The Pokémon Company, with Skyesports as the esports partner, has announced an exciting new grassroots esports tournament, the Pokémon UNITE Winter Tournament India 2025. Open for all players across the country, this competition offers an opportunity for aspiring pro players to represent India on the global stage.

Registrations for the tournament are now live and will remain open until Jan. 29, 2025. Players from across the country can sign up on the official website to secure their spot and compete for national pride and international glory.

The Pokémon UNITE Winter Tournament boasts a massive prize pool of $10,000. The stakes are even higher, though, as the tournament winner will join the champion of the Pokémon UNITE ACL India League as India’s representatives in an international tournament. This international competition is the Pokémon UNITE Asia Champions League 2025 Finals which will bring the best-of-the-best from across Asia to Shinjuku, Japan on March 29 and 30 to fight for the ultimate title!

• The Pokémon UNITE Winter Tournament India 2025 will begin with the Qualifier Stage, which will follow a single-elimination bracket.
• The top 16 teams from the qualifiers will advance to the Group Stage. Here, they will be evenly split into 4 groups where a single round-robin format will be followed.
• Finally, the top two teams from each group will progress to the Playoffs. These top 8 teams will compete in this penultimate stage across a double-elimination bracket for glory and the chance to represent India on the international stage.

The Pokémon Company executive said, “While the ACL India League supports the top-tier organizations of the country, the Winter Tournament highlights our commitment to grassroots development. By supporting players at every level—from grassroots to the pro scene—we aim to ensure the sustainable growth of Pokémon UNITE esports in India.”

Commenting on the tournament, Shiva Nandy, Founder and CEO of Skyesports, said, “With the ongoing Pokémon UNITE ACL India League bringing esports action to thousands of players, we are now thrilled to introduce the open-for-all Pokémon UNITE Winter Tournament. This competition gives every aspiring pro player a chance to shine and represent the country in Japan. As long-term partners of The Pokémon Company, the tournament underscores Skyesports’ vision of giving Indian players and teams a chance to compete on the global stage. I wish the best of luck to all participants.”

With its intense 10-minute matches, Pokémon UNITE has seen remarkable growth in India, attracting a vibrant community of players and fans. The Winter Tournament is the latest effort to nurture and expand this ecosystem.

Today’s announcement follows the Pokémon UNITE ACL India League, where The Pokémon Company has directly invited India’s top eight esports organizations to compete, which includes the likes of S8UL, GodLike, Revenant XSpark, and Global Esports. The tournament, currently ongoing, is set to wrap up on Jan. 26, 2025. Immediately after, Skyesports will kick off the Pokémon UNITE Winter Tournament to continue the momentum of Pokémon UNITE esports in the country.

The complete schedule for the Pokémon UNITE Winter Tournament India 2025 is as follows:

• Registrations: Until Jan. 29
• Qualifier Stage: Feb. 1 and 2
• Group Stage: Feb. 8
• Playoffs: Feb. 9

Revenant XSpark, one of India’s leading Esports organization is excited to announce a ground-breaking partnership with iQOO, the high-performance smartphone brand. Leveraging the growing appeal of Esports, Revenant XSparks & iQOO have partnered together, with iQOO securing the naming rights for India’s top-performing Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) roster under the Revenant XSpark brand. The team will now compete under the name iQOO RNTX, marking a significant milestone in the evolution of Indian esports. This collaboration stands as one of the biggest deals in Indian Esports history.

A collaboration between Revenant Esports and Team XSpark; The vision & goal behind the creation of ‘Revenant XSpark’ was to redefine the Esports landscape in India and neighbouring regions.

Having been unveiled at the recent collaboration, Revenant XSpark’s (BGMI) roster competes across regional and international competitions. With an unmatched track record of securing two back-to-back titles at major Krafton events, the team is led by coach Osmium as one of the premier teams in the country. Dominating competition across the board, the team of Sarang (Sarangajyoti Deka), Spraygod (Harsh Malik), Joker (Khush Singh), and Shadow (Tenzin Kelsang), have been able to carve a name for themselves in the Esports landscape as a force to be reckoned with in both global and local platforms.

Champions at the BGMI Pro Series and BGMI India Series, the team already has a firm foothold in the India market and is aiming to build and expand its narrative globally. Alongside iQOO’s innovation driven mindset, the collaboration will leverage expertise from both sides for mutual beneficial outcomes.

Rohit Jagasia, Founder and CEO of Revenant Esports, said, “We’re incredibly proud to announce our groundbreaking partnership with iQOO. This is a monumental moment for Indian Esports – marking one of the largest deals in the industry. iQOO’s commitment to innovation aligns perfectly with our vision at Revenant XSpark. By joining forces, we’re creating a powerful synergy that will elevate the Indian Esports scene to new heights. Together, we aim to redefine the landscape of competitive gaming and inspire the next generation of gamers.”

Nipun Marya, CEO, iQOO said, “We’re thrilled to be part of this moment in Indian esports. Partnering with Revenant XSpark goes beyond supporting an exceptional team it’s an investment in the future of competitive gaming. Together, we aim to inspire the next generation of gamers, drive meaningful innovation, and shape the future of esports in India. This collaboration is a step towards achieving long-term synergies that align with our broader vision to elevate the gaming experience.”

8Bit Creatives, India’s premier esports & gaming talent management agency, has secured a major mandate in the largest naming rights sponsorship deal in Indian gaming history with iQOO, a leading performance smartphone brand. 8Bit Creatives bagged three out of the five naming rights deals, further cementing its leadership in the esports ecosystem.

The three teams represented by 8Bit Creatives are:

• 8bit Esports
• Reckoning Esports
• Revenant Xspark

This historic partnership further cements iQOO’s commitment to the esports ecosystem in India, building on its ongoing association with Team iQOO Soul, which has been a flagship collaboration with 8Bit Creatives for over a year.

Speaking about the partnership, Animesh Agarwal, Founder and CEO of 8Bit Creatives, said:

“We are incredibly grateful to iQOO for placing their trust in us to represent three of their five teams, and we are happy to support their gaming & esports initiatives. This is a moment of great pride for Indian gaming, and we are excited to see iQOO’s continued contribution to growing the esports landscape in India.” 

Sarang Naicker, Owner of Reckoning Esports, commented:

“Partnering with 8Bit Creatives has always been a key driver of Reckoning Esports’ growth. This historic association with iQOO reflects the strength of our collaboration and our shared vision to elevate the esports ecosystem in India. Together, we aim to continue setting new benchmarks for gaming excellence.” 

Rohit Jagasia, team owner of Revenant Xspark, added:

“Our partnership with 8Bit Creatives has always been focused on driving innovation and creating meaningful opportunities for our players and fans. This association with iQOO is a testament to that vision, and we are thrilled to continue our journey together to elevate esports in India.” 

With this deal, iQOO continues redefining the boundaries of brand integration within esports, ensuring that fans and players benefit from an elevated experience. By associating its high-performance brand with some of India’s leading esports teams, iQOO reinforces its position as a key driver of the country’s gaming revolution.

The naming rights deal is not just a commercial success but also a testament to the thriving Indian esports ecosystem, as brands increasingly recognize the value of invest ing in gaming’s vibrant community.