Gaming
BGMS levels up with Rs 1.5 crore prize and biggest format shake-up yet
MUMBAI: Drop in, squad up, and watch the leaderboard go wild Battlegrounds Mobile India Masters Series (BGMS) is back with a bang. Nodwin Gaming’s flagship tournament, co-powered by Oneplus and Android, returns for Season 4 from 18 August to 14 September, with matches airing live daily on Star Sports Khel and JioStar between 5:00 pm and 8:00 pm. With a prize pool of Rs 1.5 crore and a bold new dual-tier structure, this year’s edition promises to be the most inclusive yet.
For the first time, viewers will get a multi-cam broadcast, one main stream, a dedicated map cam, plus four top-team cams that spotlight key players. From next week, player cams will zoom in on rising stars, giving fans an intimate look at gameplay. On the competition front, 24 pro teams will slug it out in the BGMS Masters Series, while another 24 squads including four all-women line-ups battle in the Challenger Series. The top four Challenger squads will advance to the playoffs, joining the lower-ranked Masters teams in a fight to secure one of 16 coveted semifinal slots.
“BGMS has always been more than a tournament; it’s a cultural phenomenon… From grassroots to greatness, from campus halls to national TV. This is BGMS like you’ve never seen before,” said Nodwin Gaming co-founder & MD, Akshat Rathee welcoming partners OnePlus, Android, TVS and Bisleri onboard.
Adding to the thrill are returning mechanics like the Powerplay (double finish points in the first zone), Impact Player (weekend finish points doubled for one chosen star), and the Bounty System (10 bonus points for eliminating the daily target team from 21 August to 7 September). These features, paired with back-to-back LAN events running from noon to 8:00 PM, ensure fans get wall-to-wall action both on ground and on screen.
“BGMS continues to break new ground in Indian esports, and we at JioStar are proud to bring this cultural movement to screens across the country,” added JioStar head of audience engagement and viewership and monetization initiatives Siddharth Sharma. “The expanded format, diverse participation and high-quality gameplay are exactly the kind of dynamic, youth-driven content we aim to champion.”
Season 3 of BGMS pulled in 145.5 million views across platforms, making it India’s most-watched esports tournament. With Season 4 airing on both television and JioStar for the first time, and inclusivity at its heart, BGMS is no longer just an esports league, it’s a cultural festival where campus hopefuls, pro gamers, and even all-women squads share the same battleground.
Gaming
Konami concludes successful eFootball India campaign
Campaign featuring Rinku Singh, Varun Chakravarthy and other stars boosts engagement ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026.
MUMBAI: When cricket meets football in the virtual world, even the biggest fans can’t help but score and Konami’s latest eFootball campaign in India has clearly hit the back of the net. Konami Digital Entertainment has successfully wrapped up its India campaign for eFootball, which brought together cricketers Rinku Singh and Varun Chakravarthy, actors Naslen Gafoor and Chandu Salim Kumar, and footballers Sahal Abdul Samad and Shubhasish Bose. The multi-star campaign generated strong excitement across gaming, football, and creator communities through social content, fan participation, and in-game engagement.
Building on the initial launch that featured a limited-time Lionel Messi card, the campaign united fan communities, lifestyle creators, football creators, and competitive eFootball influencers. It significantly expanded the game’s visibility and deepened engagement with fans across the country.
The campaign also saw thousands of entries submitted as part of its social media engagement challenge, reflecting high levels of community enthusiasm and active creator involvement.
Looking ahead, Konami plans to build on this momentum with more eFootball experiences for Indian fans as the FIFA World Cup 2026 approaches. With global attention on the tournament set to rise, India will remain a key market for deepening community engagement and bringing fans closer to the action.
In a country that lives and breathes sport, Konami has shown that mixing real-world stars with virtual thrills is a winning formula leaving fans eagerly waiting for the next goal.
