Gaming
HeadFlicker, RusherwOw, and PitajiPlayz join forces to boost S8UL’s GTA RP roster
Mumbai: Leading esports and gaming organisation, S8UL announced the onboarding of top three gaming creators, Sunny Jha, Adil Maniar, and Arpit Wadhawan to spearhead the GTA RP (Grand Theft Auto Role-Play) roster. This strategic move will not only strengthen S8UL’s hold in promoting GTA RP; prioritising role-play, collaboration, and narrative-driven interactions among players and also revolutionising the multiplayer experience of “Grand Theft Auto V” and fostering the growth of the Grand Theft Auto role-play community in India.
Sunny Jha, also known as pitajiplayz, is a resilient figure in the streaming scene, who despite losing his original channel to hackers, bounced back stronger with a 15,000-strong subscriber base within just seven months and currently sitting at 60 thousand plus subscribers on his channel. His unique approach to GTA RP, combining humour with engaging gameplay, has made him a beloved figure in the community.
While, Adil Maniar, known online as rusherwow, started his career in esports with competitive games like CSGO and Fortnite before making a name for himself in GTA RP. With over 19 million views amassed over 1513 videos on his YouTube channel, Adil’s dedication to showcasing his competitive edge has captivated a steady following.
Arpit Wadhawan, operating under the gamertag headflicker, blends his analytical skills as a national chess player with creative roleplay storytelling. His engaging character narratives in GTA RP have propelled his channel to a rapid growth, resulting in over 50,000 dedicated followers on his YouTube.
S8UL co-founder Lokesh Jain aka 8Bit Goldy, commented on this integration, stating, “The addition of Sunny, Adil, and Arpit to S8UL is more than a natural extension of our already robust GTA roster. It’s a testament to S8UL’s commitment to nurturing and promoting top-tier talent within India’s gaming landscape. Their dedication to delivering an excitement packed live stream experience align perfectly with our vision to expand and enrich the GTA RP community with meaningful narrative and quality storytelling.”
Since its launch in 2013, GTA V has sold over 190 million units worldwide as of November 2023, making it the second best-selling video game of all time. In December 2023, its user engagement reached 30.8 million monthly active users across PCs and consoles, following the release of its highly anticipated sequel.
The GTA series has been a game-changer for the Indian gaming landscape and it has helped build the careers of streamers within the country. SoulCity RP, S8UL’s dedicated GTA V RP server, has been instrumental in fostering this vibrant community and bringing a more interactive experience to engage with the streamers.
Arpit Wadhawan aka headflicker expressed his happiness on being part of S8UL’s dynamic roster said, “For a 21-year-old national chess player from Ferozpur, Punjab and having four years of role-play experience, joining S8UL feels like the perfect next move in my gaming career. Stepping into the vibrant world of GTA RP has opened up a new avenue for me, offering a platform where I can elevate the gaming experience for fans. With S8UL, I’m excited to bring my thoughtful approach to an even larger stage, where we can push the boundaries of what’s possible in role-play games together.”
The integration of Sunny, Adil, and Arpit into S8UL’s roster is expected to further enhance the server’s popularity and attract a wider audience, thereby reinforcing S8UL’s role as a pioneer in the gaming industry in the country.
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.
