MAM
Activision Blizzard and Pocket Aces’ Loco partner to host India’s biggest Call of Duty Mobile Tournament
Fueling the growth of competitive esports in the country, India’s leading esports and game streaming platform, Loco, in an industry-defining move announces its partnership with video game publishing giant – Activision Blizzard. The two will jointly host India’s biggest Call of Duty Mobile tournament with a Prize Pool of INR 35 lakhs. Cementing a new milestone between the two leaders in their respective domains, the Call of Duty Mobile India Cup will pave the way for gamers sitting across the country, transforming the Indian gaming ecosystem at large.
Call of Duty Mobile India Cup will be live exclusively on Loco and the event comprises two tournaments- Call of Duty Mobile India Cup Open and Call of Duty Mobile India Cup Pro. Registrations for Call of Duty Mobile India Cup Open tournament are underway, allowing teams from across the country to sign up and compete against each other in 5v5 matches in an open qualifier format. The total prize pool is INR 10 Lakhs, of which INR 5 Lakhs will be awarded to the team at the 1st position while the remaining will be split amongst teams between 2nd & 8th position.
Following the nail-biting open battles, 16 qualifying teams will advance to the Call of Duty Mobile India Cup Pro and be joined by India’s top professional Call of Duty Mobile teams to play 5v5 matches in a league format. Team Mayhem and Team IND are among the top illustrious teams that have been invited for the Call of Duty Mobile India Cup Pro to level up the excitement and intensity. The total prize pool of the 5v5 matches in Call of Duty Mobile India Cup Pro is INR 25 Lakhs, of which the team at first position will receive 10Lakhs, followed by 5Lakhs and INR 3 Lakhs to the 2nd and 3rd position respectively while the rest of the prize pool will be shared amongst the teams between 4th and 8th position.
Speaking about the tournament, Anirudh Pandita Founder, Pocket Aces, said, "We are thrilled to partner with a leading game publisher such as Activision Blizzard and to host a tournament of this magnitude and scale. Call of Duty is a legendary title and we are really excited to build the Call of Duty Mobile eSports ecosystem in the country from the ground up. The Call of Duty Mobile India Cup is the first step in the formation of this ecosystem and will help cement India’s position on the global esports map. We are elated to have magnificent teams like Team IND, and Team Mayhem on board with us and in a country where esports is growing at an unprecedented rate, this is just the beginning of a journey to many more milestones.”
As a pioneer in the evolving Indian game streaming and esports broadcasting space, Loco is already home to some of India’s top competitive gamers such as Ghatak, GTX Preet, 8Bit Thug, and Jonathan to name a few. Over the years, the platform has asserted its position in the evolving ecosystem, having worked with leading brands and partners from around the world. Through strategic partnerships with Red Bull, Fnatic India, NBA 2K League, ax, and Xyaa, along with top teams like Fnatic, IND, 8bit, and Team Tamilas, Loco has played a vital role in the development of the esports industry in India.
Brands
Pocket FM elevates Lalit Gangwar to COO to drive global growth
Founding member to lead operations, monetisation and expansion across markets
MUMBAI: Pocket FM has elevated Lalit Gangwar to chief operating officer, tasking the founding team member with leading global business operations as the company sharpens its international growth strategy.
In his new role, Gangwar will oversee end-to-end operations across markets, including growth, monetisation and execution for the company’s audio business. The appointment comes as Pocket FM looks to strengthen its operating foundation and build a more predictable, scalable global business.
Gangwar has been closely involved in shaping the company’s trajectory from its early days. He played a key role in building the growth and marketing playbook in India, helping the platform scale to over 150 million users within its first year and establish a strong foothold in the audio storytelling category.
He later led Pocket FM’s expansion into the United States, where he set up teams, defined market strategy and drove scale, contributing significantly to the company’s international ambitions.
Pocket FM co-founder and CEO Rohan Nayak said, “Lalit has been central to Pocket FM’s journey from the very beginning. He has built our growth engine and scaled our business across markets.” He added that the company’s focus on nurturing internal talent makes Gangwar a natural choice to lead the next phase.
Gangwar said, “Pocket FM has always been driven by a simple belief that powerful stories can travel across borders and create meaningful impact.” He noted that the company will continue to focus on scaling markets, investing in AI-led storytelling and strengthening monetisation.
As COO, Gangwar is expected to bring greater operating discipline while building systems, talent and processes to support long-term growth.
With leadership continuity and a clear global focus, Pocket FM appears to be turning the page to its next chapter, one that aims to take its storytelling playbook well beyond home turf.
