Asia

THE PLAYER HUNT SEASON 3

Published

3 years ago

June 5, 2023

Wladimir P.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

~India’s First Ever Poker Reality Show~

~ Embraces contestants from across the country ~

The Player Hunt Season 3, India’s first ever poker reality show is all set to begin its journey with its list of contestants from across the country along with the co-host Ranvijay Singha who recently shared, “With immense pleasure, I am pleased to let you all know that Player Hunt is all set with enthusiastic, courageous and experienced poker player hailing from different parts of the country. I can’t wait for this journey to begin and leave the audiences as well as the contestants with lots of memories as well as learnings from the show.”

Hailing from Mumbai, Pankti Chheda is a sports enthusiast as well as a former national level athlete, focused on playing poker and representing India in WSOP in 2025. She is not just an athlete but an avid traveller as well.

With a dream of setting a record for the longest live stream of poker, Krishan Pal Singh Dhangar is a common man from Agra, who values education, family and hobbies that challenge his mind. He shares, “Poker is something that is extremelt close to my heart and has changed my life for good. Being a part of Player Hunt season 3, I hope to get an opportunity to be able to promote this sport PAN India.”

Born and brought up at Pali Hill Bombay, Sahib Singh Lamba, an MBA and an Engineer, is the youngest Hon. General Secretary at Khar Gymkhana in Mumbai. He shares, “I have been playing poker for over 15 years and it has become a part of my life. I am aware and unpredictable and can read situations and people. Courage, wisdom & compassion will make me win the Player Hunt Season 3!” Sahib also starred in a recent Netflix series titled, “In Real Love”.

Implusive and spontaneous, Raaquib Merchant, is the owner of his own hockey league and is vocal abort promoting the national sport of India. He’s also a foodie who also loves to talk about making money and starting businesses. Poker has helped him hang out with friends and enjoy life.

A professional poker player, Pooja Doshi owns a fashion boutique and shares her journey of playing poker stating, “The beginnings of my poker journey were quite interesting. My partner wanted to pursue poker as a career to support us. Within a couple of days even I realized the potentiality of the sport and started to learn the game as well. The journey has seen me gradually grow as a player.” She is also a follower of the teachings of Osho.

A full time poker professional, Aditya Sarin, is a psychology student who also has been practicing card magic and cardistry since childhood. He suffers from a rare medical condition which restricted him from attending school in his childhood which led him to he develop a love for cards and poker at the age of 8. His love for poker has only gotten stronger ever since. In his own words he shares, “I am always up to learn something new. With proper guidance from the experts. I will surely win this season.”

Sanket Deshmukh is a college dropout who plays snooker professionally. He started his poker journey at the age of 20. He further shares, “ I was a poker dealer, that’s why I know all the rules and regulations thoroughly. I have raw sense of humour.”

Anubhav Krishna Srivastava, an artist, who is well known for his performance in the popular TV show Pavitra Rishta is also an interesting Poker player. He shares, “Poker has taught him patience & perseverance.” He finds The Player Hunt very interesting and is here as he wanted to try something new and interesting. He also says “Watch out for some mind blowing action and be ready to face me”.

With a list of varied & professional contestants, the Player Hunt Season 3 makes us all look forward to the exciting journey of all contestants loaded with action, drama and entertainment.

ALGS 2026 Championship

S8UL Esports secures historic top five finish at ALGS 2026 Championship; bags INR 1 crore in prize money

Published

2 days ago

January 19, 2026

Wladimir P.

s8ul-esports-secures-historic-top-five-finish-at-algs-2026-championship;-bags-inr-1-crore-in-prize-money

S8UL Esports, a global powerhouse in esports and gaming content, delivered a landmark performance by finishing among the top five teams globally at the Apex Legends Global Series (ALGS) 2026 Championship, held in Sapporo, Japan from January 15 to 18. This result represents the best ever finish by an Indian organization on the Apex Legends global stage, setting a new benchmark for Indian esports at the highest level of international competition.

The ALGS 2026 Championship, the crowning event of the Apex Legends competitive calendar, brought together 40 of the world’s most consistent and high-performing teams from the year-long global circuit. S8UL’s all-Australian roster featuring Rick Wirth (Sharky), Benjamin Spaseski (Jesko), and Tom Canty (Legacy), led by head coach Harrison Rogers (Rogers), delivered a standout campaign and emerged as the only South Asian team to secure a Top 5 finish at the premier international Apex Legends event. The team earned USD 120,000 (approximately INR 1 crore) from the tournament’s USD 2,000,000 (approximately INR 18.14 crore) total prize pool.

Commenting on the achievement, Animesh Agarwal, Co-founder and CEO, S8UL, said, “Over the years, we have built one of India’s strongest gaming creator ecosystems and a solid foundation in content. In the last 18 months, we have deliberately expanded our focus to global esports investments across multiple titles, and performances like this validate that vision. Our ambition is to compete and win at the highest level worldwide. We are investing deeply, assembling world-class international rosters, and representing S8UL on the global stage from India. A top five finish at ALGS is a major milestone, and it marks only the beginning of what we believe will be a very strong future for S8UL in esports.”

S8UL began their campaign in Group B, navigating a demanding round-robin stage where all 40 teams were divided into four groups of 10. The team’s consistent performances saw them finish among the top 20 teams, earning a spot in the Winners Bracket and keeping them firmly in title contention.

