Gaming
India levels up as OS Studios joins the game
MUMBAI: Looks like India’s gaming scene just unlocked a new power-up. Global gaming and esports agency OS Studios, part of the Project Worldwide network, has officially launched in India to redefine how fans experience competitive gaming and digital entertainment.
With offices in Bangalore, New Delhi and Mumbai, OS Studios India will operate as a full-service hub backed by the strength of sister agency George P Johnson India and Project Worldwide’s global network.
The agency, known for creating immersive fan experiences for global brands such as Pokémon, Call of Duty, NBA and Major League Soccer, aims to plug what it calls India’s “Experience Gap”. While esports investment has surged in the country, fan engagement and live production standards have often lagged behind.
“The passion of the Indian gaming community is undeniable, and it represents a massive opportunity for brands to build lifelong loyalty,” said OS Studios chief executive officer John Higgins. “We are thrilled to launch OS Studios India and bring our global Fan Z playbook to this exciting market.”
OS Studios is globally recognised for producing high-quality broadcast, content, and experiential projects for gaming giants like Activision and Twitch. The Indian arm will replicate that expertise locally, helping brands create authentic, top-tier fan experiences.
“India’s gaming market is exploding, but the fan experience hasn’t kept pace with the investment,” said Project Worldwide, India/South Asia chief growth officer Rasheed Sait. “We are not a traditional agency; we are audience experts who live and breathe gaming culture. OS Studios is here to give Indian fans and brands the experiences they deserve.”
The India team will be led by Nrupen Gutta, strategic partnerships and creator lead, and Yadush Bose, director growth and client success. Fully operational from day one, OS Studios India is already in talks with major brands and publishers for upcoming collaborations.
With its arrival, OS Studios is not just entering the Indian market, it’s pressing ‘Start’ on a new era of fan-first gaming experiences.
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.
