iWorld
Irony Inc launches fiery gaming battle with Naagin – ‘Free Fire Original Fierce League’
Mumbai: Irony Inc, a community-first e-sports platform and GamerzArena, India’s one of the leading e-sports platforms have partnered with Naagin, the original Indian hot sauce to organise ‘’Free Fire Original Fierce League’ for the gaming enthusiasts.
The tournament began on 24 November and winning teams from each round will progress towards the final game, scheduled to be held on 9 December. A record 1500 teams will battle it out to bag the highest winning amount of Rs 1,00,000 and the coveted championship title.
“The Gen-Z consumer is one of the most authentic and self-aware audiences. With Gen Z, passion and true connection supersede vanity metrics such as likes, views and impressions,” stated Irony Inc founder and CEO Tushaar Garg. “We are thrilled to have a brand like Naagin aboard which realizes the need to embrace this new-age and emerging esports landscape with an open mind.”
According to the latest report published in October by Sensor Tower, Garena Free Fire became the most downloaded mobile game worldwide with 30 percent downloads coming from India that happens to be its biggest market. Intending to connect with Gen-Z audiences, Naagin, India’s first homegrown hot sauce brand has marketing initiatives to include Free Fire mobile esports tournaments.
“Naagin places two traits at the centre of everything they make – fire and passion. Our love for Gen Z is evident for the fire they possess to pursue their passion,” said Naagin co-founder Arjun Rastogi. “This association will reinforce our target to make Naagin a product to pair their match-time-watching snacks and foods with. At Naagin, we pride ourselves on making products that hit the spot, similar to Free Fire players who hone their ability to hit their mark.”
The ‘Free Fire Original Fierce League’ will be hosted on GamerzArena, India’s leading esports platform for everyday gamers. “Once Irony Inc brought this proposal to us, we were immediately intrigued to work with Naagin as it gives us a giant opportunity to cater to our core target group Gen-Z,” said Alpha interim CEO Matthew Schmidt. “This partnership only further enforces the importance of E-sports in India and Naagin will help Alpha and Irony Inc grow this community.”
“Irony Inc is known for their work with Intel Gamer Days (IGD) and Coda Shop Global Series (CGS) and endeavors to build highly engaged e-sports-based communities for brands that have zeroed in on mobile E-sports to engage and expand their relationship with Gen-Z,” Irony Inc’s Garg further added.
eNews
Piyush Thakur steps down as Inshorts’ chief revenue officer
Former vice president and cro says exit marks a new chapter after close to a decade of building revenue and partnerships at Inshorts Group.
NOIDA: Piyush Thakur has stepped away from Inshorts Group after nearly 10 years with the company, marking the end of a long tenure that culminated in his role as chief revenue officer.
In a farewell note, Thakur said he was “turning a new page” after almost a decade at Inshorts, calling it one of the hardest professional decisions he has made. He added that his exit was not driven by uncertainty about the future, but by reflection on a long association with the company.
Thakur joined Inshorts in October 2016 as vice president and spent around seven years in the role before being elevated to chief revenue officer in April 2024, a position he held until April 2026.
He said his tenure was defined by “thousands of mornings, late nights, product debates and breakthrough moments”, as the company evolved into a large-scale digital news platform used by millions.
In his note, Thakur emphasised that Inshorts’ growth was a collective effort across teams, adding that engineers, designers, sales teams and customer support staff all contributed to building the platform. He said the company’s success was not the result of individuals but of “everyone who stayed, passed through, and left their mark”.
Before Inshorts, Thakur worked across several digital media and business development roles. At ESPN, he served as senior regional manager from October 2015 to October 2016, focusing on growth initiatives, strategic opportunities and video distribution.
At Times Internet, he worked for nearly three years, including as head of business development from April 2015 to September 2015 and chief manager from January 2013 to March 2015. His responsibilities included monetisation of mobile platforms, managing media and developer partnerships, and driving revenue across digital properties such as The Times of India and The Economic Times.
Earlier, he worked at Brandmovers as head of business development from June 2012 to June 2013, handling digital, mobile and social media marketing solutions, client development and strategic consulting. During this period, he also worked on advertising revenue, brand strategy and CRM-based solutions.
At Inshorts, Thakur’s role focused on revenue strategy, mobile and media partnerships, and growth initiatives across platforms. His profile highlights experience in mobile product management, digital business models, partner ecosystems and revenue expansion in high-growth environments.
