Latest news with #AkshatRathee
NDTV
4 days ago
- Business
- NDTV
NODWIN Gaming Joins Hands With Chess.Com And ChessBase India
In a landmark move poised to redefine the future of chess in India, NODWIN Gaming, a leader in South Asia's esports and gaming ecosystem, has announced a strategic partnership with the world's largest chess platform, and India's leading chess media and grassroots organisation, ChessBase India. The collaboration brings together three powerhouses from the worlds of esports, content, and competitive chess to create a unified ecosystem that nurtures talent, expands reach, and builds India's presence on the global chess esports stage. This strategic alliance unites the complementary strengths of three leaders in the chess and gaming ecosystem. NODWIN Gaming brings deep expertise in production, broadcast, and commercial strategy. ChessBase India offers unmatched access to India's thriving chess community and grassroots networks. contributes its expansive global platform, community, creator partnerships, and world-class tournament infrastructure. Together, they form a unique synergy that will fuel the co-creation and scaling of original IPs, deliver premium competitive formats, spark deeper engagement across both player and creator communities, and deliver great opportunities for brands to partner in the rapidly growing chess ecosystem. Speaking on the announcement, Akshat Rathee, Co-founder and Managing Director of NODWIN Gaming, said, "Chess is undergoing a cultural renaissance, from park benches and schoolrooms to sold-out esports arenas and creator streams. Chess has now become the fourth most-watched sport in the country after cricket, kabaddi, and BGMI tournaments. With this partnership, we're not just supporting a heritage game, we're aiding in its natural course of progression. By combining each organization's unique strengths, we're building a future-ready ecosystem that can take Indian chess from heritage to hype. It's time the brilliance of our grandmasters meets the energy of our digital generation." Chess is getting an accelerated global attention, with over 7.6 billion games played worldwide on in 2024 alone. The platform now boasts over 200 million registered users, with India seeing 9 million+ monthly active players, and an average of 550,000 new signups every month. Viewership has skyrocketed with 925 million total organic views, reflecting a 640% year-over-year growth. The surge in visibility was recently reflected during the World Chess Championship, which was exclusively streamed in India through the combined efforts of NODWIN Gaming, and ChessBase India. The Gukesh Dommaraju-Ding Liren final match, which saw Gukesh being crowned as the World Chess Champion, attracted over 24 million views, with peak concurrent viewership hitting 200,000. India is central to this surge. Cities like Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi, and Chennai rank among the top chess-viewing regions globally. Indian users are predominantly mobile-first, with 80.9% of viewership on smartphones, and the largest age group being between 18 and 34 years old, highlighting the game's deep connection with India's digital-native Gen Z and millennial audiences. Speaking on the alliance, Sagar Shah, CEO of ChessBase India, said, "This partnership is not just a business alliance - it's a vision to grow the chess community in India from the grassroots to the grand stage. For the last decade, we've focused on building a robust chess culture in the country, and now, with NODWIN and by our side, we hope to bring forth more opportunities to all those involved in the chess ecosystem." Avadh Shah, Country Director of India, said, "Chess has been one of the most dominant and fastest growing sports in the last 3 years across India and the world. In terms of both participation and viewership, chess is experiencing record-breaking numbers-the highest we've ever seen. Given the excitement around the sport, it is only fitting that the leading companies within the ecosystem collaborate to further its development and invite partners to join this journey as well." The partnership also aligns with the rise of chess as a recognised esports discipline. At the upcoming Esports World Cup (EWC) 2025, chess will make its debut with a prize pool of $1.5 million. Leading Indian esports organization S8UL is set to represent India in competitive chess at the Esports World Cup with its powerhouse roster of Grandmasters Nihal Sarin and Aravindh Chithambaram, marking the first-ever representation of an Indian esports team in competitive chess on a global stage. Their involvement underscores the growing recognition of chess as a spectator-friendly, high-skill esport. As India prepares to make its mark on this new frontier, the alliance between NODWIN Gaming, and ChessBase India promises to build the foundational infrastructure needed for long-term growth, from top-tier broadcasts and influencer-led content to community tournaments and professional leagues. Together, NODWIN Gaming, ChessBase India, and aim to build a robust ecosystem for Indian chess, one that honors the nation's legacy, empowers creators, and establishes India as a global hub for online competitive chess.
