrative suggests that the broader allegations may have cast an unfair shadow on the organisation and its founders. What seemed like a scandal now feels more like a case of misattributed blame, is the Skyesports view.

    In an era where viral outrage often overrides patient inquiry, this episode serves as a reminder: truth takes time, and every story has more than one side.

    We could not get in touch with the lady who blew the whistle against the company and Shiva first – Mrinal “@Jollies10_”  Baranwal. If she does reach out to us, we will update you, our readers.

  • The Finals League 2.0 gears up for action with top gamers and big stakes

    The Finals League 2.0 gears up for action with top gamers and big stakes

    MUMBAI: The battleground is set, the teams are locked in, and the stakes have never been higher, The Finals League 2.0 is all set to unleash a gaming spectacle like never before. After an intense player auction, six city-based teams, helmed by India’s biggest gaming stars, are ready to fight for glory in the ultimate esports showdown, kicking off tomorrow, 21 March .

    This adrenaline-charged 10-day tournament, running from 21 to 30 March, will feature a group stage followed by a high-octane main stage where only the best will survive.

    The Finals League 2.0 will unfold in two electrifying stages, leading to one ultimate champion. The Group Stage, running from 21-23 March , will see six teams divided into three groups, competing in a double round-robin format. Only the top four squads will earn their spot in the high-stakes Main Stage, scheduled for 29-30 March . 

    Here, the final four will battle across two intense series of six maps each, with the team securing the highest points emerging as the undisputed champion.  

    The Finals League 2.0 will be played in Cash Out mode, where four teams of three players each drop into a fully destructible battlefield. Their mission? Eliminate opponents and secure Cashouts, with the team collecting the most cash emerging victorious.

     Each of the six city-based teams in The Finals League 2.0 is captained by a renowned gaming content creator, who handpicked their squad in a high-energy player auction on March 14. Leading the charge for Mumbai Moonlanders is Binks, with HADDIII, Pashu, Zeb, and Jitzsu on his roster. Blossom spearheads the Haryana Hypernovas, joined by Exotic, Spaceinsane, Zer0, and Buzz. Rakazone commands the Delhi Celestials, teaming up with Yclown, Flyx, Gator, and JJ FPS YT. The Ahmedabad Meteors, under Hydraflick, feature Ghostlyboii, Parag, Vanshaj, and Shooter. Meanwhile, Tbone leads the Hyderabad Halos, with 7aze, Blackhole YT, Nightmare, and Mukku battling alongside him. Finally, Bengaluru Starbusters, captained by Red Parasite, bring together Alva, Fragrift, Morax, and Tempest in their quest for glory.  

    For those ready to witness esports mayhem unfold, all matches will be live-streamed from 4 pm on The Finals India and Skyesports Youtube channels.

    The Finals League 2.0 features a 5,000 dollars prize pool, with the champion team taking home 2,300 dollars while the runner-up secures 1,200 dollars. The third-place squad will earn 700 dollars and the fourth-place finishers will receive 400 dollars. Adding to the competitive excitement, individual players will also be rewarded for their standout performances, the “Ruthless Assassin” award for most kills comes with a 200 dollars prize, while the “Helping Hand” award for best support also grants 200 dollars to the most selfless teammate on the battlefield.  

    With bragging rights, cash prizes, and the ultimate title on the line, the action is about to explode. Will your city rise to the top, or will the competition be too fierce? Buckle up, because The Finals League 2.0 is ready to redefine Indian esports, one intense match at a time!
     

  • Anuj Tandon announces departure from JetSynthesys as gaming CEO

    Anuj Tandon announces departure from JetSynthesys as gaming CEO

    MUMBAI: He’s game to get a move on Anuj Tandon, the CEO and investor of  gaming at JetSynthesys  has decided to hang up his boots at the company. As CEO of gaming, Anuj led  and managed various gaming assets of JetSynthesys including its game studio, investments and  global partnerships, esports (Skyesports), Nautilus Mobile, Jetapult, Nodwin and Web3 ventures.

    He spent two years at India’s foremost gaming firm as its CEO, also being a board observer at Nautilus and Jetapul. Prior to that, he was head (India & Mena regions) of corporate development &  investments at Krafton where he led its investments in Pratilipi, FRND, Nautilus Mobile, KukuFM, Nodwin, Loco, One Impression, among others.

    A hard core software enthusiast Anuj began his career at Infosys working as a developer, then a solution designer for four years before jumping to Tech Mahindra for a short stint of six months in end-2009. He then  co-founded his own studio Rolocule Games which he ran for five years before it was acquired by Dream 11. Nazara Games was his next stop for a year where he headed mobile game publishing & marketing till 2016. He then helped Chinese company Yozu Interactive to set up Yoozoo Games as its CEO and stayed there for four years. And then came his Krafton shift where he oversaw its investments in various companies.

