Gaming
Gen Z is watching IPL on JioCinema, says Axis My India survey
Mumbai: The latest findings of the India Consumer Sentiment Index (CSI) by Axis My India, has revealed that JioCinema is the preferred mode of watching IPL for 18-25 year old individuals. This year, about one-third of this age group prefers to watch IPL on JioCinema.
The survey was carried out with a sample size of 10,206 people across 35 states and UTs. 64% belonged to rural India, while 36% belonged to urban counterparts.
The survey illustrates that the younger demographic prefers watching IPL on JioCinema, while cable/DTH television sets are the favoured mode of viewing for the middle-aged population.
Commenting on the CSI report, Axis My India chairman & MD Pradeep Gupta said, “Today’s media landscape is evolving at a rapid pace, and our survey results highlight some intriguing trends that businesses and marketers should take note of. From a growing appetite for environmentally conscious products among young consumers, to the increasing popularity of mobile viewing during events like the IPL, to the rising interest in AI tools like ChatGPT, there are plenty of insights here for stakeholders across a range of industries. By paying attention to these shifts in consumer behavior, businesses can position themselves for success in the months and years ahead.”
On Thursday, JioCinema announced its record breaking 1300 CR+ video views in the first five weeks of IPL. Given the increasing popularity of the platform, the average time spent per viewer per match has touched 60 minutes. IPL has also reached twice the number of viewers on Connected TV than that on HD TV.
The number of advertisers on JioCinema who have signed up is also a new record as is the revenue booked, both significantly higher than last year on digital. The list of brands joining the digital bandwagon is expected to grow further.
JioCinema’s dominance in IPL viewership among Gen Z highlights the platform’s growing popularity and confirms the shift in the media landscape towards digital platforms.
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.
