Asia
Natural8 India sparks Diwali excitement with an APT Exclusive tournament for the Indian poker community!
In another major development to delight India’s growing poker community, Natural8 India is gearing to follow up on the stellar success of its ATP Taipei Exclusive by hosting another Asian Poker Tour (APT) Exclusive tournament. Set to take place on October 20, the multi-table tournament will bring professional and amateur poker players from across the country to compete for a chance to appear at APT Phu Quoc – all for a buy-in of just INR 5,500!
‘Natural8 India @ APT Phu Quoc Exclusive’ will give the top 9 players – the most to ever be taken from India to compete in an APT tournament – a chance to win an all-expense paid trip to compete with Asia’s best and brightest. Apart from travel and accommodation (worth up to INR 85,000 per head) on the beautiful island off the coast of Vietnam, Natural8 India will offer Main Event Tickets worth INR 1,23,905 each to the top four and Mini Main Event Tickets worth INR 41,301 each to the other five winners. The champion will also take home the prestigious APT Lions Trophy, along with the accumulated prize pool!
Speaking on the announcement, Kunal Patni, Executive Director and Country Head, Natural8 India, said, “We are thrilled to bring another exclusive tournament to India’s vibrant poker community through our partnership with the Asian Poker Tour. The ‘Natural8 India @ APT Phu Quoc Exclusive’ offers a unique platform for players – whether seasoned pros or passionate amateurs – to showcase their skills and compete for a shot at international recognition. By making this experience accessible with a buy-in of just INR 5,500 and offering incredible rewards, we hope to inspire more players to take their game to the next level. It’s an exciting time for poker in India, and we’re proud to be at the forefront of that growth.”
With additional giveaways worth up to INR 15 lakh on offer, and the chance to take on the sharpest poker players in Asia in an exotic locale, ‘Natural8 India @ APT Phu Quoc Exclusive’ is the place to catch the wheeling and dealing and excitement that only high-stakes poker can bring! So whether you’re a poker enthusiast keen on testing your skills or a hobbyist who enjoys the battle of wits and nerve, what are you waiting for, log onto the Natural8 India website for more details right away!
Asia
Revenant XSpark Partners With iQOO In Landmark Esports Deal
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.”
Asia
8Bit Creatives secures biggest ever esports Naming Rights deal in India with iQOO
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.
Asia
Nazara announces five investments totalling INR 196 Crores to drive growth across Gaming and Entertainment
Nazara Technologies Limited (BSE: 543280 | NSE: NAZARA), India’s only listed diversified gaming and sports media company, has unveiled a series of strategic investments aimed at solidifying its position in the gaming and entertainment ecosystems.
Nazara has announced new Investments in Funky Monkeys & Learntube.ai
Nazara has expanded into physical entertainment with the acquisition of a 60% stake in Funky Monkeys Play Centers Private Limited, a leader in indoor soft play centers for children, for INR 43.7 crores. Funky Monkeys operates 11 centers across India, offering interactive play experiences for children.
Co-founders of Funky Monkeys, Binita Putcha and Sanjay Ghadiali, said: “We are excited to join hands with Nazara, whose vision for digital and hybrid entertainment aligns closely with ours. With Nazara’s expertise and resources, we are confident we can scale Funky Monkeys and bring even more joy to children and families across India. We also see synergies with digital IP’s owned by Nazara such as Kiddopia and will work to maximise these opportunities”
Nazara will also invest INR 4.2 crores for a 4.7% stake in Learntube.ai, an AI-powered platform revolutionizing education with 1:1 interactive and gamified learning. Catering to over 20 lakh learners, LearnTube is the world largest personalised learning platform that offers affordable, interactive gamified learning experiences for professional skilling.
“LearnTube’s collaboration with Nazara is a bold step forward in reshaping professional learning and interactive media. We are excited to combine forces to lead innovation on a global scale,” said Shronit Ladhani, Co-founder, LearnTube.
Nazara has Increased its shareholding of existing companies
Nazara will invest INR 148 crores in its existing subsidiaries including Sportskeeda, Nodwin Gaming, and Datawrkz to increase its ownership in them and support their growth.
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Nodwin Gaming: Nazara will invest INR 64 crores through subscription of Optionally Convertible Preference Shares to bolster Nodwin’s growth. The funds will support Nodwins expansion, enhance its intellectual properties (IPs), and strengthen its footprint in emerging markets.
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Absolute Sports (Sportskeeda): Nazara will invest INR 69 crores to purchase shares arising from exercise of ESOPs from the Sportskeeda management to increase its stake to 100% in the company making it a wholly owned subsidiary.
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Datawrkz: Nazara granted in-principle approval for an investment of INR 15 crores in Datawrkz through the subscription of Compulsorily Convertible Cumulative Preference Shares to support ongoing growth of Datawrkz
Speaking on these investments, Nitish Mittersain said: “Nazara is committed to building the largest diversified gaming and entertainment platform out of India and many of our initiatives announced today are geared towards propelling profitable growth in these strategic areas of our interest.”
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