    Anuj is a well-known figure in the games industry and observers are all eager to know what his next initiative will be.

    However, he was effusive in his praise while posting his departure from JetSynthesys on Linkedin this morning. Said he:  “.. I would like to thank Rajan Navani for being the visionary to create one of the most important companies in digital media and gaming in India and offering me the opportunity to work as CEO gaming.”  

    He then went on to thank the rest of his colleagues at the various studios and companies he oversaw. 

  • 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.”

  • Skyesports announces 2025 CS2 esports with Rs 14.68 cr prize pool

    Skyesports announces 2025 CS2 esports with Rs 14.68 cr prize pool

    Mumbai:  Skyesports, a premier global IP builder for gaming and esports, has unveiled its 2025 esports roadmap for the game, Counter-Strike 2 (CS2). As a part of this, the Chennai-based esports company has announced four international CS2 events, all set to take place in India with teams worldwide and a cumulative prize pool of Rs  14.68 Crore ($1.75 million). This prize pool and roadmap marks one of the most significant investments by Skyesports to date and aligns with the company’s vision of building globally recognised esports IPs from India.

    Commenting on the announcement, Skyesports founder and CEO Shiva Nandy said, “Our vision since inception in 2018 was to create indigenous IPs and bring international players and teams to India. The 2025 CS2 esports roadmap is a testament to that as we will be hosting all four events in India, with global teams participating. These tournaments will not only strengthen Skyesports’ position as a global esports brand but also showcase India as a crucial market for world-class international esports events.”

    The schedule, tournament names, and individual prize pool for these four CS2 tournaments are as follows:

    ●   Skyesports Souvenir 2025: Feb. 17 to 23, 2025 ($250,000 – Rs  2.09 Crore)

    ●   Skyesports Masters 2025: May 26 to June 1, 2025 ($500,000 – Rs  4.12 Crore)

    ●   Skyesports Championship 2025: Sept. 15 to 21, 2025 ($500,000 – Rs  4.12 Crore)

    ●   Skyesports World Tour 2025: Nov. 10 to 16, 2025 ($500,000 – Rs  4.12 Crore)

    Additionally, the Skyesports Masters 2025, the Skyesports Championship 2025, and the Skyesports World Tour 2025 qualify as Tier 1 events for their substantial prize pool and calibre of participating teams, per the tournament guidelines by Valve, the developer of CS2. These events will mark the first time India will play host to Tier 1 events for the game with global and world-class esports organizations participating. All of the events will see 8 teams travelling to India to compete for the title and the lion’s share of the prize pool.

    The three Tier 1 events will also feature Open Qualifiers to touch grassroots esports athletes across India, Europe, North and South America and the Rest of Asia. With India having a separate Open Qualifier, Skyesports will be able to ensure Indian participation in these events, giving a chance to emerging esports athletes from the country to compete against the best of the world.

    Skyesports head of PC esports Sudarshan S added, “Being an India-based esports company, we are able to ensure that local esports players are given a platform to showcase their skills and compete in the biggest CS2 events of the world. Additionally, we believe in the power of grassroots and that’s why we will be hosting open qualifiers across different regions globally.”

    The global esports market is on a rapid rise, expected to be valued at $7.5 Billion by 2030, growing from $2.1 Billion in 2023 at a CAGR of 21.5 per cent, per Verified Market Research. As such, Skyesports’ roadmap comes at a crucial juncture to position India as a global player in esports. Additionally, India had 453.9 million gamers in 2023, a number projected to rise to 730.7 million by 2028, per Niko Partners, making the country one of the fastest-growing gaming markets globally. 

  • 3DMAX crowned champions of the $300,000 Skyesports Championship 2024 in Mumbai

    3DMAX crowned champions of the $300,000 Skyesports Championship 2024 in Mumbai

    Mumbai: Skyesports, a premier global IP and community builder for gaming and esports, has wrapped up the Skyesports Championship 2024, a $300,000 international Counter-Strike 2 esports tournament featuring 11 teams from around the world, held at the Taj Lands End, Mumbai from July 23 to 28. After an intense group stage and the playoffs, in a true underdog fashion, 3DMAX triumphed over The Mongolz 2-0 in a surprisingly one-sided final to become the champions.

    Commenting on the victory, Bryan “Maka” Canda, 3DMAX’s star player, said, “I would like to thank every fan from France firstly who has been watching us at any time. I would also like to thank all the people who cheered for us. It was quite a tough LAN with some tough moments – we fell sick and stuff – but we made it through and we’re so happy.”