News18
4 days ago
- Business
- News18
NODWIN Gaming Joins Hands With Chess.com And ChessBase India to Build future Of Chess Esports In India
The partnership combines NODWIN Gaming's expertise in production and broadcast, ChessBase India's grassroots network and global platform to revolutionise chess in India In a landmark move set to shape the future of chess in India, NODWIN Gaming, a leader in South Asia's esports and gaming sector, has announced a strategic partnership with the world's largest chess platform, and India's top chess media and grassroots organisation, ChessBase India. This collaboration brings together three major players from esports, content creation, and competitive chess to form a cohesive ecosystem that nurtures talent, broadens reach, and enhances India's presence on the global chess esports stage. This alliance combines the unique strengths of these leaders in the chess and gaming industry. NODWIN Gaming contributes its expertise in production, broadcasting, and commercial strategy. ChessBase India offers unparalleled access to India's vibrant chess community and grassroots networks. brings its extensive global platform, community, creator partnerships, and world-class tournament infrastructure. Together, they create a synergy aimed at developing and scaling original intellectual properties, delivering premium competitive formats, fostering deeper engagement across player and creator communities, and offering significant opportunities for brands to partner in the rapidly growing chess ecosystem. Akshat Rathee, Co-founder and Managing Director of NODWIN Gaming, stated, 'Chess is experiencing a cultural renaissance, from park benches and schoolrooms to sold-out esports arenas and creator streams. Chess has now become the fourth most-watched sport in the country, following cricket, kabaddi, and BGMI tournaments. This partnership is not just about supporting a heritage game; it's about facilitating its natural progression. By combining our unique strengths, we are creating a future-ready ecosystem that can elevate Indian chess from heritage to hype. It's time for our grandmasters to meet the energy of our digital generation." This visibility spike was evident during the World Chess Championship, exclusively streamed in India through the efforts of NODWIN Gaming, and ChessBase India. The final match between Gukesh Dommaraju and Ding Liren, which crowned Gukesh as the World Chess Champion, garnered over 24 million views, with peak concurrent viewership reaching 200,000. India plays a central role in this surge, with cities like Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi, and Chennai ranking among the top chess-viewing regions globally. Indian users primarily access content via mobile, with 80.9% of viewership on smartphones, and the largest age group being 18 to 34 years old, highlighting the game's strong connection with India's digital-native Gen Z and millennial audiences. Sagar Shah, CEO of ChessBase India, commented, 'This partnership isn't just a business alliance — it's a vision to grow the chess community in India from the grassroots to the grand stage. For the past decade, we've focused on building a robust chess culture in the country. Now, with NODWIN and by our side, we aim to create more opportunities for everyone involved in the chess ecosystem." Avadh Shah, Country Director of India, added, 'Chess has been one of the most dominant and fastest-growing sports in the last three years across India and the world. In terms of both participation and viewership, chess is achieving record-breaking numbers. Given the excitement around the sport, it's fitting that leading companies within the ecosystem collaborate to further its development and invite partners to join this journey." The partnership also aligns with the rise of chess as a recognised esports discipline. At the upcoming Esports World Cup (EWC) 2025, chess will debut with a prize pool of $1.5 million. Leading Indian esports organisation S8UL will represent India in competitive chess at the Esports World Cup with its team of Grandmasters Nihal Sarin and Aravindh Chithambaram, marking the first-ever representation of an Indian esports team in competitive chess on a global stage. Their involvement highlights the growing recognition of chess as a spectator-friendly, high-skill esport. As India prepares to make its mark on this new frontier, the alliance between NODWIN Gaming, and ChessBase India promises to build the foundational infrastructure needed for long-term growth, from top-tier broadcasts and influencer-led content to community tournaments and professional leagues. Together, NODWIN Gaming, ChessBase India, and aim to establish a robust ecosystem for Indian chess that honours the nation's legacy, empowers creators, and positions India as a global hub for online competitive chess. News18 Sports brings you the latest updates, live commentary, and highlights from cricket, football, tennis, badmintion, wwe and more. Catch breaking news, live scores, and in-depth coverage. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : Chess esports Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: June 18, 2025, 19:49 IST
Time of India
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Banijay in strategic partnership with Nodwin to co-develop IPs, formats
Banijay Asia , part of Banijay Entertainment, has entered a strategic partnership with Nodwin Gaming , a subsidiary of Nazara Technologies , to expand their footprint in India's growing gaming and youth entertainment landscape. As part of the collaboration, Banijay Asia will produce Playground, Nodwin Gaming's flagship gaming reality show that blends gaming, entertainment, and influencer culture. The two companies also plan to co-develop new content formats and intellectual properties (IPs), including scripted and reality programming aimed at younger audiences. Deepak Dhar, Founder & Group CEO – Banijay Asia & Endemol Shine India, said, 'This collaboration with Nodwin Gaming is an exciting extension of our vision to create content that resonates with evolving youth audiences. Gaming is not just a sport; it's a culture, a lifestyle, and a massive content opportunity. With Playground and our upcoming IPs, we aim to redefine engagement and storytelling in this space.' He added, 'I look forward to the creative collaboration with Akshat Rathee, and Joost Roset who we previously worked with, in bringing iconic global IPs to India. This is an invaluable opportunity to create clutter-breaking formats in the youth and gaming space.' Nodwin Gaming brings to the table a portfolio of well-known properties including BGMI Masters Series, Comic Con India, and NH7 Weekender. The company has been active in creating gaming and esports formats across multiple platforms and regions. Akshat Rathee, Co-Founder & MD, Nodwin Gaming, said, "Youth entertainment is evolving rapidly, and our partnership with Banijay Asia positions us perfectly to lead that change. With Playground, we've just begun to explore what's possible. Backed by Banijay's global expertise, we're now set to scale the IP across multiple languages and markets, with the ambition of building an international format. At the heart of our approach is our philosophy of 'timeshare of mindshare'. We're not just creating content, we're creating cultural moments. The Rusk creative team will stay actively involved as we expand the universe of Playground, aiming to grow from one show to between five and ten each year. This is just the beginning of a bold new chapter in gaming and youth content."
