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8Bit Creatives scores naming rights sponsorship for three esports teams with smartphone brand iQOO
MUMBAI:The Indian esports segment is driving at a zippy speed into the fast lane.
Consider: esports and talent management agency 8Bit Creatives, has scored big by landing what it calls one of the largest naming rights sponsorship deals in Indian gaming history.
8Bit Creatives pitched and managed to get performance smart phone brand iQOO to sign up for the sponsorship package for three of the five naming rights deals. The agency represented its own team 8Bit Esports, Reckoning Esports and Revenant Xspark.
iQOO has been associated with esports for a while, and the current deal builds on its ongoing association with team iQOO Soul, which has been a flagship collaboration with 8Bit Creatives for over a year.
“We are happy to support their (iQOO) gaming & esports initiative,” said 8bit Creatives founder & CEO Animesh Agarwal. ”This is a moment of great pride for Indian gaming, and we are excited to see iQOO’s continued contribution to growing the esports landscape in India.”
“Partnering with 8Bit Creatives has always been a key driver of Reckoning Esports’ growth,” said Reckoning Esports owner Sarang Naicker. “This historic association with iQOO reflects the strength of our collaboration and our shared vision to elevate the esports ecosystem in India. Together, we aim to continue setting new benchmarks for gaming excellence.”
Revenant Xspark owner Rohit Jagasia added: “Our partnership with 8Bit Creatives has always been focused on driving innovation and creating meaningful opportunities for our players and fans. This association with iQOO is a testament to that vision, and we are thrilled to continue our journey together to elevate esports in India.”
A press release issued by 8bit Creatives states that iQOO continues redefining the boundaries of brand integration within esports, ensuring that fans and players benefit from an elevated experience.
“By associating its high-performance brand with some of India’s leading esports teams, iQOO reinforces its position as a key driver of the country’s gaming revolution. The naming rights deal is not just a commercial success but also a testament to the thriving Indian esports ecosystem, as brands increasingly recognise the value of investing in gaming’s vibrant community,” it said.
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With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
