Gaming
Poker Sports League Season 5 breaks record with over 9,500 unique entries
Mumbai: The Poker Sports League (PSL) has once again cemented its position as India’s most prestigious poker event, breaking records and surpassing all expectations. With an extraordinary 9547 unique entries during the qualifying rounds, the season five qualifiers breaks all records for unique participation for a poker event in India. Based on the current trajectory and the massive growth from previous seasons, PSL is expected to break all viewership records for poker with its live streaming of the final matches starting 22 July.
Poker Sports League CEO, and co-founder Pranav Bagai shared his heartfelt excitement, stating, “The level of engagement we’ve witnessed this year has left us absolutely thrilled! With over 9500 unique entries flooding into the general qualifiers, we are truly humbled by the sheer passion and dedication showcased by the aspiring players vying for the top 37 spots. In comparison, the esteemed World Series of Poker Main Event, which started in 1972, has garnered a maximum of 8773 unique entries in a single year”
Earlier this year, PSL 2023 forged strategic alliances with two leading entities – Pocket52, a prominent online poker gaming app, as its title sponsor, and JioCinema as its official streaming partner. This groundbreaking collaboration revolutionises the gaming experience, reshaping viewer engagement from the comfort of their homes. The tournament, with an impressive prize pool of Rs 1.5 crores, will be exclusively live streamed on JioCinema, commencing from 22 July and culminating in the grand finale on 19 August.
The excitement begins with the live auction among the six teams in Goa on 8 July, followed by virtual matches from 22 July to 10 August, providing players with a unique opportunity to compete from their homes. In a historic first for Poker Sports League (PSL), the much-anticipated auction will be brought to viewers’ screens through a live-stream, enhancing the excitement and spectacle akin to the IPL-style auctions. The eagerly awaited event will see team owners, captains, and analysts gather in the vibrant ambiance of Goa, promising an enthralling experience for poker enthusiasts nationwide.
Pocket52 director and founder Nitesh Salvi, “We are ecstatic to see the response for PSL season 5 on our platform. 9500+ unique entries for the general qualifiers alone are testimony to the underlying passion and immense potential of poker in India. We are optimistic that Season 5 will be bigger and better than ever before, and will create a wave of momentum that will bring more and more people into the poker ecosystem and create a sustainable culture for skill-based online gaming in India.”
PSL Season 5 is all set to become the biggest poker extravaganza in India, boasting its largest-ever prize pool and an unmatched level of participation. An unprecedented live finale in Goa awaits, showcasing 72 players, including professionals, captains, and 37 qualifier winners, making it a trailblazing event.
Mark your calendars for the grand finale, scheduled from 16 to 19 August, where the champions will be crowned in an exhilarating live finale in Goa.
Gaming
Nodwin Gaming partners with Runestone for esports data and integrity solutions
South Asian esports leader joins forces with Czech tech firm to enhance tournament operations.
MUMBAI: Nodwin Gaming has just levelled up its game by bringing in a specialist to keep the scoreboard honest and the fans fully engaged. The leading South Asian esports and gaming company has announced a strategic partnership with Runestone, a Prague-headquartered esports technology firm specialising in real-time data and engagement solutions for tournament organisers and publishers.
The collaboration aims to strengthen competitive integrity, improve operational oversight, and deliver more interactive viewing experiences across Nodwin’s properties. It will initially focus on the Nodwin Clutch Series for Counter-Strike 2, a Tier 2 tournament that provides emerging teams with consistent competitive opportunities and helps build the talent pipeline.
The latest edition of the series recently concluded with Big defeating ECSTATIC 2–1 in the grand final of the $50,000 online event.
Nodwin Gaming chief business officer at MENA and global head of data monetization Teemu Koski said, “Integrity and transparency are fundamental to sustainable esports ecosystems, especially in Tier 2 competition where the next generation of talent emerges. Runestone’s expertise complements our experience in building scalable esports IPs.”
Runestone head of partnerships Michael Schwartz added, “Nodwin Gaming has built one of the most dynamic esports ecosystems across emerging markets. We’re thrilled to collaborate on supporting tournaments with greater transparency, deeper fan interaction, and scalable tools.”
Both companies are exploring opportunities to extend the partnership across additional titles, including mobile-first competitive ecosystems, and to develop new products for publishers, tournament operators, and event promoters.
In the rapidly growing world of esports, where fair play and fan excitement are equally crucial, Nodwin Gaming and Runestone are teaming up to ensure every match is not only competitive but also transparent and engaging. This alliance could well become a game-changer for Tier 2 tournaments across South Asia and beyond.
