Gaming
GIGABYTE and Skyesports launch Rs 125,000 Cafe League 2024 in five cities
Mumbai: GIGABYTE, a global leader in computer hardware, has tied up with Skyesports esports tournament organiser, to bring the GIGABYTE Cafe League 2024, a high-octane grassroots-level esports tournament, where players from five different cities can compete in their local gaming cafes for bragging rights and a share of the Rs 1,25,000 Prize Pool.
The GIGABYTE Cafe League 2024 will head to 5 different cities across India. In each city, players will have the chance to compete in an open-for-all Counter-Strike 2 tournament, featuring an Rs 25,000 Prize Pool. Registrations for the tournament are currently open. After registering, players can head over to the below-mentioned cafes to take part in this competition.
https://forms.gle/DzJv5DRgbJirbVndA
1 Kolkata (Fusion Max Cafe): Jan. 19 to 21
2 Mumbai (Next Level Gaming, Goregaon): Jan. 26 to 28
3 Nasik (Next Level Gaming, Yeolekar Mala): Feb. 2 to 4
4 Faridabad (The Cabal): Feb. 9 to 11
5 Pune (Rapid Rounds Gaming Cafe): Feb. 16 to 18
Additionally, each city in the GIGABYTE Cafe League 2024 will have a dedicated experience zone, offering players a chance to game on state-of-the-art GIGABYTE laptops like the GIGABYTE G5 MF and the AORUS 15 9KF.
Commenting on the exciting tournament, GIGABYTE India the Asst. general manager Supriya Gawde Mankame said, “GIGABYTE is thrilled to be a catalyst in the resurgence of the vibrant gaming cafe culture in India, especially as we witness the post-COVID-19 return to the heart of gaming – the local cafes. The GIGABYTE Cafe League 2024 is not just an esports tournament but also a celebration of the community in local gaming cafes across the country. At GIGABYTE, we believe in ‘Upgrading Your Life,’ and with this partnership, we are not just elevating esports; we are nurturing a cultural resurgence that goes hand-in-hand with the joy of gaming at your local cafe.”
Adding on the grassroots-level GIGABYTE Cafe League Skyesports head of global business partnerships Sashank Bhandaru said, “Gaming cafes present the core of the Indian PC gaming culture and we are thrilled to be partnering with GIGABYTE for the GIGABYTE Cafe League 2024, elevating esports from the grassroots while showcasing the cutting-edge GIGABYTE laptops directly to gamers. Additionally, as pioneers of the Counter-Strike 2 Esports ecosystem with our $1 million roadmap for the game in 2024, the association with GIGABYTE came as a natural partnership as we look to support more grassroots initiatives for the promising gaming title.”
In each city, the GIGABYTE Cafe League will happen over three days. In the first two days, the offline qualifiers will be held as the top local teams vie for a spot in the exciting Finale on Day 3. Finally, the top teams will convene on Day 3, which will be a live-streamed affair on the Skyesports YouTube channel, to determine the city champions.
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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.
