Gujarat Titans is thrilled to announce the successful conclusion of the first-ever “Titans Rising” BGMI tournament, held from October 6th to 27th, 2024. The tournament showcased the incredible talent and passion within the Indian BGMI community, culminating in a thrilling Grand Finale showdown on October 27th. The first ever Titans Rising champions were MOGO Esports.

In a unique gesture that bridged the gap between traditional sports and Esports, the selected players of the 2024 “Titans Rising” tournament will interact and play alongside Gujarat Titans cricket players in a special mixed-team event during the 2025 season. Marquee Esports athletes and gaming content creators like Tanmay “Sc0utOP” Singh,  Deepak “Sensei” Negi and many others will be seen collaborating with Gujarat Titans for some exciting content projects in the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League. This initiative will not only provide a unique and rewarding experience for the winning team but also create exciting crossover content for fans of both cricket and Esports.

“Titans Rising” was designed to provide a platform for aspiring BGMI players across India to compete at the highest level. The tournament structure featured a tiered qualification system, starting with open qualifiers that were accessible to all. The overwhelming interest and reach of the tournament was evident with 2,048 teams registered for the open qualifiers. These teams battled it out with winners advancing through the pre-quarters, quarter-finals, and semi-finals. The pre-quarter finals saw the qualified teams pooled with 32 invited professional teams, raising the stakes and intensity of the competition.

Fans across the country had front-row seats to the action, as the entire tournament was broadcast live on the official Gujarat Titans YouTube channel. This broadcast generated impressive viewership metrics: 3.2 million views and 287,000 watched hours. Over 50 Million impressions and 2.1 Million engagements were recorded across GT’s YouTube and social media platforms during the tournament. These numbers underscore the significant reach and engagement of the tournament, solidifying Gujarat Titans’ prominent presence within the Esports community.

A substantial prize pool of ₹2,200,000 was up for grabs, rewarding the top-performing teams and players for their skill and dedication. Beyond the team prizes, individual awards such as “Most Valuable Titan,” “Man of the Maps,” and “Best IGL” recognized exceptional individual contributions and further fueled the competitive spirit. Apart from these gratifying accolades, the Titans Rising tournament honoured the hustle of young and aspiring e-athletes with awards like “Rising Titans” and “Rising Titans Squad” that aim to empower those who wish to rise in ranks within the world of  Esports.

On the success of the first ever Esport tournament organized by any IPL Team, Col. Arvinder Singh, COO-Gujarat Titans said, “”We’re thrilled by the success of Titans Rising and the enthusiastic response of our fans. As the first IPL franchise to enter the Esports arena, Titans Rising created a unique experience that was enjoyed by a new set of fans while providing another avenue of engagement for our existing fan base. Gujarat Titans shall continue to explore new and contemporary avenues to further enhance engagement with our fans and supporters.”

Gujarat Titans is committed to nurturing the growth of the community and creating opportunities for aspiring players. “Titans Rising” is not just a one-off event but a cornerstone of Gujarat Titans’ long-term Esports strategy.

Gaming Innovation Group Software Plc (First North: GiG SDB), a leading B2B iGaming technology provider, is pleased to announce that it has secured a long-term agreement with Bloomberry Resorts Corporation (“Bloomberry”) and its flagship brand Solaire Resorts (“Solaire”), one of the Philippines’ largest and most established land-based casino and leisure groups (the “Agreement”).

Bloomberry owns and operates Solaire Resort Entertainment City, the first premium/luxury hotel and gaming resort in Metro Manila, the Philippines, alongside Solaire Resort North and Solaire Online. This Filipino offering, alongside its investments in South Korea, has enabled Bloomberry to establish itself as a market-leading operator and resort developer in the Asia-Pacific region.

GiG will provide Bloomberry and the Solaire brand with access to a range of the Company’s best-in- class technology solutions, enabling the group to significantly enhance its online gaming offering in the Philippines. As part of the Agreement, Bloomberry and Solaire will be able to utilise GiG’s iGaming platform CoreX, and AI tools LogicX and DataX. The Agreement, GiG’s first in Asia, is a significant endorsement of the Company’s innovative solutions and represents a major step in GiG’s growth strategy as it aims to further its reach in regulated markets around the world.

