The Indian esports space finds itself in a transitory phase as PUBG Mobile remains banned in the country. The situation has presented itself with a unique opportunity for new titles and new communities to shine and grab the spotlight. However, many are waiting to see the direction the industry takes before making a commitment with their investments.
These are some of the country’s biggest stories during the month of October, in collaboration with AFK Gaming.
Team Vitality announces India expansion
French organisation, Team Vitality formalised plans for their India expansion with a teaser announcing their arrival in the region. The news comes nearly a year after the organisation closed a €14m (£12m) funding round from existing investors, Rewired.gg. One of the key components during this fundraiser was Vitality’s expansion into regions like India and China.
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Riot Games launches Valorant servers for Indian players
Riot Games has launched VALORANT servers for players in India. Located in Mumbai, the server will be a part of the SEA shard. It also marks the first major activation by Riot in the region, who have largely been hands-off in the years prior to VALORANT’s release. However, the title has found popularity in South Asia due to its low requirements and free to play model. Riot is also hoping to establish a foothold in the large mobile market before the release of Wild Rift.
Reliance Jio announces first esports IP
Indian telecommunications giant, Reliance Jio has announced its first-ever esports IP – a Free Fire tournament tying in with Diwali celebrations in the region. The company plans to activate this IP in the future as well. While Reliance has been heavily linked with several verticals in esports in the past, with the firm even having a division dedicated to the game, this will be the company’s first public-facing venture.
Noble announces Indian Wild Rift plans
North American organisation, Noble esports announced plans to operate a Wild Rift roster in India, as the firm revealed a lineup of former Dota and League of Legends pro players. The game is yet to be released in South Asia with Riot citing the ongoing pandemic and subsequent logistical challenges in the new region as a reason for the delay.
AFK Gaming is India-based esports media and content company that aims to provide quality and consistent coverage about teams, players, tournaments and competitive video games with a primary focus on the Asian region.