The Hindu
14-05-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
Esports — VALORANT Challengers South Asia 2025 Split 2 set to begin May 16
OMEN VALORANT Challengers South Asia 2025 Split 2 (VCSA Split 2) is set to kick off on May 16, featuring eight teams and having a prize pool of INR 29 lakh. Six teams from VCSA Split 1 and two winners from the relegation promotion phase have made it to the second phase, which will take place over three weeks. Qualified teams: Velocity Gaming, Asterisk, Reckoning Esports, GE Academy, Revenant x Spark, XO IND, DotExe Esports, S8UL Esports Only the top three will secure a place at the LAN Finals, where they will compete not only for the championship title and prize pool but also for essential Challenger Points that play a decisive role in their qualification journey toward VCT Ascension Pacific 2025. ALSO READ: National Esports Championship to pick Indian team for WEC 2025 begins Organised by NODWIN Gaming, in collaboration with VALORANT developer Riot Games, VCSA Split 1 had garnered over 10 million views. 'The OMEN VALORANT Challengers South Asia is part of a growing ecosystem that's being shaped by the passion of our players, the energy of the community, and the support of our partners,' Akshat Rathee, Co-Founder & Managing Director, NODWIN Gaming, said. Prize Pool Distribution: Split 2 Winner: ₹12,15,000 Runner-up: ₹6,48,000 3rd Place: ₹4,45,500 4th Place: ₹2,43,000 5th Place: ₹1,21,500 6th Place: ₹1,21,500 7th Place: ₹81,000 8th Place: ₹81,000 Opening Matches: May 16, 2025 | 3:00 PM: Velocity Gaming vs Asterisk May 16, 2025 | 6:00 PM: Reckoning Esports vs GE Academy May 17, 2025 | 3:00 PM: Revenant x Spark vs XO IND May 17, 2025 | 6:00 PM: DotExe Esports vs S8UL Esports 'Split 1 of the OMEN VALORANT Challengers South Asia 2025 laid a strong foundation, elevating the competitive bar and uncovering standout talent from across the region. As we move into Split 2, we expect the intensity to rise even further,' Sukamal Pegu, Esports Lead, South Asia, Riot Games, said. Where to watch OMEN VCSA 2025? OMEN VCSA Split 2 can be watched on NODWIN Gaming's Official YouTube Channel in English. Hindi Broadcast for the same will be available on NODWIN Gaming's Official Facebook Page. Related Topics Esports / valorant
News18
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Esports Joins KIYG 2025 Line-Up With BGMI, Chess, eFootball, SF6 And More
Last Updated: Esports joins Khelo India Youth Games 2025 with BGMI, Street Fighter 6, Chess, and eFootball, boosting grassroots esports in India. Esports has been added to the Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) for the first time as a demonstration event featuring BGMI, Street Fighter 6, Chess, and eFootball, a development that industry experts believe will help establish it as a mainstream sport. Esports will be an official medal sport at the 2026 Asian Games, and the first-ever Olympic Esports Games is scheduled to start in 2027. Before its inclusion in KIYG 2025, hosts Bihar had organised the Bihar State Esports Open Championship and the Bihar Inter School and College Esports Championship over the past year. States like Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Nagaland have also taken proactive steps to support and formalise grassroots esports programs. Esports competitions will be beld at the Patliputra Sports Complex on May 6 and 7, featuring popular titles such as Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), Street Fighter 6, Chess, and eFootball on both mobile and console. While BGMI remains the most popular esports title in India, Chess stands out as a particularly noteworthy addition to KIYG 2025. Once considered a purely traditional sport, it has increasingly found a home in the esports world, most recently as part of the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2025, which boasts a prize pool of USD 1.5 million (Rs 12.6 crore) for the title. 'The inclusion of titles like BGMI, Street Fighter 6, Chess, and eFootball in the Khelo India Youth Games 2025 signals a big step forward for grassroots esports in India," says Akshat Rathee, Co-founder and Managing Director of NODWIN Gaming. 'It's encouraging to see esports standing shoulder to shoulder with traditional sports, and the addition of Chess – bridging classical and digital strategy shows how in tune this initiative is with global trends. But this isn't just about tournaments. 'It's about creating real opportunities to discover talent from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, places that have been overlooked for too long, thus building the foundation for a future where Indian gamers don't just participate, they dominate on the world stage." First Published: May 05, 2025, 16:43 IST
