NODWIN Gaming, a global leader in esports and gaming in emerging markets, has officially secured the exclusive rights to distribute the 10th edition of The Game Awards in India, Myanmar, Uzbekistan, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam and Taiwan. This landmark agreement brings the highly anticipated annual celebration of video games and esports excellence to a wider international audience, marking a new chapter in the awards’ global reach and stands testament to NODWIN Gaming’s partnership with The Game Awards for over half a decade and its commitment to empowering gaming culture in emerging markets across the world.

Starting in 2014, The Game Awards is the annual awards ceremony honouring achievements in the video game industry. This extremely prestigious event for the gaming industry across the globe will now be broadcast and delivered in additional markets through this licensing deal. In 2023, this event often known as the ‘Oscars of Gaming’ garnered 118 million Global livestreams. It has seen renowned presenters like Al Pacino, Keanu Reeves, Margot Robbie, Dwayne Johnson, Christopher Nolan, Tom Holland, and many more; with performances by musicians like- Sting, Imagine Dragons, Green Day, Hans Zimmer, Deadmau5, and more. The Gaming Awards sits at the center of popular culture – a platform that game publishers, studios, streamers, the music industry, and cutting-edge brands use to break big news and surprises to a global audience. The 10th anniversary of the Game Awards is slated for 12th December 2024.

Spearheaded by NODWIN Gaming, The Game Awards are set to be accessible through 17 additional distribution channels including TV, regional OTT, Online stations, and influencers channels, across India, Myanmar, Uzbekistan, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam and Taiwan, enhancing reach and visibility in some of the world’s fastest-growing markets for gaming and esports.

For over half a decade, NODWIN Gaming has worked closely with Geoff Keighley and this new phase in NODWIN’s partnership with The Game Awards underscores its commitment to empowering the gaming ecosystem across these emerging territories. By securing exclusive rights, NODWIN Gaming aims to foster a deeper connection between global gaming culture and local audiences, establishing a seamless viewing experience for fans and supporters in each region.

Speaking on NODWIN Gaming bringing The Game Awards to emerging markets, Akshat Rathee, Co-Founder and Managing Director of NODWIN Gaming, said, “As NODWIN Gaming continues to expand into new markets, we are thrilled to bring The Game Awards to fans across emerging markets. Our goal has always been to bridge the gap between global gaming content and the youth audience in high-growth markets. NODWIN Gaming has been a long-time supporter and partner of The Game Awards and their commitment to empowering gaming across the world aligns perfectly with our mission to support and showcase gaming excellence internationally.”

Geoff Keighley, the Founder and Host of the Game Awards said, “We are excited to continue our partnership with NODWIN to bring The Game Awards to more viewers in more emerging markets around the world. Our 10th-anniversary show will be the biggest global celebration of games.”

By building upon its strategic network and distribution partnerships, NODWIN Gaming will provide unparalleled access to The Game Awards, tapping into the massive potential of these regions. With NODWIN Gaming’s expertise in delivering captivating gaming and esports content to youth demographics, the Game Awards’ distribution is poised to become a defining milestone for gaming culture in these regions.

Today, after months of preparation, skillful displays, and high emotions, Dplus took the 2024 PUBG MOBILE Global Championship (PMGC) title at London’s ExCeL Centre. The South Korean team excelled throughout the weekend, securing three wins and 153 points, and will now take home the 2024 PMGC title, official trophy, and lion’s share of the $3,000,000 prize pool — the biggest in UK history.

As the culmination of the 2024 PUBG MOBILE Esports circuit, this end-of-year competition saw 16 of the best teams from around the globe go head-to-head in 18 electrifying matches across three days. With an incredible 94 eliminations, three victories, and plenty of other podium placements throughout the weekend, Dplus came out victorious with 153 points.

The young South Korean team, Dplus, traveled across the globe to compete live at London’s ExCeL Centre, aiming for their first-ever PMGC title. In a moment of triumph, they stepped into the spotlight not just to celebrate their success but to express heartfelt gratitude to their supporters.

“We want to thank the fans who supported us from Korea to here,” shared one team member. “We also want to thank our coach, who couldn’t make it, for always believing in us.”

Thrilled to be competing on a global stage in the UK, the team reflected on the diversity of the event. “We love being here and seeing fans come from all over the world,” they said, emphasising the unique unity esports brings to its global audience. Now, with the prestigious PMGC title under their belt, Dplus has set ambitious goals for 2025 and beyond. “We’ll stick together and play one more year together for the best results,” they affirmed, already looking ahead to their next chapter.

Looking back on the wider tournament, day one kicked off with a safe win on Sanhok for the Mongolian team Falcons Force, backed by a respectable 11 eliminations. Moving into the second match, Nigma Galaxy secured the Chicken Dinner, following a nailbiting two vs one against Indonesia’s VOIN DONKEY. Concluding the third game, Team Spirit made their first real appearance into the spotlight, taking first place with a hefty bag of eliminations, but it was 4Merical Vibes who truly showed off the power of an aggressive approach, with 23 eliminations earning them the fourth win. Team Spirit secured the only double victory of the day in the fifth game, before the day concluded with an incredible grenade throw and flank from Dplus to take the top podium spot.

