Indian esports and gaming company Skyesports has announced a partnership with hardware brand AMD and technology corporation Microsoft.
As a result, AMD and Microsoft’s Windows 11 brand will sponsor the Skyesports Masters CS:GO tournament.
The Skyesports Masters is India’s first franchised esports league and will feature eight teams competing for a share of 2 Crore INR (⁓£195,800) in prize money. Qualifications for the tournament are set to begin in June through gaming cafés located in 20 cities across the country.
Skyesports aims to utilise the league to create revenue opportunities for the teams that qualify. Through sponsorships and media rights deals in order to create a sustainable ecosystem for CS:GO in the region. Teams that qualify for the league will head to Mumbai to compete in front of a live audience. Details on the location of the event have yet to be revealed.
Skyesports is no stranger to collaborating with Microsoft. In February 2023, the two parties joined forces to co-launch the third season of the Windows 11 Skyesports Grand Slam, a multi-title event that took place as part of the government-led India Gaming Show.
Aside from supporting Skyesports’ events and initiatives, Microsoft continues its efforts to acquire game publisher Activision Blizzard. In April, the UK competition regulator blocked the $68.7bn acquisition but both parties plan on appealing the decision.
Shiva Nandy, Founder and CEO of Skyesports, spoke on the deal: “We are thrilled to have AMD and Windows 11 with us for India’s biggest gaming tournament, the Skyesports Masters.
“The franchised esports league includes a long LAN event in Mumbai offering brands an ideal place to not only show their products but also connect with the audience on the ground as well.”