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S8UL acquires North America’s leading Mobile Legends: Bang Bang roster ahead of Esports World Cup 2025

S8UL Esports, a global powerhouse in esports and gaming content, has officially acquired the renowned North American Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) team formerly known as BloodThirstyKings (BTK). With this move, S8UL makes a historic entry into the MLBB competitive circuit, becoming the first Indian organisation to sign a top-tier international MLBB roster ahead of the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2025 and other major tournaments.
The roster joining S8UL comprises:
– Michael “MobaZane” Cosgun
– Ian “FwydChickn” Hohl
– Jang “Hoon” Seong-hun
– Ziameth-Jei “ZIA” Caluya
– Vo “Shark” Trung
– Carlos “Bestplayer1” Ortega Vega
Founded in 2020, BTK rose to international prominence after their third-place finish at the MLBB M3 World Championship, where they notably defeated the Filipino powerhouse Blacklist International, taking home $80,000 (INR 68.4 lakh). Since then, the team has been a consistent force in North America’s MLBB ecosystem, with multiple regional championship wins and strong global performances to their name.
The roster officially qualified for the MLBB Mid Season Cup (MSC) at the upcoming EWC 2025 following a dominant run in the recently concluded North America Challenger Tournament (NACT) Spring Season, where they defeated Area 77 in the Grand Finals with a 4-2 scoreline.
With players who have competed across multiple MLBB world championships, S8UL’s newest roster brings immense experience and proven ability to perform under pressure. This acquisition marks a milestone moment for Indian esports, positioning S8UL at the forefront of global competition in one of the world’s most watched mobile esports titles.
Animesh Agarwal, aka 8Bit Thug, Co-founder and CEO of S8UL, commented, “We’re committing to MLBB in a big way — becoming a partnered organization and aligning closely with the S8UL vision, with the legendary Michael ‘MobaZane’ Cosgun leading the charge. As a mobile-first org, MLBB holds a special place for us — it’s the only mobile title among the eight games we’re part of. The game’s growth in India is promising, and we’re excited to contribute to its rise by working closely with key Indian stakeholders. This is just the beginning of what we aim to build with MLBB”
The team’s previous accolades include a hard-fought 4-3 victory over Gaimin Gladiators in the NACT Spring Finals and an unforgettable reverse sweep against Cloud9 in the NACT Fall 2024 Grand Finals, turning a 0-3 deficit into a thrilling 4-3 win. That comeback secured their place at the M6 World Championship, where they went on to finish in the top 10. Collectively, the roster has earned close to $150,000 (approx. INR 1.2 crore) in prize winnings, establishing themselves as one of the most accomplished MLBB teams in North America.
“We’ve been on a long journey together, from grassroots tournaments to the world stage, and every chapter has shaped who we are as a team. Joining S8UL feels like the beginning of something bigger than just competition. It’s about aligning with an organisation that understands not just the game, but the grind, the setbacks, and the stories that build champions. We’re not here just to play, we’re here to evolve, to represent, and to create a legacy that goes beyond titles and trophies. With S8UL behind us, we now have the platform to take that next big leap.” said team captain Michael Cosgun aka MobaZane.
According to data from Esports Charts, MLBB is the world’s most popular esports game in 2025, with a peak viewership of 2.7 million. The M6 World Championship held last year recorded an impressive peak viewership of 4.13 million and maintained an average viewership of 709,000 across its 120-hour broadcast, making it one of the largest and most-watched esports tournaments of 2024.
At EWC 2025, 16 of the world’s top MLBB teams will compete in double elimination group stages and best-of-5 knockout rounds which will culminate in a best-of-7 grand final. With a $3,000,000 (approx. INR 25.6 crore) prize pool on the line, this year’s MSC is set to be one of the biggest mobile esports events in history.
S8UL’s MLBB roster brings a balanced mix of experience and synergy across all roles. MobaZane leads as the Jungler, with FwydChickn in the EXP Lane and Hoon anchoring the Mid Lane. ZIA handles the Gold Lane, while Shark plays Roamer, driving team engagements. Bestplayer1 adds depth as a second Jungler, offering strategic flexibility for different matchups.
