eSports

Work hard, play hard: Parimatch means business in esports

Published

6 years ago

August 11, 2020

Reading Time: 3 minutes

When Parimatch looks for ambassadors, they favour the bold; Connor McGregor, Mike Tyson, and most recently, Daniil ‘Zeus’ Teslenko. However, while the former two are revered for their physicality, Teslenko is famous for equal shows of fighting spirit in esports – a market that Stepan Shulga, Head of Esports at Parimatch, believes will be in the top three for sports betting by 2021.

Parimatch has shown its ambition to remain at the forefront of the esports betting market with the appointment of Counter Strike 1.6 and CS:GO legend Daniil ‘Zeus’ Teslenko as brand ambassador.

Sticking to its philosophy of signing ambassadors who share the brand’s abundance of fighting spirit, Parimatch’s announcement of Teslenko signifies a continued belief that esports will continue to move up the charts as a sports betting market, and Stepan Shulga, Head of Esports, wants Parimatch to remain a leader of it.

“We have long been at the forefront of the burgeoning esports industry, recognising its growth potential early on and paying it the same amount of attention as traditional sports. A significant proportion of R&D at Parimatch is focused on developing esports features to dramatically enhance user experience, which is why the brand is considered to be one of the top esports bookmakers,” he explained. “Having ambassadors in different sports is a great practice, but we think it’s especially important to have ambassadors that exemplify our values of fighting spirit. Daniil is a unique sportsman, his career spanned two parts of the history of the legendary game Counter-Strike, he was the world champion in version 1.6 and reached the same heights in the current version of CS:GO. To do it twice, in different eras, shows more than just talent; it displays an elite mentality, and that’s why we brought Daniil on board.”

And it’s stars like Teslenko that have been pushing esports to new heights in 2020, with many analysts predicting that it is now on track to becoming the world’s most watched sport. It’s trajectory as a betting market has followed this upward trend, and Stepan expects to see esports overtake many of the more traditional markets by 2021.

“We are sure that esports is already in the top five sports worldwide if we talk about all sports betting globally,” he continued. “Our expectations are to see esports in the top three games in terms of turnover by 2021. The quarantine and global lockdown only strengthened our hypothesis that investing in esports is justified.”

Indeed, Parimatch invested in esports relatively early on in its journey to becoming a fully-fledged sports betting market, and it has found success by focussing on quality over quantity.

“More often, the average rate in esports is higher than in traditional markets, such as football, where naturally there is a much more significant volume,” said Stepan. “In football, it is also more obvious how to engage the audience of an event, and there are thousands of events with thousands of different audiences. In esports, there are much fewer events, and the audience, while large, can be harder to engage. Our challenge is to find the key to the audience, speak the same language with them, and give them the quality of service and product they expect.”

Another challenge for operators that separates esports from traditional sports is the lack of centralized regulation. Stepan explained that in sports, there is a governing force in the form of federations that have an established hierarchy and structure. In esports, there is no such authority yet, and that makes it more difficult for operators to establish a large supply of fixtures for customers to bet on. The events that Parimatch do offer, however, are always backed by reams of data and statistics to provide customers with a full view of the field.

“The most interesting aspect of esports is the accessibility of detailed data; about players, teams, and all sorts of various statistics,” concluded Stepan. “We always give our players the maximum amount of information relevant to them on all devices, as esports fans know how much fine margins can matter when it comes to winning or losing.”

With another natural born winner on its side in Teslenko, Parimatch has shown customers that it remains committed to leading the way in esports, while indicating to the industry that the market is well worth its attention and investment in 2020.

appointments

OS Studios names Ishaan Arya country manager to lead India expansion

Published

1 day ago

June 26, 2026

Wladimir P.

os-studios-names-ishaan-arya-country-manager-to-lead-india-expansion

OS Studios has appointed Ishaan Arya as Country Manager for India, tasking him with leading the agency’s expansion across newly established hubs in Bengaluru, New Delhi, and Mumbai. The appointment was announced on 25 June, 2026 in Bengaluru.

OS Studios, a Project Worldwide agency, said it recently entered the Indian market and will deploy its ‘Fan Z’ approach for brands looking to engage with gaming, esports and live events audiences in South Asia. The company said the expansion will leverage the infrastructure and production capabilities of sister agency George P. Johnson (GPJ) India.

“The future of gaming will be shaped by the communities that care about it most, and few markets embody that more than India,” said John Higgins, CEO of OS Studios. “To build something meaningful, you have to be part of the culture, not looking in from the outside. Ishaan understands that better than anyone. He’s exactly the kind of leader we want building the future of OS Studios in India.”

In the role, Arya will oversee operations, drive strategic brand partnerships, and scale local capabilities, according to the company. “Brands are investing heavily in Indian gaming, but true fan experience is too often an afterthought,” said Rasheed Sait, Chief Growth Officer for India and South Asia at Project Worldwide. “Alongside GPJ India’s experiential footprint, OS Studios will set a new standard for fan engagement in the region.”

