In a groundbreaking move, the Directorate of Sports and Youth Services of the Government of Maharashtra has rewarded a significant amount of INR 10 lakhs to each Esports athlete of the state who represented India in the Asian Games 2022, held in Hangzhou. This marks a historic moment for Indian Esports, as it is the first time any state has included Esports alongside mainstream sports in prize money rewards for its state players in a major tournament. The recipients of this monetary reward include Darshan Bata, captain of the DOTA 2 team, along with his teammates Krish Gupta, Ketan Goyal, and Shubham Goli, as well as League of Legends athlete Samarth Trivedi.

Expressing his gratitude, Darshan Bata, the captain of the DOTA 2 team who hails from Mumbai, said, “I would like to express my sincere thanks to ESFI and the Maharashtra government for honoring us and recognizing and supporting Esports.”

Esports made its debut as a full-fledged medal event at the Asian Games 2022, where a total of 476 athletes from 30 different countries competed for gold medals across seven titles. India participated in four of these titles, including DOTA 2, EA Sports FC Online, League of Legends, and Street Fighter V: Champion Edition.

“It has been a great experience at Asian games, I am grateful for the support I received from the Maharashtra government and I really appreciate the efforts ESFI has contributed to our journey,” stated Ketan Goyal of Pune who was a part of the DOTA 2 team at the Asian Games 2022.

The talented Indian contingent for the Asian Games was sent by Esports Federation of India (ESFI), who had organized open for all nationwide online qualifiers to select the best and most deserving athletes to compete for the nation at the tournament.

“Really happy to see that Esports is getting recognized and we are being aided by the government. Thank you for the support to Maharashtra Government and a big shoutout to ESFI for giving us this opportunity to represent India in the Asian games,” highlighted Krish Gupta of Pune, a member of the Indian DOTA 2 team.

The League of Legends team, in particular, achieved a historic fifth-place finish at the 19th Asian Games after competing against top-tier teams from around the continent.

“I am really grateful to the Maharashtra government for providing us with the financial support. It is amazing to see Esports being recognized by the Government. A huge shoutout to ESFI for giving us the opportunity and platform to compete at the Asian Games 2022 in Hangzhou,” commented Samarth Trivedi of Thane who played a pivotal part in the country’s performance in League of Legends at the tournament.

Prior to the 19th Asian Games, India had also secured a remarkable bronze medal at the Commonwealth Esports Championships in DOTA 2, showcasing the country’s prowess in video gaming on the international stage.

“Thank you ESFI and team for all you support throughout Asian games 2022. We are really blessed and honored by Maharashtra Government for supporting Esports players and considering Esports in events like Commonwealth and Asian Games,” noted Shubham Goli, a resident of Pune who represented India at both the Commonwealth Esports Championships as well as the Asian Games 2022 in DOTA 2. The latest FICCI-EY report titled ‘#Reinvent: India’s media & entertainment sector is innovating for the future, India is expected to have 20 international teams by 2024.

The Maharashtra government’s recognition and support of Esports signals a significant milestone in the journey towards mainstream acceptance of competitive gaming as a legitimate sport in the country.

Emerging-markets leader expands its content portfolio with new games from revered supplier

QTech Games, the number-one games distributor across all emerging markets, has continued to build the powerful momentum in its premium pipeline thanks to its latest deal with established supplier Rival Powered.

Rival Powered has 20 years’ experience developing high-performing games for the global online gaming industry and this deal delivers almost 200 games from its proven portfolio in 33 languages and supporting over 100 currencies.

The Rival Powered games now available to QTech Games partners include the exciting new releases Dragon Harmony, Pai Gow and Teen Pathi. Celebrate the ‘year of the dragon’ with Dragon Harmony, which uses a unique maths model to foster highly engaging gameplay, and Pai Gow, which blends tradition and innovation to redefine the classic experience. And then there’s Teen Pathi, delivering an exciting blend of traditional gameplay and modern sophistication and perfect for untapped audiences in markets such as India where QTech Games already enjoys a strong presence.

The partnership further broadens Rival Powered’s international footprint, delivering its proven portfolio into previously untapped jurisdictions from Asia to Eastern Europe and Latin America for diversified growth.

Rival Powered’s gaming suite is optimised for mobile, a cornerstone of QTech’s RNG model, which is founded on its fully-owned and customised technical platform, affording games providers and operators the fastest integration available. Through this leading platform, which has sealed its definitive status as a global gaming one-stop shop, clients enjoy the best performance and customer support available, localised to every region across both developing and more mature markets.

Integrating content from one of the more innovative and creative online slots providers adds yet more creative muscle to QTech Games’ burgeoning platform, which is taking the widest range of online games to emerging territories with established names such as Rival, Evolution and Yggdrasil sitting alongside the industry’s most exciting up-and-coming providers.

“We’re committed to rolling out high-quality content that drives revenue for our partners,” the Chief Commercial Officer for QTech Games, Daniel Long, said. “So, this deal with Rival Powered extends our impressive sequential pipeline for 2024. In today’s marketplace, only premium games of the highest standard separate you from the crowd, so we’re delighted to see how Rival Powered has fulfilled this demand. That means stunning graphics, coupled to the latest maths models for improved gameplay and high-variance volatility where desired.

“Together, we will continue to raise the bar and shape a localised experience for global players. We can’t wait to see how these games perform across a range of untapped markets that, in some cases, break new ground for Rival Powered.”

“Rival has 20 years’ experience developing games that fast become player favourites in markets around the world,” the Chief Executive Officer for Rival Powered, Glen Bullen, said. “Partnering with QTech Games represents a fantastic opportunity to further strengthen our product distribution across emerging territories and deliver our great games to a range of top-tier partners. QTech Games is the pre-eminent player in these exciting and diverse margin markets and we can’t wait to watch our games connect with new audiences.

“In this era where market optimization is so key, QTech Games is really embracing its brand promise of tailoring top-class content for varied cultures. It’s what keeps it at the cutting edge of relevance for all kinds of players in the crucible of emerging markets; where no-one can afford to stand still. And this makes it a perfect distribution partner for us.”

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