With this announcement, S8UL has now unveiled rosters across seven different titles for EWC 2025. The lineups are as follows:
Apex Legends: Rick Wirth (Sharky), Benjamin Spaseski (Jesko) and Tom Canty (Legacy)
Call of Duty: Warzone: Colin Bowers-Wilson (Trikempathy), Braxton Trice (Braxtvn), and Ryder Skarzinski (Ryda)
Chess: Nihal Sarin and Aravindh Chithambaram
EAFC25: Jonas Wirth (Jonny) and Aaron Rivera (Happy)
Mobile Legends Bang Bang: Michael Cosgun (MobaZane), Ian Hohl (FwydChickn), Jang Seong-hun (Hoon), Ziameth-Jei Caluya (ZIA), Vo Trung (Shark), and Carlos Ortega Vega (Bestplayer1)
Starcraft II: Pyung Jae Koh (GuMiho)
Tekken 8: Arja Gamoori (Sephiblack) and Nino Schwarz (Nino)
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Bede takes gamification to the next level with all-new Tournament feature

Bede, the data-driven iGaming technology provider known for its market leading software and full-service platform solutions, has announced the launch of a proprietary Tournament feature that has the potential to completely revolutionise partners’ gamification options.
Created to provide a flexible and cost-effective solution for customers looking to engage their players via tournament and leaderboard promotions, the new feature makes it easy for operators to create their own custom contests without any of the limitations of normal provider-led offerings.
Whereas traditional tournament packages are typically tied to one provider – meaning operators can only incorporate games from a pre-defined line-up – Bede’s Tournaments offer a completely agnostic solution, allowing partners to have greater freedom and offer much more choice to their players.
The feature also alleviates the need for admins to learn provider-specific systems in order to set up their tournaments as they can simply create them in the centralised Bede back office, enabling them to take a more consistent approach and reduce the front-end work required to get them up and running.
Of course, all tournaments built via the Bede back-office can also be combined with any of the other services that are included in the company’s platform tool kit, meaning operators can easily create and automate prizes or view tournament history and performance data in the Player Account Manager (PAM).
From an end-user perspective, Bede Tournaments use APIs that make it simple for players to understand and check their current leaderboard position, creating an intuitive and highly immersive front-end experience that helps keep them engaged for the duration of every contest.
With these core product features working in tandem to drive user activity and increase customer satisfaction, Bede’s new Tournaments will change the way operators think about their gamification options and provide partners with a more dynamic way to incentivise players.
Colin Cole-Johnson, Chief Executive Officer at Bede Gaming, said: “With gamification features becoming an increasingly important part of operators’ engagement tool kits, our latest innovation makes it easy to create exciting tournaments that boost activity and truly appeal to players.
“Designed to address the drawbacks of traditional provider-led tournament offerings such as limited game choice and complicated technical set-up, our Tournaments will give operations teams the freedom and flexibility to create their own custom contests without the hassle of having to learn a new system each time. This way, they can pick the games and prizes they like, while also utilising our full suite of platform services to create an altogether more enjoyable experience.”
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PAGCOR Exec: Evolving technologies pose threats to legal gaming industry

An official of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) said the local gaming industry must recognize that technological advances are fueling an unstable environment where illegal operators can thrive while legitimate businesses struggle.
Speaking at the inaugural Asia-Pacific Regulators’ Forum on Thursday, September 11, at the Newport World Resorts, PAGCOR Vice President for Human Resource and Development Group Dr. Angelito Domingo said a three-pronged gaming education framework can help address the problem.
“There are three forces – technology as the tool, the criminal divide as the motive, and social impact as the public outcry – that create a perfect storm which threatens the integrity of the legal gaming industry,” he said.
Dr. Domingo said PAGCOR is currently implementing a gaming education framework focused on player education, operator training, and public outreach to counter growing social concerns associated with illegal online gambling.
