Gaming
SoulCity, Rooter & IGMC collaborate for Indian GTA V rumble
Mumbai: SoulCity, S8UL’s GTA V arm, has partnered with Rooter and Indonesia GTA V Masters Championship (IGMC) to launch the premier edition of the Indian GTA V Rumble Invitational. The tournament is set to be a defining moment for the game in India, with a novel battle royale format conceptualized by Rooter.
Designed to enhance competitiveness, the format will create opportunities for the teams to display their skills through decisive face-offs. Known for its continued support of new initiatives in the GTA V landscape, SoulCity hopes to drive this initiative to success.
The tournament will be a platform for both veteran GTA V creators & talented new entrants to compete and make a mark in the country’s GTA V scene. It will see participation from 20 teams—10 invited and 10 qualified—who will compete on the GTA V map using the innovative ‘Battleground’ concept, all vying for a total prize pool of INR 2 lakh. The open qualifiers have been scheduled for May 17-19 and May 24-26, with the playoffs set for May 31st to 2nd June. The grand finals will take place from June 7-9.
Since its inception, SoulCity has leveraged the expertise of S8UL to help grow the GTA V landscape in India. In addition to S8UL, industry veteran & SoulCity co-owner, Kumar Swetank plays a key role in executing the vision of SoulCity. With a proven track record in branding, marketing, distribution, and connections to top teams in the GTA V community, SoulCity will be pivotal in the success of this pioneering IP.
Sharing his thoughts on the tournament, Lokesh Jain aka 8Bit Goldy, co-founder of S8UL stated, “Building on the immense success of SoulCity’s star-studded server, we are thrilled to introduce the Indian GTA V Rumble Invitational. This initiative will not only showcase the remarkable talent within the Indian Esports community but it also aligns perfectly with SoulCity’s vision of expanding the GTA V community in India. By joining forces with Rooter and IGMC, we aim to create a unique gaming experience that brings out the best GTA V action while providing an opportunity for budding players to shine.”
Rooter, the country’s largest gaming and Esports content platform will be organizing and planning the Indian GTA V Rumble Invitational to ensure a seamless execution and an engaging experience for all participants.
Speaking about the GTA bottle-royale concept they’ve designed, Dipesh Agarwal, co-founder and COO, Rooter said “When it comes to gaming entertainment, GTA is a fan favourite in the country. But we believe there is a deep potential for building more interesting esports propositions around the game. With our category-defining IP, we are confident of setting a new benchmark for competitive play in GTA, while delivering top-notch gaming entertainment. We are excited to have partners like S8UL and IGMC as we get ready to deliver an unforgettable experience to fans and players alike.”
When asked, Kumar Swetank, co-owner of SoulCity, expressed his excitement about the tournament and mentioned, “Since the inception, my goal has been to provide a more enriching GTA V experience to all involved and to create new opportunities in the country. I am glad that we are taking this step forward in that direction. Looking forward to making this a smooth tournament for all teams, viewers, and fans.”
Alongside SoulCity and Rooter, Indonesia-based IGMC will be contributing to the tournament’s prominence by offering a dedicated GTA V server tailored to meet regional requirements as well as providing resources for broadcasting and advertising, along with technical support.
Grand Theft Auto V has sold over 195 million copies worldwide since its 2013 launch, according to Statista. In December 2023, its user engagement reached 30.8 million monthly active users across PCs and consoles, following the release of its highly anticipated sequel.
The ten invited teams comprising the nation’s notable GTA V streamers and servers are as follows:
– Team PitajiPlayz – Team Name: Say Less
– Team HeadFlicker – Team Name: Genz
– Team Rusherw0w – Team Name: Redline
– Team Masoom + Rebel – Team Name: Illusion
– Team Mercy + Mafia – Team Name: Contract Killers
– Team Snax + Joker – Team Name: ChaarCB
– Team Viper + Akshu – Team Name: RIP
– Team NX T8
– Team PewPew
– Team Rooter
Teams of four can register for the open qualifiers through the SoulCity server on Discord.
The exciting matches of the Indian GTA V Rumble Invitational will kick off at 6 PM, with four to six games each day. The first two matches will be streamed on both YouTube and Rooter, while the rest will be available exclusively on Rooter.
Additionally, creators exclusively associated with SoulCity will offer POV (Point of View) streams, allowing them to share their unique perspectives throughout the tournament.
Gaming
Dream Sports sees 100 plus exits after gaming ban forces overhaul
Company splits into eight units as real money gaming law hits revenue.
MUMBAI: For a company built on fantasy leagues, reality has suddenly rewritten the rulebook. More than 100 employees have exited Dream Sports, the parent of Dream11, after the company reorganised its operations following India’s ban on real money online gaming. The shake up came after the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 came into force in August 2025, prohibiting games where users deposit money expecting winnings. The regulation struck at the heart of the fantasy gaming industry and dramatically affected Dream Sports’ core business, wiping out about 95 percent of its revenue and all of its profits.
In response, the Mumbai based company shifted into what chief executive officer Harsh Jain described as “startup mode”, splitting its operations into eight independent business units in December.
Around 700 employees were reassigned across these newly formed ventures based on their experience and interests. However, roughly 15 percent opted to leave the company.
A spokesperson for Dream Sports said many of those who exited were experienced professionals accustomed to running scaled businesses rather than early stage ventures.
“Since some of these employees were experienced with running high scale businesses and not startups, around 15 percent chose to leave and join other scaled companies or start ventures of their own,” the spokesperson said.
Despite the departures, the company noted that the attrition rate is only slightly higher than its earlier level of around 10 percent before the ban. Dream Sports now has close to 950 employees and is not currently hiring, choosing instead to focus on stabilising its existing workforce.
The restructuring has transformed Dream Sports from a fantasy gaming company into a broader sports entertainment platform. The eight units now operate independently, each focusing on different segments of the sports and technology ecosystem.
These include Dream11, sports streaming platform Fancode, sports travel service DreamSetGo, mobile game Dream Cricket and artificial intelligence initiative Dream Sports AI, which includes sports analytics platform Dream Play.
Other ventures include fintech product Dream Money, open source initiative Dream Horizon and the philanthropic arm Dream Sports Foundation.
As part of cost saving efforts, Dream Sports also relocated its headquarters from Bandra Kurla Complex to Worli earlier this year. The new office, called Dream Sports Stadium, brings teams from its various brands together under one roof to improve collaboration and operational efficiency.
Jain had earlier said the company removed bonus lock in timelines for employees hired in recent years, allowing those who wished to leave to exit with pro rata payouts.
“We want people who are fully into the startup mode and willing to work for it, and we will share that reward if it comes,” he said.
Founded in 2008 by Harsh Jain and Bhavit Sheth, Dream Sports was last valued at 8 billion dollars after raising 840 million dollars in 2021 from investors including Falcon Edge Capital, DST Global, D1 Capital Partners, RedBird Capital Partners, Tiger Global Management, TPG and Footpath Ventures.
The new gaming law has forced several companies in the fantasy gaming sector to either shut down or pivot their business models, signalling a significant reset for one of India’s fastest growing digital entertainment industries.
