Updated May 31st, 2020 at 09:06 IST

Airtel to kickstart eSports revolution in India after partnership with NODWIN Gaming

Indian telecom giants Bharti Airtel have partnered with NODWIN Gaming to conduct first of its kind eSports tour in the country, with games like PUBG and FIFA.

Reported by: Sreehari Menon
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Indian telecom giants Bharti Airtel has announced a partnership with NODWIN Gaming in a bid to enhance the eSports sector and gaming sector in the country. The partnership comes in after a rapid rise in sports and gaming content amidst the coronavirus lockdown, with all sports shutting shop indefinitely to contain the spread of the virus. The partnership kicks off with the ‘Airtel India ESPORTS TOUR', India's first national ranking of esports players in the country.

Also Read: Lionel Messi And Cristiano Ronaldo's Predicted Overall Ratings For EA Sports FIFA 21

Airtel signs historic deal with NODWIN Gaming; to rank Indian eSports players

Bharti Airtel and NODWIN gaming have announced the inaugural Airtel India eSports Tour, reported to be the first and largest section of its kind in this segment and will come with a national ranking and awarding system for Indian esports players. The deal will see the Airtel eSports tour cover all NODWIN tournaments, including PUBG Mobile, CS: Clash of Clans, FIFA and other popular games.

The deal is likely to revolutionise the already growing eSports and gaming sector in India. The companies, in a joint statement, said that with India's large youth population and quickly growing internet penetration, eSports has the potential to become a large part of the country’s mainstream sporting culture. According to reports, the Indian online gaming market is estimated to be valued over $1 billion by 2021 with more than 620 million gamers. 

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The Airtel India eSports tour at its inception will cover all NODWIN tournaments across gaming titles of PUBG Mobile, CS: GO, Clash of Clans, and FIFA among others. The coverage will extend to all iconic NODWIN tournaments such as the India Premiership by NODWIN, DreamHack India, The Northeast Cup, KO Fight Nights and the PAN Fest. This will also cover NODWIN operated competitions such as the PUBG Mobile Pro League in India.

After the end of the annual Airtel eSports tour, the final leaderboard across games will be presented to recognise and reward the winners at an award show celebrating the key players in the community including the eSports athletes, the teams, the talent, the best plays among others. The broadcast of the Airtel India eSports tour will be available on Airtel’s digital platforms and help with increasing the reach of the phenomenon to newer audiences. 

Initially, the Airtel India eSports tour will be broadcasted by NODWIN in its widespread tournament network and will aim to be a platform where all competitions will carry an agreed weightage detached of the organiser.

Also Read: CSK Star Deepak Chahar Reveals Impressive PUBG Mobile Season 13 Rank

Also Read: Paytm, Adidas Invest ₹12.8 Crore In Indian Startup Rooter's New ESports Platform: Report

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Published May 31st, 2020 at 09:06 IST