Gaming
BGMI digs deep with Stepwell as 4.0 update blends culture and combat
MUMBAI: Cricket may be India’s favourite sport, but when it comes to battlegrounds, millions are logging in with their squads this time, to fight it out in a Stepwell. Krafton India has rolled out the BGMI 4.0 Update, and its showstopper is Stepwell, a brand-new location on the Erangel map that’s conceived, designed and created entirely in India. This is a first for Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), with the design borrowing inspiration from the subcontinent’s architectural heritage while reshaping tactical play.
Unlike the flat plains and predictable ridges of Erangel, the Stepwell is a maze of tiered vertical combat, twisting corridors, sniper-friendly sightlines and ambush corners. High ground advantage collides with claustrophobic traps, forcing squads into close coordination and precision movement. From 18–24 October, the site even turns festive, letting players set off Diwali fireworks mid-match, fusing celebration with combat.
“This isn’t just a new location, it’s a statement,” said Krafton Inc VP and head of India Publishing Minu Lee. “Stepwell sets a new benchmark for blending cultural inspiration with world-class gameplay.”
But Stepwell is only one pillar of BGMI’s latest overhaul. The 4.0 Update also introduces:
. Ghost Gameplay: Players summon spectral allies with active skills like Floating Balloon and Guardian Shield, while passive boosts like Heal, Armorer and Ghost Helm allow even eliminated teammates to remain useful through Spectral Revival mechanics.
. Unfail (4v1 Mode): A bold asymmetrical format where one stealth-powered hunter takes on four survivors racing to escape.
. Spooky Soiree Seasonal Mode: Complete with Wraithmoor Mansion (a haunted estate of gardens and magic mirrors), The Performing Dead concerts that double as enemy alerts, and interactive ghosts hidden in crates.
. Magic Broom Vehicle: A flying broom for two, complete with dash and sweeping attack options.
Alongside, players get new firepower with the Mortar weapon, refreshed Training Camp systems, and rewards at the Diwali Exchange Center (3–23 October). The much-loved Weekend Grind log-in rewards also return, promising purple-tier prizes.
The update is backed by hard numbers too: according to industry research, comms professionals use an average of 11 tools daily with 68 per cent citing workflow fragmentation as their biggest barrier BGMI is answering a similar call for consolidation by weaving seasonal events, survival modes and India-first design into one package. Early testers have reported richer tactical variety and sharper squad play.
BGMI has long been more than just a battle royale; it has become a cultural playground. With Stepwell as its India-first landmark, ghostly revivals, and Diwali fireworks lighting up firefights, the 4.0 update proves that battlegrounds can be both a warzone and a festival ground.
For fans, the message is clear: the battleground just got deeper, darker and more desi.
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.