“This framework envisions stronger collaboration among gaming and financial regulators, licensed operators, law enforcement, non-government organizations, the community, and the players themselves,” he said.
Dr. Domingo noted that the exponential rise of online gaming in the Philippines is driven by the accessibility of technology and Filipinos’ heavy reliance on mobile devices.
“Also, a lot of people are not aware of the financial implications when they engage in gambling. They only realize the impact of what they did when it’s already too late. They could have done better by being educated at the onset,” he said.
“Player education should center on responsible play and awareness of gambling’s financial and psychological risks, which we are currently doing,” he said.
“Operator training, on the other hand, should involve mandatory certification to ensure that frontline staff can identify and respond to problem gamblers,” he said.
Public outreach, meanwhile, requires unified campaigns, clear messaging, and active collaboration with NGOs, financial regulators, and law enforcement agencies which PAGCOR is also presently doing, he said.
The post PAGCOR Exec: Evolving technologies pose threats to legal gaming industry appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Tesla to showcase Model Y with NODWIN Gaming at the thrilling BGMS Season 4 Grand Finals

New Delhi, September 12, 2025: NODWIN Gaming, South Asia’s leading gaming and esports company, today announced a collaboration with American electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla for the Grand Finals of the Battlegrounds Mobile India Masters Series (BGMS) Season 4. This is Tesla’s first-ever collaboration with an Indian esports tournament, marking a historic moment for the country’s esports industry.
The Grand Finals of BGMS Season 4 will be held from September 12 to 14, bringing together the top 16 teams in the country to compete in a high-octane LAN Final. Tesla, which recently entered the Indian market by opening experience centers in BKC, Mumbai, and Worldmark Aerocity, Delhi, will showcase one of the world’s best-selling cars, the redesigned Model Y, at the event, giving fans a firsthand look at one of the most technologically advanced vehicles on the road. The Grand Finals will open with the Tesla Light Show, which has become a viral cultural phenomenon at global events over the years.
Both Tesla and NODWIN Gaming share a forward-looking identity of innovation, disruption, and technology leadership. Tesla’s integration of software, EV technology, and even gaming into its cars mirrors the digital-first mindset of esports. Collaborating with NODWIN Gaming for BGMS enables Tesla and NODWIN to mutually enhance their presence in India, engaging directly with a vibrant, youth-first community at the forefront of digital entertainment. As the only esports tournament in India broadcast on national television, the entire collaboration created unparalleled visibility among Gen Z and millennial audiences, highlighting the growing cultural and commercial significance of esports in the country.
“At NODWIN Gaming, every season of BGMS is about pushing boundaries, and this year we’re proud to have Tesla join the journey. Their association reflects how esports in India has grown into a mainstream cultural and commercial platform that forward-looking brands want to engage with. Together, we’re shaping how global brands and gaming communities connect, here in India and beyond. Collaborations like this show what’s possible when innovation and culture come together,” said Akshat Rathee, Co-founder and Managing Director of NODWIN Gaming.
According to the FICCI-EY Media and Entertainment Industry Report 2025, the number of brands investing in esports in India is expected to grow from 68 in 2024 to 75 in 2025, fueled by new titles, larger tournaments, and deeper engagement with youth audiences. Season 4 of BGMS is a testament to this surge, with a powerful line-up of partners including OnePlus as Title Sponsor and Official Smartphone Partner, Android as Co-Title Sponsor, and TVS Motor Company entering its third consecutive year. The tournament also features Red Bull, Duolingo
English Test, Swiggy, and Bisleri, further proving the sector’s growing ability to attract marquee global and Indian brands.
The BGMS Season 4 Grand Finals will be broadcast live on Star Sports Khel and on JioHotstar from September 12 to 14, airing during prime-time from 5 PM to 8 PM IST.
The post Tesla to showcase Model Y with NODWIN Gaming at the thrilling BGMS Season 4 Grand Finals appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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