From there, S8UL qualified for the Grand Finals, where the remaining 20 teams competed under the high-pressure Match Point Format. Under this system, a team must reach 50 points and then secure a match win to claim the championship, with the remaining teams ranked by total points. Across nine final matches, S8UL accumulated 64 points to finish fifth overall, just one point behind fourth-placed GROW Gaming, underlining how closely contested the championship was.

“The margins at this level are extremely fine, and the team showed tremendous composure throughout the tournament. From the group stage through to the finals, the players displayed adaptability, trust, and resilience. Finishing in the top five globally is a major milestone, and it reinforces our confidence in this roster’s ability to contend for championships in the future,” commented Harrison Rogers, coach of S8UL’s Apex Legends team.

S8UL’s performance at the ALGS 2026 Championship builds on the organisation’s growing presence in international Apex Legends competition. In 2025, S8UL competed at the ALGS Midseason Playoffs as part of the Esports World Cup in Riyadh, where the organisation also became the first Indian team to be selected as a Club Partner for the tournament. With consecutive appearances at Apex Legends’ premier global events, S8UL continues to establish itself as a consistent contender on the world stage and a flagbearer for Indian esports internationally.

The post S8UL Esports secures historic top five finish at ALGS 2026 Championship; bags INR 1 crore in prize money appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Armenia

Totogaming.am Adds SPRIBE’s Aviator in Long-Awaited Release

Published

1 week ago

January 14, 2026

Wladimir P.

totogaming.am-adds-spribe’s-aviator-in-long-awaited-release

Aviator is SPRIBE’s top crash game, launched in 2019. In this rapid and vibrant setup, the payout multiplier rises as the plane ascends, with players individually choosing when to cash out by pressing the “Cashout” button.

To enhance the launch of this already iconic game in the Armenian market, Totogaming kicked off an innovative teaser campaign, allowing 10 users to win a private flight for three.

“We wanted our users to experience the emotions, dynamics, and uniqueness of the Aviator game not only on the platform, but also in real life. This idea became the foundation of the teaser campaign, which resulted in a successful launch and strong interest from players,” said Victorya Harutyunyan, Head of Product Marketing at Totogaming.

“Launching Aviator on Totogaming is an important milestone for SPRIBE in the Armenian market. This partnership allows us to bring our flagship crash game to a highly engaged local audience, while ensuring the premium level of experience that players worldwide expect from Aviator. We value Totogaming’s commitment to innovation and are delighted to see such a strong reception from players from day one,” said Taras Kozovit, Head of Business Development at SPRIBE.

SPRIBE’s Aviator is solely offered on Totogaming in the Armenian market, underscoring the company’s commitment to broadening its selection with internationally acclaimed games while providing unique experiences to its local players.

The post Totogaming.am Adds SPRIBE’s Aviator in Long-Awaited Release appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Akshat Rathee

Indian Esports 2026: Strategic Growth and the Asian Games Milestone

Published

2 weeks ago

January 6, 2026

Wladimir P.

indian-esports-2026:-strategic-growth-and-the-asian-games-milestone

The Indian esports landscape is transitioning from a period of rapid “spectacle” growth to a phase defined by lasting institutional structure. Following the implementation of the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act (PROGA), 2026 is set to be the year where regulatory clarity, international competition, and domestic grassroots development converge.

The Impact of PROGA: Policy into Practice

The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act (PROGA), signed into law in August 2025, has officially moved from policy to practice. Its primary contribution to 2026 is the explicit separation of esports from money-based gaming.

Legitimacy: By categorizing esports as a legitimate competitive pursuit, PROGA has unlocked state-level adoption and cleared the way for schools and colleges to integrate gaming into their sports frameworks.
Commercial Confidence: With a clear regulatory environment, brands in sectors like FMCG, automotive, and BFSI are now viewing esports as a stable, long-term youth engagement platform rather than a risky experiment.
Athlete Pathways: PROGA facilitates the creation of standardized national registries for athletes, ensuring that competitive integrity is maintained across grassroots and professional tiers.

The Asian Games 2026: A Global Stage

The Asian Games 2026 in Aichi and Nagoya, Japan, serves as the most critical milestone for the ecosystem this year.

Medal Status: Esports will feature as a full medal event with 11 confirmed titles, including League of Legends, PUBG Mobile (Asian Games Version), and Pokémon UNITE.
Indian Prospects: India’s best historical result (quarter-finals in League of Legends at Hangzhou) has set a high bar. For 2026, the focus has shifted toward high-performance training camps and long-term athlete mentorship to secure a podium finish.
Multi-Sport Integration: Participation alongside traditional athletes reinforces the narrative that esports is a viable professional career, further encouraging government investment through schemes like Khelo India.

Market Evolution and Key Trends

The Indian gaming market is projected to reach approximately $5.02 billion in 2026, driven by a massive player base exceeding 500 million gamers.

Trend	Impact in 2026
Mobile Dominance	Over 95% of the market remains mobile-first, fueled by 5G expansion and affordable hardware.
Beyond BGMI	2026 is seeing a push to diversify the market into fighting games, sports simulations, and PC titles to avoid “one-title dependency.”
Monetization Shift	Revenue is shifting from pure advertising toward battle passes, subscription models, and in-game progression.
Tier II & III Growth	Most new user acquisition is coming from smaller cities, demanding more vernacular and localized content.