Gaming
India’s prominent gamers and music sensations set to light up College Rivals grand finale
Mumbai: The stage is set for an electrifying blend of Esports, lifestyle, and pop culture, as India’s top gamers prepare to join forces with acclaimed music sensations to headline the grand finale of College Rivals at Nesco, Mumbai on 3 March.
Renowned esports personalities such as Naman Mathur (Mortal), Payal Dhare (PayalGaming), Tanmay Singh (ScoutOP), Aniket Sood (Kinganbru), Prishita Nair(MintyGal), Paras Singh (ParasOfficial), Jimesh Parmar (Jimmy Gaming) and Neha Gupta (Naira Gaming) will be part of the grand finale of India’s largest Esports talent hunt where they will meet and greet with attendees.
They will be joined by notable music artists Seedhe Maut composed of Siddhant Sharma and Abhijay Negi, as well as Gaurav Pal aka Muhfaad, and Garv Taneja aka Char Diwari who will raise the roof with their live performances.
Speaking about the fusion of the LAN Finale with music, Ampverse, India country head Ashwin Haryani stated, “This convergence of India’s leading gamers and music sensations marks a significant stride towards innovation and reflects our commitment to reshaping the Esports landscape in the country. By providing fans with the opportunity to interact with their gaming idols and savor the musical performances of distinguished artists, we aspire to craft an immersive experience that resonates with not only gaming enthusiasts but with everyone attending the event.”
College Rivals, which is the inaugural intellectual property of Ampverse, Asia’s largest ecosystem of gaming communities and IPs, in collaboration with DMI Finance, is a pioneering initiative that has tapped into the immense talent pool within college campuses across the country.
The ultimate showdown of College Rivals will feature 28 finalists who have emerged from a competitive pool of 92,000 participants hailing from colleges across the country who will compete individually across six titles on three different platforms including BGMI, Road to Valor, Valorant, Tekken 7, and FIFA 23.
“I am thrilled to be a part of College Rivals’ grand finale, where the next generation of India’s Esports talent will emerge. This initiative serves as a pivotal stepping stone for aspiring gamers, offering them a comprehensive roadmap for a career in Esports—a path that was not as clearly defined when I began my journey in gaming. Through this platform, I hope to see gamers seize the opportunity and showcase their prowess on the big stage,” said Naman Mathur aka Mortal.
According to data from Deloitte’s Digital Media Trends Fall Pulse Survey, 42 per cent of GenZ gamers listened to music other than gaming ones while playing, 34 per cent heard music in a game and then looked it up online to stream or buy, 22 per cent of the sample size shared music recommendations while gaming with other online gamers, and 11 per cent had shown the trend of attending live music concerts inside a gaming world venue.
This deep connection between music and gaming will be brought to life by the one-of-a-kind experiential event which will also include arcade gaming zones, cosplay competition, racing simulators, food and beverage counters, chill lounges, and much more.
“As artists, we are constantly inspired by creativity and passion, something that exists in plenty within the Esports community. It is an exciting opportunity to perform at this event that is pushing the boundaries by merging the talents of music and gaming together. We eagerly await to witness the exciting gaming action between these aspiring gamers and wish them the best of luck,” commented Gaurav Pal aka Muhfaad.
This fusion of gaming and music promises an unforgettable experience for attendees, marking a significant moment in Indian Esports entertainment.
Fans can avail their tickets for the grand finale on BookMyShow.
For those who are unable to witness the action live, the grand finale will be streamed live on Youtube, Facebook Gaming, Twitch, Kick, Glance, JioGames, JioTV, Loco, and Rooter.
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.
