Gaming
Nazara Publishing announces FAU-G: Domination playtest at IGDC 2024
Mumbai: Fearless and United Guards (FAU-G): Domination, the made-in-India mobile game developed by Dot9 Games and published by Nazara Publishing will be open for playtest at the upcoming India Game Developer Conference (IGDC) 2024 from 13 to 15 November in Hyderabad.
IGDC is India’s oldest and biggest game developer conference and this year’s edition will feature over 150 sessions, more than 250 speakers, and 5,000 attendees.
Attendees can check out the first-person shooter (FPS) team deathmatch game at the Nazara booth and provide feedback to help shape the latest entry in the FAU-G universe, whose past games have achieved over 40 million downloads.
Building on community feedback from the last playtest in October 2024, FAU-G: Domination will feature the following exciting updates that IGDC attendees will get to experience firsthand:
1. Two new game modes: Kiss of Death and 1v1
2. Improved visuals
3. Revamped sound
4. New death cam
5. Voice chat
6. Refined character and weapon models with improved textures and optimisation
7. New charms and skins
8. Tweaks to weapon balance for competitive gameplay
9. Improved kill and damage animations
Players who try FAU-G: Domination will receive limited edition fan kits as a token of appreciation for their feedback. Dot9’s development team is committed to transparency and improving the game with community input.
With over 500 million players in India’s shooter market, pre-launch playtests are crucial for made-in-India games like FAU-G: Domination to succeed in a competitive environment. Pre-registrations are now live on the Google Play Store for Android, with the App Store for iOS and iPadOS to follow soon. Pre-registering grants players the exclusive Beast Collection, inspired by the Tiger, India’s national animal.
The Beast Collection includes six in-game accessories: frame, banner, avatar, sticker, spray, and charm, as well as six gun skins: sawed-off shotgun, USP, Scout rifle, M4, Uzi, and Kabar. This collection is only available to players who pre-register and won’t be offered after launch.
Pre-register for FAU-G: Domination can be done here: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.dotnine.faug&pli=1
Gaming
Formula 1 and Mumbai Falcons launch India’s first official F1 sim racing championship
Nationwide competition creates pathway from virtual racing to pro motorsport
MUMBAI: Formula 1 has teamed up with Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited to launch India’s first officially sanctioned F1 sim racing competition, marking a new step in the country’s growing motorsport ecosystem.
The championship, titled F1 Sim Racing India Open 2026, will offer a structured national platform for sim racers, with participants competing on the official F1 25 across multiple stages. The competition will begin with online qualifiers, followed by city-based simulator rounds, before culminating in a national final in Mumbai this November.
Open to players across PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox, registrations for the event will begin on 30 April via the Mumbai Falcons app. The format mirrors real-world racing, featuring official circuits, team liveries and competitive structures aligned with the global series.
Formula 1 driver Narain Karthikeyan said the initiative arrives at a time when interest in the sport is surging in India, adding that a structured sim racing platform could help identify and nurture the next generation of talent.
Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited managing director Ameet Gadhoke noted that the championship aligns with the team’s long-term goal of building a strong motorsport pipeline in the country and placing Indian talent on the global stage.
The launch also reflects broader momentum in esports, especially after its recognition under India’s Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025. By bridging gaming and real-world racing, the initiative aims to offer aspiring drivers a credible entry point into professional motorsport.
With interest in Formula 1 steadily rising and conversations around its return to India gaining pace, the new championship could become a proving ground for future racing stars.