Arya previously co-founded The Esports Club and most recently served as Vice President of Partnerships at Nodwin Gaming, where he led Comic Con India. “A massive gap remains between brand intent and authentic community engagement in India,” said Arya. “I’m thrilled to leverage Project Worldwide and GPJ India’s operational strength to build culture-defining experiences for brands and fans alike.”

The post OS Studios names Ishaan Arya country manager to lead India expansion appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

eSports

S8UL qualifies for Esports World Cup 2026 Free Fire after FFMIC runner-up finish

Published

2 days ago

June 26, 2026

Wladimir P.

s8ul-qualifies-for-esports-world-cup-2026-free-fire-after-ffmic-runner-up-finish

S8UL Esports has qualified for the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026 in Free Fire, adding a sixth title to its confirmed lineup for the event. The organisation said its Free Fire MAX roster secured the berth after finishing second at the Free Fire MAX India Cup (FFMIC) 2026 Spring.

S8UL’s recently acquired roster—Naitik Sharma (Troll), Prince Saini (Prinxz), Jay Verma (Bunny), Harshit Nain (Jack07), and Abhishek Gupta (Stiven)—earned one of three invitations allocated to Indian representatives at EWC 2026. Free Fire at EWC 2026 is scheduled for July 15 to 18 in Paris, France, featuring 24 teams and a USD 1 million prize pool (approximately INR 9.4 crore), according to the company.

FFMIC 2026 Spring ran a multi-stage format from City Qualifiers and In-Game Qualifiers through to Group Stage, Knockout Stage, Point Rush and Champion Rush. S8UL said the roster posted 186 points in Knockout Stage Week 1 to place sixth, then carried momentum into the final phase. In Champion Rush, the team entered with three Headstart Points from Point Rush and finished second overall after scoring 131 points and two Booyahs across eight matches. The result also delivered INR 17 lakh in prize money, S8UL said.

Prince Saini aka Prinxz, captain of S8UL’s Free Fire Max roster said, “What makes this team special is the chemistry we’ve developed over time. We have a shared understanding of how we want to approach the game, and that allows us to stay composed and adapt quickly in different situations. Qualifying for the Esports World Cup is an important milestone for us, and doing so as part of S8UL makes the opportunity even more exciting. We are looking forward to representing the organization on the global stage and showing what this roster can achieve against some of the best teams in the world.”

S8UL Co-founder and CEO Animesh Agarwal aka 8Bit Thug linked the qualification to the wider Indian mobile esports ecosystem, saying, “Free Fire MAX has been one of the driving forces behind the growth of mobile esports in India, helping create a highly competitive ecosystem and a pipeline of talented players. When those players get the opportunity to compete at an event like the Esports World Cup, it is not just a milestone for the team but also a reflection of how far the Indian scene has come. Facing the world’s best teams provides invaluable experience and helps raise the overall standard of competition back home. At S8UL, we remain committed to identifying and supporting Indian talent, and we are proud to see our Free Fire MAX roster earn the chance to represent both the organization and the country on one of esports’ biggest stages,”. The organisation added it is also confirmed for EWC 2026 in Apex Legends, Chess, Fortnite, Honor of Kings and Trackmania, and remains in contention in EA SPORTS FC, Fatal Fury, Street Fighter 6 and Tekken 8. EWC 2026 runs July 6 to August 23 with a stated total prize pool of USD 75 million (~INR 714 crore).

The post S8UL qualifies for Esports World Cup 2026 Free Fire after FFMIC runner-up finish appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

anime

G2 drops limited-edition One Piece streetwear capsule on June 25

Published

2 days ago

June 25, 2026

Wladimir P.

g2-drops-limited-edition-one-piece-streetwear-capsule-on-june-25

The esports organisation’s second anime apparel collaboration will be sold exclusively via g2esports.com/shop.

G2 is launching a limited-edition G2 | One Piece capsule collection on June 25, with the drop available exclusively through the organisation’s online store at g2esports.com/shop.

The collection is inspired by One Piece’s Gear 5 Monkey D. Luffy and includes hoodies, zip-ups, t-shirts, caps, sleeves, and tote bags. According to G2, the items use a black-and-white palette and feature a minimalist embroidered logo alongside a custom G2 | One Piece Jolly Roger that combines the G2 samurai emblem with Luffy’s straw hat.

“At G2, we’re continuing to push the culture and fashion of esports beyond competition alone, and this One Piece collection is a natural extension of that,” says Sabrina Ratih, COO of G2 Esports. “We wanted to create a capsule that continues to elevate the esports fashion space – understated, premium, and stylish enough for everyday wear, while still carrying the spirit of adventure, ambition, and individuality that defines One Piece and G2 alike. Every piece is designed to bridge the gap between fandom and everyday style, and continuing our mission to redefine what esports fashion can be.”

G2 described the drop as its second anime collaboration, following a previous apparel collaboration with Solo Leveling. The company positioned the release as part of its broader effort to connect esports, anime, and streetwear.

One Piece debuted in 1999 and remains one of the largest anime franchises globally. G2 cited over 600 million manga copies sold and more than 1,160 episodes for the series.

The post G2 drops limited-edition One Piece streetwear capsule on June 25 appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.