Asia
S8UL scripts history; becomes first Indian Esports organisation to win ‘Content Group of the Year’ award globally at ‘Esports Awards’22’
S8UL, one of India’s leading Esports organisations have made esports history by becoming the country’s first Esports organisation to win globally at the coveted ‘Esports Awards 2022’ in the ‘Content Group of the Year’ category on Wednesday.
S8UL is the brainchild of the country’s esports industry veterans, Naman Mathur aka Mortal, Animesh Agarwal aka 8Bit Thug and Lokesh Jain aka Goldy. This triumph was a long-awaited one for the Indian esports community and winning against global sensations from the industry including the likes of 100 Thieves, FaZe Clan, OTK, G4TV, Tribo Gaules etc at a global esports recognition event, is a matter of great pride for S8UL and for Indian esports. This is bound to do good things for them, as well as for Indian esports globally in terms of recognition and respect.
Lokesh Jain aka Goldy, Co-Founder, S8UL while reflecting on this momentous achievement said “I talk a lot with fans, with creators and with everyone, but today I am speechless. The journey we have mapped together as a team seems like a blur and a vivid memory all at once. What looks like a winning moment, is actually made up of those 100s of little moments everyday, where we put in the hard work, miss special personal events, sacrifice sleep, go through lows, brainstorm, rise again and create, create, create content like we mean it. It’s such a moment, for all of us. Three cheers for the team!”
Since its very inception, S8UL has been the frontrunner of gaming content in India. They have challenged the status quo at every turn, and have leveraged social media platforms like YouTube, Instagram, Discord etc to bring together some of the best gaming content creators under a single umbrella, to create outstanding gaming content, watched everyday by millions of viewers. The high calibre of their esports talent which includes Mortal, Scout, Payal, Mamba, Rega, Krutika, Sidd, Kaashvi, and many more is evident from the various esports titles they have bagged over the years and the fandom they enjoy.
“Love us or really love us, but we are, as of 10:35 AM IST today, officially the “global content group of the year” and no one can take that away! So then, do dreams come true? As of now, I can proudly say that they can. We dreamt, we worked and clearly we’ve done something right, to be here today! And that’s all I ever wanted, for us to do a lot of small rights, winning the right to win big. This is the biggest motivation to take things only bigger from now on. 2023, here we come!” said Animesh Agarwal aka 8Bit Thug, Co-Founder, S8UL
Alongside S8UL, their co-founder and the face of Indian gaming and esports Naman ‘Mortal’ Mathur was also nominated at the awards for the ‘Esports Personality of the Year’ category where the first place was bagged by Nadeshot, owner of 100Thieves; and the results for second and third positions are still awaited. He is also the only Indian Esports athlete to be nominated in the history of the global “Esports Awards”. In 2020 and 2021, Naman won second place for the Streamer of the Year for two consecutive years.
“If we have learnt anything today, it’s that a group of passionate people, sitting somewhere in a ‘developing’ country CAN create history. Words fail me as I see our dream as a dream team come true. Seeing us being celebrated by the global esports community, it’s a real feeling. It’s really time to pause, reflect and feel happy. But we also have one eye on the future and we hope to break all records. Thanks to the fans who watch us everyday and motivate us to show up with great content, Thanks to the brands who have worked with us as a content group, but most of all, thanks to the creators who work hard all day everyday, this is our moment in the sun!” said Naman Mathura aka Mortal, Co-Founder, S8UL
Dedicated to showcasing top-class performance and innovation, the Esports Awards recognises excellence in Esports and ensures that success and achievement in esports is celebrated globally. The 2022 edition of the awards was hosted in Las Vegas where prominent names from the Esports community all over the world were in attendance.
S8UL have recently unveiled their Pokemon Unite and PUBG: New State rosters and aims to dominate India’s Esports space with top-notch athletes competing in multiple Esports titles.
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The post Totogaming.am Adds SPRIBE’s Aviator in Long-Awaited Release appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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. |
The post Indian Esports 2026: Strategic Growth and the Asian Games Milestone appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Asia
Insurgence Gaming Company Introduces La Imperia, a Community-First All-Female VALORANT Tournament
La Imperia, a new all-female esports IP by The Insurgence Gaming Company, will make its competitive debut this month with an online VALORANT invitational tournament running from December 19 to 21, 2025. Designed as a visibility-first platform for women competitors, the event brings together four invited Indian teams for a three-day broadcast competition.
La Imperia marks the inaugural tournament by the Insurgence Gaming Company, a newly founded esports company led by Jasper Shabin, who previously served as a poject manager at Skyesports. Positioning itself as a community-first tournament operator, the Insurgence Gaming Company aims to refocus attention on grassroots competition and long-term ecosystem building at a time when entry-level and women-led esports pathways remain limited.
The tournament will be played in VALORANT and feature a round-robin group stage followed by single-elimination playoffs, culminating in a BO5 Grand Final. All matches across the three days will be broadcast live on YouTube, along with additional watch-parties.
The four invited teams competing at La Imperia include Huntrix, Sin Sisters, Plushie Gang and MyKil. All teams feature all-female rosters, aligning with La Imperia’s positioning as a dedicated women’s esports IP.
Broadcast production for the event will be handled by Momentum Gaming, serving as the official Broadcast Partner. The on-air talent lineup includes Star Tania, Nekroz, Odawg, and Hikari Jane, who will guide viewers through the tournament across all three days.
Beyond competition, La Imperia is also placing emphasis on player well-being. Sattva by Pallavi joins the tournament as the Mental Health Partner, integrating conversations around mental health and holistic wellness into the event’s broadcast and content output. The partnership reflects a growing recognition of sustainability and mental resilience within competitive gaming environments.
Speaking on the launch, Jasper Shabin, Founder of The Insurgence Gaming Company, said: “La Imperia is built to be a visibility platform first. There is no shortage of talent in the women’s VALORANT scene, but there are very few consistent stages where that talent can be seen, supported, and taken seriously. With the Insurgence Gaming Company, we want to return focus to grassroots competition and create formats that players can grow with, not just compete in once.”
The tournament carries an INR 15,000 prize pool, with the primary focus placed on competitive exposure, broadcast quality, and long-term ecosystem value rather than one-off incentives.
With its inaugural edition, La Imperia sets the foundation for a new women-led esports property in India—one that combines structured competition, professional broadcast standards, and a community-first philosophy.
The post Insurgence Gaming Company Introduces La Imperia, a Community-First All-Female VALORANT Tournament appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.
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