Gaming
Starlight Gaming launches their battle royale game in India
Mumbai: Starlight Gaming, a Softstar Entertainment Inc company, has partnered with S8UL, India’s largest gaming content network, to announce the much-anticipated launch of ‘Raider SIX’ in India. This collaboration marks an exciting milestone for both entities as they aim to revolutionise the gaming landscape in India. ‘Raider SIX’ is specially built for discerning Indian consumers, demonstrating Starlight Gaming’s commitment to providing a first of its kind gaming experience to Indian gamers. Within an astonishing 10-day registration period, Raider SIX has garnered an incredible one million pre-registrations, signifying enthusiasm among Indian gamers.
Crafted by Starlight Gaming in collaboration with Indian gamers, ‘Raider SIX’ is a Battle Royale Action mobile game that immerses players in the captivating Indian battle landscape. It introduces a diverse array of Indian characters and cultural highpoints, marking the first-ever inclusion of such elements in the genre. Tailored exclusively for the Indian gaming community, ‘Raider SIX’ aims to capture the hearts of Indian gamers with its rich tapestry of characters, aesthetic scenery, and unmatched gaming action that reflects the vivid spirit of Indian culture.
Over the coming weeks, Starlight Gaming and Team S8UL will join forces to deliver collaborative content, combining their expertise and resources for unparalleled gaming experiences. The game offers action-packed battles, exhilarating gameplay, unlimited revival opportunities, a vast arsenal of intriguing weapons, heart-pounding helicopter escape missions, a robust trading system, and exciting draw activities.
Sharing his thoughts on the launch, Softstar Entertainment Inc chairman Tu Chun-Kuang stated, “We are thrilled to bring Raider SIX to the vast and dynamic Indian gaming market. By leveraging S8UL’s extensive network and Starlight Gaming’s commitment to innovation, this partnership seeks to captivate Indian gamers and push the boundaries of gaming entertainment. We aim to provide the passionate gaming community in India with a unique gaming experience that mixes innovation, excitement, and the country’s rich cultural history. Our team is overjoyed to make a difference in India, and it’s just the beginning for us.”
“We are super excited to explore the Indian gaming world by unleashing Raider SIX,” said Starlight Gaming COO Laveesh Pandey. “Team S8UL is one of the largest networks of gaming content creators in India and we are elated to see their excitement about Raider SIX.
Get ready to embark on an exhilarating journey as we captivate the hearts and minds of Indian gamers with Raider SIX, an experience like no other!” He added.
S8UL is the only Indian organization to win the prestigious Global Esports Awards for Esports and gaming content. Together, the brand’s 26 premier players are revolutionizing Indian gaming.
On partnering with Starlight Gaming, S8UL CEO Animesh Agarwal AKA 8 Bit Thug conveyed, “We are thrilled to collaborate with Raider SIX as their launch pad in the Indian gaming market. With the overwhelming enthusiasm of the gaming community towards Raider SIX, we are confident in its potential for a successful launch. Together, S8UL and Raider SIX aims to make an impact and contribute to the evolving gaming landscape in India. We look forward to an amazing response to the launch, come lets game together, even more, and always! Onwards & Upwards!”
Engross yourself in a world filled with recognisable Indian people who have been brought to life in exquisite detail and experience the excitement of the Indian battlefield. Raider SIX also includes specially made Indian-style characters with renamable names, paying homage to Indian gaming culture Android users should leave at least XG of space for the installation package, whereas Apple users should set aside at least XG of space. Be ready to dominate the competition and unleash your abilities in this thrilling battle royale experience #IndiaKaApnaGame
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.