    3MDAX’s Maka with the Skyesports Championship 2024 trophy

    3DMAX didn’t have an easy journey to the trophy. Placed in Group B, their first match of the tournament against the Russian squad of Amkal Esports went into overtime but the French boys were ultimately able to triumph with a 16-14 scoreline. They were able to win their other matches, but faced a defeat against Eternal Fire, another overtime match, to finish second in their group.

    Throughout the Quarterfinals, they were the underdogs. Still, they pushed through the Playoffs bracket by convincing victories against ENCE, Aurora Esports, and ultimately The Mongolz to win the tournament and the lion’s share of the $300,000 prize pool.

    The Mongolz were no match for a resurgent 3DMAX

    Commenting on the tournament, Skyesports founder and CEO, Shiva Nandy said, “The engagement to the Skyesports Championship 2024, with more than 5 million views and a peak concurrent viewership of more than 47,600 across Hindi, English, Mongolia, French, Russian, Turkish, and Polish languages was a testament to our goal of creating globally recognized IPs from India. I would like to congratulate 3DMAX on their victory and extend a token of gratitude to all the teams who came to India to compete in the tournament.”

    The complete rankings from the Skyesports Championship 2024 are as follows:

    . First place: 3DMAX ($100,000)

    .  Second place: The MongolZ ($70,000)

    Third and fourth place: Aurora Gaming and Eternal Fire ($35,000 each)

    .  Fifth and sixth place: ENCE and Amkal Esports ($15,000 each)

    7th and eighth place: Bleed Esports and DMS

    .  9th and 10th place: Parivision and Revenant Esports

    11th place: True Rippers Esports

  • Skyesports reveals Skyesports Championship 2024 trophy

    Skyesports reveals Skyesports Championship 2024 trophy

    Mumbai: The Skyesports Championship 2024 is entering its Playoffs stage with only six teams left in the fray for the prestigious trophy and the lion’s share of the humongous $300,000 prize pool. After an intense group stage from 24 to 26 July, the playoffs brackets have now been locked in.

    From group A, Aurora Gaming, The Mongolz, and ENCE have qualified, while Eternal Fire, 3DMAX, and Amkal Esports have made it to the Playoffs from Group B.

    The first-placed teams from each group, Aurora Gaming and Eternal Fire, have directly secured a bye to the second round of the playoffs, which is the semifinals. Therefore, the quarterfinals schedule on 27 July 2024 is as follows:

    ●    Mongolz vs. Amkal: 4 pm IST

    ●    3DMAX vs. ENCE: 8 pm IST

    The winner of the Mongolz vs Amkal match will go on to face the Turkish powerhouses Eternal Fire. This team has a unique accolade in the Skyesports Championship as they have gone undefeated so far. If they manage to win the trophy on Sunday, they will have gone through the entire tournament without losing a single series.

    The playoffs will follow a single-elimination bracket with each match being a best-of-three series.

    Commenting on the playoffs, Skyesports’ project manager Sudarshan S said, “We ran into some technical issues on day one of the Skyesports Championship 2024; however, our team was able to address them and put up a good show throughout the group stage. Now, as we make our way to the Playoffs, the Skyesports Championship 2024 will make its way to the main stage at the Taj Lands End, Mumbai, with a true LAN spirit. There is a lot at stake – as besides the $300,000 prize pool – teams are fighting for a gorgeous trophy.”

    Skyesports also revealed the Skyesports Championship 2024 trophy, with a blue color scheme and crystals to embody the essence of excellence and prestige. The design, featuring a striking blue hue and intricate crystal accents, reflects the championship’s grandeur and the competitive spirit of the esports athletes.

    Fans can catch all the action live on the Skyesports YouTube and Twitch channels.

  • Team Mortal claims victory at The Finals Esports Revolution Showdown 2024 Lan in India

    Team Mortal claims victory at The Finals Esports Revolution Showdown 2024 Lan in India

    Mumbai: Skyesports, a global IP and community builder for gaming and esports, wrapped up The Finale Esports Revolution Showdown, India’s first-ever Lan for the exciting FPS shooter in Chennai. Twenty of the country’s top creators made their way to the city to fight for the prestigious trophy.

    Split into four squads, the teams were headlined by some renowned names in India’s gaming and esports industry, namely, Mortal, Scout, Binks, and Sentinel. After an intense double-elimination bracket, Team Scout and Team Mortal were the only two squads remaining to fight for the trophy.

    Team Scout, making their way through the upper bracket were the favourites, but Mortal’s team, including himself, Red Parasite, Dolly Plays, Pashu, and Pingu, were quick to improvise to deny Scout the trophy.

    Commenting in a post-match interview, Naman “Mortal” Mathur, said, “I am feeling thrilled, especially with the team. I didn’t know what my team’s capabilities were until we got here. We sat here and learned – improvised on our mistakes and here we are.”