Alongside access to CoreX, GiG’s scalable iGaming platform, Bloomberry and Solaire will benefit from the Company’s dynamic AI tools, DataX and LogicX. With a growing industry emphasis on AI and automation, the incorporation of the advanced machine learning models into Solaire’s toolkit will result in enhanced decision-making processes and rule-building, helping deliver significant increases in player acquisition and customer retention.

The online gaming market in the Philippines, particularly online gambling, continues to experience steady growth, with revenues projected to reach $865 million by 2029 and expanding at an expected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.9% between 2024-2029. According to the country’s regulator, PAGCOR, the online gaming industry is set to hit over 18 million users by 2029.

Richard Carter, Chief Executive Officer at GiG, commented: “This is a landmark moment for GiG as we enter the Asian iGaming market for the first time and
continue to deliver on our strategic objectives, enlarging our total addressable market. Our experience in delivering cutting-edge iGaming solutions in evolving regulatory environments, together with Bloomberry’s established market presence, means GiG is poised to take full advantage of the region’s growing online gaming sector.”

To champion the cause of skill-based mind sports and to bring competitive structure to the online gaming industry in India, the Skillhub Online Games (SOG) Federation has launched the first edition of the SOG Grandmasters Series, a Championship that aims to spotlight the exceptional cognitive talents of players nationwide, featuring a diverse range of traditional skill based mind sports depicting the socio-cultural landscape of India, for centuries.

By celebrating and supporting India’s skilled online gamers, the SOG Federation is committed to fostering a vibrant and competitive environment in the rapidly evolving gaming sector. In tandem with this launch, the SOG Federation has tied up with the International Mind Sports Association marking a significant step toward elevating the status of skill-based mind sports on the global stage. By partnering with the IMSA, the Federation aligns itself with a prestigious network of international organisations dedicated to promoting mental sportsmanship and competitive excellence.

“The SOG Grandmasters series marks a pivotal moment in our mission to elevate skill-based mind sports in India. By providing a premier platform for talented players, we aim to foster a culture of excellence, competitiveness, and integrity in the gaming community. Our strategic partnership with the International Mind Sports Association ensures that we also adhere to global standards, paving the way for sustainable growth and recognition of skill games as legitimate mind sports in India. We are committed to shaping a vibrant ecosystem that empowers players and enriches the gaming landscape in India,” said Mr Shankar Agarwal, President, Skillhub Online Games Federation.

The Federation aims to set the field in skill-based mind sports, unearth exceptional talent, and nurture players who can represent India on global stages across multiple skill-based mind sports. As such, this initiative underlines its commitment to fairness, collaboration, and the steady long-term growth of skilled online gaming in India.

“We see the inaugural SOG Grandmasters series as a pivotal step in harnessing India’s talent in skill-based gaming, building a strong platform for the future. With India’s deep talent in chess, rummy, and beyond, we are excited to see how this initiative will elevate players and position the country as a global leader in this space,” said Geoffrey Borg, CEO, the International Mind

Sports Association, which also has global sports organisations like FIDE (Chess), International Esports Federation (IESF), Bridge, and Federation of Card Games as some of their key members.

For its inaugural event, the SOG Federation will host three skill-based mind sports which require strategic, cognitive, and decision-making aptitudes to excel: the Indian Chess Masters (ICM), Indian Chess Masters for Blind (ICMB) and Indian Rummy Grandmasters (IRG). After online qualifiers, “phygital” zonals–blending physical with digital–will begin, starting with the South Zone on December 18-19 in Bengaluru, followed by other regions.

To conclude the inaugural SOG Grandmasters, two zonal finalists from chess, two from blind chess and six from rummy will compete in the Nationals in early March 2025 in Delhi for their respective titles and a consolidated prize pool of more than INR 2 crore.

With this initiative, SOG Federation is setting a foundation for the long-term development of skill-based mind sports in India. Through its structured tournaments, the Federation will identify, support, and provide training opportunities to the champions, enabling them to represent India internationally. Furthermore, It will enable players to compete for pride and be crowned as the Master (Chess, Blind Chess) and Grandmaster (Rummy) of India.