Not unexpectedly, day two completely shook up the leaderboard, with Turkey’s Regnum Carya Bra Esports jumping from twelfth to first throughout the day, starting off with a modest victory in match seven on Sanhok. New tactics and strategies came to life throughout the day, with Regnum Carya Bra making use of vehicles to take down their opponents, whilst other teams like DRX prioritised carefully timed flanks to secure easy eliminations. Though INFLUENCE RAGE and Tong Jia Bao took pride in their own successes, the day ended with Regnum Carya Bra in first place, with Dplus and DRX closely on their tail.

Heading into the final day, there was no clear winner in sight, with just a few points separating the top five teams. INFLUENCE RAGE took the first Chicken Dinner, with Nigma Galaxy and Regnum Carya Bra taking the next two with some solid eliminations, reaching out for the title. With blows traded back and forth, it was the final game of the day which saw the greatest tension, with unexpected circle placements and incredible performances placing Regnum Carya Bra and Dplus neck and neck. In the end, it was the South Korean team which came out on top, heading straight for the hill to secure a defensive position. Dplus took the 2024 PMGC title, trophy, and lion’s share of the prize pool with just a one point advantage.

James Yang, Senior Director of PUBG MOBILE Global Esports, said:

“It has been another fantastic year of PUBG MOBILE Esports and witnessing the final tournament here in London has been one of its biggest rewards. The PUBG MOBILE Global Championship is always the most highly-anticipated event of the year, and we’re very grateful for all the players, coaches, staff, and fans who have devoted their time to experience this incredible moment together. I want to say a huge congratulations to Dplus for their victory, and to all teams for giving it their everything. We cannot wait for next year, where we know the players will continue to beat records and set new standards.”

Teams will no doubt be looking forward to some well-earned rest moving towards the New Year, but with exciting changes coming to PUBG MOBILE Esports in 2025, the competition will continue to heat up. Looking to develop grassroots esports to support the next generation of professional players, PUBG MOBILE Esports will invest more than $10,000,000 into prize pools, third-party tournament incentives, female-focused events, and more. Widening opportunities for amateur players to rub shoulders with pros, next year’s circuit will see more than 20 regional tournaments across SEA, EU, MEA, CSA, and the Americas, offering pathways to global, high-stake competitions.

Max Level, a leading marketing and PR agency built by gamers has been awarded the public relations and social media mandates for 88 Games, the newly announced game development division of 88 Pictures, the animation and VFX studio behind Emmy and Annie Award-winning show Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia, as well as global hits like Gremlins: Secret of Mogwai, Transformers: The Earth Spark Season 2, Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight, and Fast & Furious: Spy Racers. The partnership marks a significant step in shaping the public presence of 88 Games as it aims to bring India’s cultural heritage to global gaming audiences.

The collaboration will see Max Level leveraging its deep expertise at the intersection of gaming and media landscape to highlight 88 Games’ initiatives in the international gaming industry. The mandate encompasses strategic outreach, storytelling, and other initiatives to build and support the studio’s ambitious game titles and vision of blending immersive gameplay with India’s rich storytelling traditions.

Commenting on the partnership, Milind D. Shinde, Founder & CEO of 88 Games, said “88 Games is a unique venture that blends our expertise in animation and VFX with our passion for telling stories, through an interactive medium. Our mission is to deliver culturally resonant, visually stunning and immersive stories through games for the global audiences. With Max Level’s proven track record in PR and social media, we’re excited to build a compelling brand narrative and connect with players and industry leaders worldwide.”

With a gamut of achievements under its belt, the launch of 88 Games further diversifies the company’s position as a leader in storytelling, expanding its portfolio to interactive experiences.

Siddharth Nayyar, Co-founder & Chief Revenue Officer of Max Level, shared his excitement about the collaboration, “Being gamers first, we were absolutely amazed by the projects that 88 Games is working on and we were eager to work alongside them. Hence, being entrusted with the PR and social media mandate of 88 Games is an incredible opportunity for us. 88 Games’ vision of creating culturally resonant games aligns perfectly with our passion for amplifying impactful stories. Together, we aim to position 88 Games as a leader in the Indian and global gaming industry, showcasing the untapped potential of Indian narratives in interactive entertainment.”

88 Games, led by industry veterans Milind D. Shinde and Shiben Bhattacharjee, is developing a lineup of games inspired by India’s folklore and history.

The collaboration reflects the rapid growth of India’s gaming market, which added 23 million new gamers in FY24, bringing the total to 590 million players. With the industry projected to exceed $9.2 billion by FY29, 88 Games aims to fill a crucial gap by offering premium, culturally significant PC and console games to a global audience.

The addition of 88 Games to its already diverse portfolio of brands underscores Max Level’s growing market share in the Indian gaming, esports and tech market.With a portfolio including brands like NODWIN Gaming, SuperGaming, CyberPowerPC India, KRAFTON, Saudi Esports Federation, ESL Faceit Group, The Esports World Cup, ASUS ROG, Jio Games, TVS, and HyperX, Max Level continues to grow its client base while maintaining a focus on delivering tailored PR and marketing services that resonate with gaming and esports audiences.