    The Finals, an exciting FPS title, is positioning itself as the newest alternative for India’s fast-growing gaming industry.

    Skyesports founder and CEO Shiva Nandy said, “The Finals Esports Revolution Showdown at our HQ in Chennai was a resounding success, picking up more than 225,000 viewers so far – a testament to Skyesports’ distribution channels and power of the gaming creators. We are thrilled to be the official India partners for The Finals, and the engagement to the first esports showdown for the game has showcased its potential to penetrate the Indian gaming market.” 

  • Skyesports unveils THE FINALS: Esports showdown in Chennai

    Skyesports unveils THE FINALS: Esports showdown in Chennai

    Mumbai: Skyesports, a premier global IP and community builder for gaming and esports, has unveiled THE FINALS Esports Revolution Showdown, an intense esports tournament with the country’s top gamers as a LAN event in Chennai, India.

    THE FINALS Esports Revolution will feature four teams of five players each, featuring the country’s top gaming creators and esports athletes, competing across a double-elimination bracket in Chennai, India on July 7 (Sunday) for a share of the $5,000 prize pool. Fans can tune into all the action live on the Skyesports YouTube and THE FINALS India YouTube channels.

    https://www.youtube.com/@skyesportsgaming

    https://www.youtube.com/@thefinalsindia

    Commenting on THE FINALS Esports Revolution, Skyesports founder and CEO Shiva Nandy said, “We are thrilled to host THE FINALS Esports Revolution. With its new Terminal Attack mode ushering in a much more competitive aspect to the game, we aim to showcase this to Indian gamers with our first esports tournament for the FPS title. This is just the beginning as we will be bringing more exciting tournaments and content around the game. We already are seeing considerable interest from prominent esports organizations in India to take part in THE FINALS.”

    The four teams will be led by Scout, Mortal, Sentinel, and Binks and will feature other renowned creators like Fa2, Vaadhi, Miss Senorita, and more. Besides the exciting esports action, fans can stay tuned to their socials for more exciting THE FINALS content.

    THE FINALS is a free-to-play first-person shooter available on PC and consoles. With a highly dynamic and destructible environment coupled with various soldier classes weapons with distinct equipment and abilities, the game makes for a really fun and exciting title. The title has been generating a lot of noise and garnering popularity in India currently.

    THE FINALS Esports Revolution 2024 will be played on the newly-introduced Terminal Attack mode where two teams of five will go head-to-head to determine the winners. All matches will be a best-of-one, except for the Grand Finals which will be a best-of-three series. 

  • Revenant Esports, headlined by NBK, to travel to India for $200,000 Skyesports Championship 2024

    Revenant Esports, headlined by NBK, to travel to India for $200,000 Skyesports Championship 2024

    Mumbai:  Skyesports, a global IP builder for gaming and esports, is thrilled to announce that Revenant Esports’ newly-signed Counter-Strike 2 esports roster from Europe, will be travelling to India for the Skyesports Championship 2024, scheduled to happen from July 23 to 28.

    Revenant Esports’ Counter-Strike 2 esports roster is headlined by Nathan “NBK” Schmitt, a two-time Major winner, and one of the most notable names in the scene. Accompanying the prodigy are Kamil “reiko” Cegielko, Nabil “Nivera” Benrlitom, Laurențiu “lauNX” Țârlea, and Adelin “adeX” Nica.  

    The European team has received a direct invite to the Skyesports Championship 2024. They will be travelling to India to be one of eight teams competing in the tournament, which features the likes of Aurora Gaming, BetBoom Team, Eternal Fire, Furia, and The MongolZ.

    Commenting on the latest invited team to the Skyesports Championship, Skyesports Founder and CEO, Shiva Nandy said, “We are thrilled to welcome the talented roster of Revenant Esports to the Skyesports Championship. It fills us with immense pleasure to see local esports organizations realizing the potential of Counter-Strike 2 esports, fueled by our $1 million 2024 roadmap and numerous on-ground events, and picking up international rosters. Bringing the best esports athletes in the world to compete in India has been a dream for us. We look forward to hosting the Skyesports Championship LAN this July.”

    Skyesports will also be hosting separate qualifiers in Europe and India to determine the last two teams in the Skyesports Championship.

    The Skyesports Championship LAN in India with some of the world’s best esports players will undoubtedly be a major boost to the local Counter-Strike 2 esports community. India’s gaming market has rapidly grown to USD 3.1 billion in FY 2023, per a report by Statista. At a CAGR of 20 per cent, the gaming industry is among the fastest-growing segments in India’s media and entertainment industry and will be worth over USD 7.5 billion by FY 2028.