Gaming
Skyesports and Loco join forces
Mumbai: The Skyesports Masters is thrilled to announce that Loco, the world’s leading independent esports and live streaming platform, is the broadcasting partner for India’s first-ever franchised esports tournament. In an exciting development, Loco has also stepped up as the official sponsor for all eight franchised esports teams participating in the Rs. 2 Crore tournament.
Fans of competitive gaming can immerse themselves in the heart-pounding CS:GO action of the Skyesports Masters by tuning into the matches streaming live on the Loco website and mobile application. Loco is also set to bring unique experiences for fans leading up to the LAN Playoffs at the Koramangala Indoor Stadium in Bangalore on 26 and 27 Aug. The Playoffs will be open to all for free and feature intense esports action, show-matches, meet-and-greets, brand booths, and a grand music show – becoming a one-stop entertainment extravaganza and setting a benchmark for Indian esports events. Tickets are currently available on Paytm Insider.
Commenting on Loco’s partnership with the Skyesports Masters, Loco co-founder & vice president- business operations Firasat Durrani said, “Having the prestigious Skyesports Masters CS:GO, a significant gaming event in India, on Loco is a testament of our consistent efforts to bring diverse content to our viewers for legacy esports like Counter Strike. Our enduring partnership with Skyesports, and the exciting support for the 8 teams in this tournament, showcases our commitment to not only support and uplift the tournament but also the individual stories and aspirations that breathe life into Indian esports, particularly within the PC gaming community in India.”
Additionally, Loco is partnering with the eight franshied esports teams in the Skyesports Masters representing the top esports organizations of the country. Velocity Gaming, Enigma Gaming, Revenant Esports, Reckoning Esports, Medal Esports, Gods Reign, Marcos Gaming, and 7Sea Esports are fighting for the throne in India’s first-ever franchised esports tournament.
Commenting on the partnership, Skyesports CEO & founder Shiva Nandy said, “The Skyesports Masters is a benchmark-setting event for Indian esports as it prioritizes sustainability for all the eight partnered teams. We are thrilled to have onboarded Loco, the world’s leading independent esports and live game streaming platform, not only as the broadcasting partner but also as a sponsor for the teams competing in the event. As we approach a thrilling end to the League Stage of the Skyesports Masters, fans can catch all the action live on Loco as well.”
Gaming
MTG gaming chief Benninghoff joins NODWIN board as esports firm primes for IPO
The Gurugram-based esports firm is pursuing a public listing, has returned to profitability and is growing revenues by 42 per cent
GURUGRAM: NODWIN Gaming is moving fast. The Gurugram-based gaming and esports company has launched a pre-IPO fundraising round, appointed UBS as lead adviser for both the round and a subsequent public listing, and landed a heavyweight board director, all in one go.
The new board member is Arnd Benninghoff, executive vice president of gaming at Stockholm-listed Modern Times Group (MTG), who has overseen the group’s strategic investments and portfolio growth since 2014. He is no stranger to building things: Benninghoff has founded and built fifteen companies, served as chief digital officer at ProSiebenSat.1 Media AG, managing director of SevenVentures, and chief executive of Holtzbrinck eLAB. He began his career as a journalist at Deutsche Presse Agentur and various TV networks, holds a Diplom-Kaufmann in business and administration from the University of Münster, and previously sat on the board of Edgeware AB.
The numbers back the ambition
NODWIN is not pitching a story without substance. The company has returned to EBITDA profitability and posted a 42 per cent year-on-year revenue surge, reaching $58.5m in the first nine months of FY2026. The pre-IPO round will combine a primary issuance to fund global expansion through organic growth and acquisitions, alongside a secondary sale to give existing shareholders some liquidity.
Akshat Rathee, co-founder and managing director of NODWIN Gaming, said Benninghoff understands “the entire lifecycle of the gaming and media ecosystem, from the boots-on-the-ground reality of building startups to the strategic complexity of managing multi-billion dollar global portfolios.”
Benninghoff, for his part, said the company “sits at the intersection of sports, entertainment, and technology, making it one of the most exciting players in the global gaming landscape today.”
A portfolio built for the global south
Founded in 2014 by Rathee and Gautam Virk, NODWIN has quietly assembled one of the more compelling esports portfolios outside the Western hemisphere. Its properties include DreamHack India and Comic Con India, and it recently acquired StarLadder, the Ukraine-based tournament organiser behind premier events in CS:GO and Dota 2. The company also serves as a long-term strategic marketing partner for the Evolution Championship Series (EVO), the world’s most prominent fighting game tournament, helping push it into new geographies.
Its geographic focus spans South Asia, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Backers include Nazara Technologies, KRAFTON, Sony Group Corporation, JetSynthesys, and the founders’ investment vehicle Good Game Investments.
What comes next
With UBS running the books, a board freshly reinforced with European media and gaming expertise, and revenue heading in the right direction, NODWIN is laying the groundwork deliberately. The esports industry has burned investors before with big promises and thin margins. NODWIN’s return to profitability, combined with a real portfolio of owned intellectual properties across gaming, music and youth culture, gives it a more credible runway than most. The IPO clock is now ticking.
