Gaming
KGeN launches India’s first VALORANT virtual training academy ‘LIFT//OFF’
Mumbai: KGeN, a community-led gaming platform, partners with Riot Games to launch LIFT//OFF, India’s first-ever community-led and data-driven online training academy aimed at developing professional VALORANT athletes. LIFT//OFF provides aspiring gamers the opportunity to enhance their skills and showcase their abilities on a global stage.
This innovative program selects top gaming content creators as ‘creators’ and competitive gamers as ‘trainers’ from the VALORANT community to lead the academy. Creators will form teams by selecting players from their communities, with a total of 60-80 participants to be trained by 20 chosen trainers.
The selection process will be based on a player’s in-game VALORANT performance, considering factors such as hours played, win rates, kills, headshot percentage, and KDR. Additionally, social standing, including tournament wins and content creation, will play a role in determining the first set of trainers, creators, and esports recruits for LIFT//OFF.
Through LIFT//OFF, participants will connect with the global esports community. Top-performing teams will gain the opportunity to participate in official VALORANT tournaments. Additionally, creators and trainers will receive official VALORANT merchandise, recognising their pivotal role in shaping the program and advancing India’s esports scene.
LIFT//OFF goes beyond improving in-game skills—it nurtures the next generation of esports stars. The program offers guidance not only in gameplay strategies but also in fostering a strong social persona, ensuring participants become well-rounded esports professionals. By analysing data-driven insights, the academy will tailor tutorials and challenges to address specific areas of improvement for each recruit.
LIFT//OFF Roadmap:
– Launch (18 September) – Applications for creators, trainers, and recruits go live.
– Last Date to Apply (10 October) – Deadline for applications.
– Weekly & Daily Challenges Leaderboard (4 – 26 November) – Players participate in in-game challenges and win rewards.
– Finale (30 November – 3 December) – Final tournament assesses recruits’ learnings and trainers’ effectiveness.
To apply, visit https://youtu.be/5QPYdxKlCeA?si=fKVdKoZbV32Rusjl and choose the role that suits you best. KGeN will guide applicants through the next steps.
Gaming
Konami concludes successful eFootball India campaign
Campaign featuring Rinku Singh, Varun Chakravarthy and other stars boosts engagement ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026.
MUMBAI: When cricket meets football in the virtual world, even the biggest fans can’t help but score and Konami’s latest eFootball campaign in India has clearly hit the back of the net. Konami Digital Entertainment has successfully wrapped up its India campaign for eFootball, which brought together cricketers Rinku Singh and Varun Chakravarthy, actors Naslen Gafoor and Chandu Salim Kumar, and footballers Sahal Abdul Samad and Shubhasish Bose. The multi-star campaign generated strong excitement across gaming, football, and creator communities through social content, fan participation, and in-game engagement.
Building on the initial launch that featured a limited-time Lionel Messi card, the campaign united fan communities, lifestyle creators, football creators, and competitive eFootball influencers. It significantly expanded the game’s visibility and deepened engagement with fans across the country.
The campaign also saw thousands of entries submitted as part of its social media engagement challenge, reflecting high levels of community enthusiasm and active creator involvement.
Looking ahead, Konami plans to build on this momentum with more eFootball experiences for Indian fans as the FIFA World Cup 2026 approaches. With global attention on the tournament set to rise, India will remain a key market for deepening community engagement and bringing fans closer to the action.
In a country that lives and breathes sport, Konami has shown that mixing real-world stars with virtual thrills is a winning formula leaving fans eagerly waiting for the next goal.
