Gaming
Dream11 gets funding of Rs 719 crore from Tencent Holdings
MUMBAI: Chinese social media and gaming giant Tencent Holdings has invested $100 million (around INR 719 crore) in Mumbai-based Dream 11 Fantasy according to VCCircle.
Dream11 had been in advanced stages of discussion with Tencent about raising funds from the Chinese behemoth since April 2018. Further, media reports at the time had also indicated that Tencent may invest close to $100 million in Dream11 at a pre-money valuation of around $400-500 million.
It has also been reported that Tencent has been planning to invest close to $200 million in gaming ventures in India. The Chinese firm has also, in the past, held talks with two social gaming companies – Octro and MoonFrog Labs for potential acquisition or investment opportunities.
The report in VCCircle quotes an unnamed executive of Dream11 confirming that the transaction with Tencent Holdings has been completed.
In March 2018, the company roped in cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni as brand ambassador and signed a deal with Star India to be the associate sponsor of the eleventh edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), a twenty-twenty cricket tournament.
According to the company’s spokesperson, Dream11 has around 41 million users and is set to grow to 100 million users by 2019. “Our goal is to create awareness around fantasy sport in the country and keep getting more of India’s 800 million sport fans to play fantasy sport on Dream11,” the spokesperson added.
The investment deal by Tencent is the biggest transaction in the India gaming industry and makes Dream11 the most expensive and highly valued online gaming company in the country.
Gaming
Nodwin Gaming partners with Runestone for esports data and integrity solutions
South Asian esports leader joins forces with Czech tech firm to enhance tournament operations.
MUMBAI: Nodwin Gaming has just levelled up its game by bringing in a specialist to keep the scoreboard honest and the fans fully engaged. The leading South Asian esports and gaming company has announced a strategic partnership with Runestone, a Prague-headquartered esports technology firm specialising in real-time data and engagement solutions for tournament organisers and publishers.
The collaboration aims to strengthen competitive integrity, improve operational oversight, and deliver more interactive viewing experiences across Nodwin’s properties. It will initially focus on the Nodwin Clutch Series for Counter-Strike 2, a Tier 2 tournament that provides emerging teams with consistent competitive opportunities and helps build the talent pipeline.
The latest edition of the series recently concluded with Big defeating ECSTATIC 2–1 in the grand final of the $50,000 online event.
Nodwin Gaming chief business officer at MENA and global head of data monetization Teemu Koski said, “Integrity and transparency are fundamental to sustainable esports ecosystems, especially in Tier 2 competition where the next generation of talent emerges. Runestone’s expertise complements our experience in building scalable esports IPs.”
Runestone head of partnerships Michael Schwartz added, “Nodwin Gaming has built one of the most dynamic esports ecosystems across emerging markets. We’re thrilled to collaborate on supporting tournaments with greater transparency, deeper fan interaction, and scalable tools.”
Both companies are exploring opportunities to extend the partnership across additional titles, including mobile-first competitive ecosystems, and to develop new products for publishers, tournament operators, and event promoters.
In the rapidly growing world of esports, where fair play and fan excitement are equally crucial, Nodwin Gaming and Runestone are teaming up to ensure every match is not only competitive but also transparent and engaging. This alliance could well become a game-changer for Tier 2 tournaments across South Asia and beyond.
