Gladiator Buys Gods Reign In One Of Biggest Esports Deals In India

SUMMARY

Gladiators Esports has bought Bengaluru-based gaming company Gods Reign and signed its Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) roster for an undisclosed amount

As part of the deal, Gladiators Esports will integrate Gods Reign into its business to streamline operations and boost its brand identity

Founded in 2018, Gods Reign is one of the biggest esports brands in India and has competed in games like Counter-Strike 2, Pokémon UNITE and BGMI

In what is arguably one of the biggest acquisitions in the Indian esports sector, Gladiators Esports has bought Bengaluru-based gaming company Gods Reign and signed its Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) roster for an undisclosed amount.

As part of the deal, Gladiators Esports will integrate Gods Reign into its business to streamline operations and boost its brand identity, the company said in a statement.

Founded in 2018, Gods Reign is one of the biggest esports brands in India and has competed in games like Counter-Strike 2, Pokémon UNITE and BGMI.

Gods Reign works with some of the country’s top gaming creators, including Thor Gaming, Red Parasite, AJ Jeffy, Miss Senorita, among others, who cumulatively boast over 6 Mn followers on YouTube and 1 Mn on Instagram.

“Through this strategic move, we aim to amplify opportunities for our athletes, engage our community in exciting new ways, and elevate Indian esports on the global stage,” said Rohith KR, CEO of Gods Reign.

Gods Reign’s star-studded BGMI lineup features players such as Ammar Khan, who goes by the moniker Destro, Justin Nadar (Justin) and Parth Garg (DeltaPG).

Notably, the Destro-led roster was the champion of the BGMI Series 2023 and BGMI Master Series 2023 and grabbed the second spot in BGMI Pro Series 2023.

They will be joined by Shubham Ranjan Sahoo (NinjaJOD), who won the BGMI Series 2024 and was the runner-up at last year’s India-Korea Invitational.

Meanwhile, former BGMI athlete Robin Singh (Robin), who recently led Destro, Justin, DeltaPG, and NinjaJOD to victory in the Titans Rising tournament hosted by the Gujarat Titans cricket team, has been appointed as coach of this skilled lineup.

In the financial year 2022-23 (FY23), the team secured INR 2.5 Cr ($276,703) in prize money by dominating several tournaments.

The development comes at a time when the esports ecosystem is emerging as a lucrative business opportunity. As per a report, the global esports market, which was valued at $1.44 Bn last year, is expected to grow at a CAGR of 21% to reach $5.48 Bn by 2031.