Gaming
Revenant Esports wins OMEN VALORANT Challengers South Asia
Mumbai: Putting up stellar performances, Revenant Esports emerged victorious in the LAN playoffs of the OMEN VALORANT Challengers South Asia Split 2, securing their spot at the VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) Ascension: Pacific.
Organized by NODWIN Gaming, the leading South Asian gaming and esports company, in collaboration with Riot Games, the tournament’s playoffs witnessed fierce competition amongst Revenant Esports, Velocity Gaming, True Rippers, and Orangutan at the NODWIN Gaming Arena in Chattarpur.
Revenant Esports, featuring India’s top VALORANT players including in-game leader (IGL) Jayanth Ramesh (skillZ), Ganesh Gangadhar (SkRossi), Kasif Sayyed (Paradox), Prish Valvani (Tricky) alongside Kazakhstan’s Dastan Zhumagali (dos9) and Sultan Akbay (sultan), remained unbeaten throughout Split 2. After winning three straight games in the league stage, the team sustained their momentum in the LAN playoffs.
They defeated Orangutan 2-0 in the upper bracket semi-finals, followed by a 2-1 win over True Rippers in the upper bracket final. In the grand finale, Revenant Esports secured another decisive victory over True Rippers with a commanding 3-0 win. The LAN playoffs were contested in a double elimination bracket, with all matches played in a best-of-three format, except the lower bracket final and grand final, which were best-of-five.
Expressing his enthusiasm for the victory, Ganesh Gangadhar aka SkRossi of Revenant Esports stated, “Winning the OMEN VALORANT Challengers South Asia Split 2 is an incredible milestone for us at Revenant Esports. We faced numerous hurdles in Split 1, but those results only made us stronger and more determined to prove ourselves on the main stage again. Personally, returning to the South Asia circuit after competing internationally was a rollercoaster journey, but I have always believed in the potential of our region. This win reinforces that belief and motivates us to aim even higher. A huge shoutout to all our fans for their constant support. We promise to keep pushing our limits and make you proud at VCT Ascension.”
OMEN VALORANT Challengers South Asia 2024 boasted an overall prize pool of $130,000 (approx. Rs 1 crore) across Split 1 and Split 2. The total prize pool of Split 1 was $66,000 (approx Rs 55.11 lakhs) distributed evenly across Cup 1 and Cup 2.
In Split 2, Revenant Esports took home $ 20,000 (approx. Rs 16.68 lakhs) from the overall $ 64,000 (approx. Rs 55 lakhs) prize pool while fellow finalists True Rippers secured $12,500 (Rs 10 lakhs). Velocity Gaming were awarded with $10,000 (approx. Rs 8.34 lakhs), and Orangutan received $7,000 (approx. Rs 5.84 lakhs). OMEN by HP was the tournament’s title partner and Philips was the styling partner.
“Congratulations to Revenant Esports for demonstrating their prowess against the top teams in the region. Through OMEN VALORANT Challengers South Asia, NODWIN Gaming and Riot Games have dedicated themselves to establishing a sustainable ecosystem for the title, providing a platform for the nation’s best talent to shine. The invaluable support from our partners and the overwhelming response from fans has made this event truly unforgettable. We are proud to have played a role in elevating the VALORANT esports scene in the region and look forward to Revenant Esports representing South Asia on the global stage,” said NODWIN Gaming co-founder and CEO Gautam Virk.
The dual split format of the OMEN VALORANT Challengers South Asia 2024, initiated earlier this year by NODWIN Gaming and Riot Games, has been instrumental in showcasing the skills of South Asian teams and players. The tournament saw an impressive online viewership of 8 million across Split 1 and 2, recording a total footfall of 30,000.
“The OMEN VALORANT Challengers South Asia 2024 has been an incredible journey. The intense competition and high level of gameplay we have witnessed has been truly inspiring for the viewers as well as the next generation of esports athletes. We are excited to see Revenant Esports take on the best teams from across APAC at the VCT Ascension Pacific and wish them the very best. We look forward to continuing our support for the region’s growing esports ecosystem,” commented Riot Games esports lead, India & South Asia Sukamal Pegu.
As the sole Indian representative, Revenant Esports will compete against nine other leading teams from the continent at the VCT Ascension: Pacific which is set to take place in Tokyo, Japan, this September. The winner will secure a coveted spot in the Pacific League 2025.
Gaming
IICT signs three MoUs to boost AVGC-XR and esports
Partnerships with Zenfluencers, Yologram and Eruditio at Chennai Gaming Show 2026 strengthen education, XR innovation and nationwide talent outreach.
MUMBAI: IICT has just levelled up the game in a big way. The Indian Institute of Creative Technologies signed three strategic Memorandums of Understanding on 17 April 2026 at the CII Summit FX – India Gaming Show in Chennai, forging alliances with The Zenfluencers, Yologram Style Pvt. Ltd. and Eruditio Consultants to accelerate India’s AVGC-XR ecosystem.
The tie-ups combine IICT’s strengths in education, skilling and research with specialist expertise across esports, immersive technologies and large-scale outreach.
- With The Zenfluencers, IICT will roll out globally benchmarked esports programmes, including joint certification courses, industry workshops, tournaments and masterclasses, creating clear career pathways across the full esports value chain.
- The partnership with Yologram Style Pvt. Ltd. focuses on gaming, immersive storytelling and extended reality (XR), delivering industry-aligned curriculum, faculty mentorship, student showcases and collaborative research in immersive AI and virtual production.
- Collaboration with Eruditio Consultants targets awareness, accessibility and career alignment, with nationwide counsellor training, institutional engagement and structured guidance frameworks to reach students beyond Tier-1 cities.
IICT CEO Vishwas Deoskar said, “As the AVGC-XR sector evolves at a rapid pace, strong collaborations between industry and academia are essential. These partnerships will create meaningful impact across education, innovation and outreach.”
Yologram Style Pvt. Ltd. founder Aditya Mani added, “AI-driven creator worlds are transforming games into engines of culture, commerce and careers. Together we aim to empower a generation to build immersive futures.”
Eruditio Consultants founder Indrajit Ghosh noted, “This is not just about awareness, it is about building a structured ecosystem that connects aspiration with opportunity.”
The Zenfluencers CEO Atharva Gupta said, “This MoU is a big unlock moment for the esports ecosystem in India. We’re building a structured pipeline for talent across the full stack.”
By bringing together academia, industry leaders and ecosystem players, IICT is creating scalable models that blend cutting-edge skills with real-world relevance. In a sector racing toward the future, these three partnerships ensure India’s next generation of creative technologists won’t just keep up, they’ll set the pace.
