It’s easy to get swept away in the fanfare of massive prize pools and flashy LAN setups. But underneath the surface of the recently launched iQOO Battlegrounds Series — a 1 crore prize pool BGMI LAN event in Delhi — lies something more meaningful: intent.
I sat in on a closed-door roundtable with two of Indian gaming’s most influential voices — Akshat Rathee (MD & Co-founder, NODWIN Gaming) and Nipun Marya (CEO, iQOO). What unfolded was far from a media-sanitized press engagement. It was a strategic brainstorm, raw in its honesty and illuminating in its vision.
Less Noise, More Purpose
Both Rathee and Marya spoke about the futility of “hype for hype’s sake.” The esports space is maturing, and real impact now comes from intimate, targeted interactions. “Less is more,” Rathee said, highlighting their focus on reaching the right people, not just the most people.
A Legitimate Platform, Not a PR Campaign
This isn’t just about brand placements or quick metrics. iQOO’s collaboration with NODWIN is grounded in values, not vanity. Nipun Marya was candid about their role: “We’re not just here to sponsor; we want to be a part of Indian esports history.”
iQOO’s strategy rests on three pillars:
- Tournaments at every level, from grassroots cups to elite LANs
- Product innovation driven by gaming performance
- Community, nurtured through tier-2 and tier-3 activations
Betting on Bharat
Rathee said it best: “City people have city problems. Real gaming talent lives beyond the metros.”
Akshat Rathee doesn’t see esports as the next startup gold rush. He sees it as India’s next youth culture movement — at the level of cricket, music, or cinema.
This is more than decentralization. It’s democratization. Both iQOO and NODWIN are actively investing in talent discovery from cities like Prayagraj, not just Delhi or Mumbai. These aren’t token efforts; they’re long-term commitments to break esports out of its metro bubble.
Not Just an Industry, But a Cultural Movement
Akshat Rathee doesn’t see esports as the next startup gold rush. He sees it as India’s next youth culture movement — at the level of cricket, music, or cinema.
He even dropped a provocative comparison: if you had to bet on tennis or esports as India’s next big sport, where would your money go? His answer? Esports. It’s accessible, scalable, and tied directly to how young India expresses identity.
Integrity Over Popularity
One thing that stood out was the clarity with which both men addressed the Soul/Godlike LAN qualification debate. Rathee’s take: “Are we creating an event, or are we building a sport?” Meritocracy trumps clout. Always.
Even wildcard entries, he clarified, are handled with surgical care — not for PR, but for improving the ecosystem.
iQOO and NODWIN are thinking years ahead. Not weeks. There are comparisons to cricket’s 1983 moment, to EPL-style franchises, to even Olympic aspirations. But none of it is empty talk. They’re backing it with execution: infrastructure, incubation for indie games, even state-linked game dev hubs.
On the Absence of Dota 2
I also asked Akshat about why Dota 2 hasn’t seen many tournaments in India lately. A few years ago, there was a steady trickle of Dota events, but those have all but vanished.
Akshat’s answer was philosophical. According to him, intelligent games don’t do well in India. It was disappointing to hear that—especially for someone like me, and for a publication like iLLGaming that has deep roots in Dota 2. But he was being honest. Financially, it doesn’t make sense to host Dota 2 tournaments in India right now.
As much as it stings, it’s the truth.
What Comes Next
iQOO and NODWIN are thinking years ahead. Not weeks. There are comparisons to cricket’s 1983 moment, to EPL-style franchises, to even Olympic aspirations. But none of it is empty talk. They’re backing it with execution: infrastructure, incubation for indie games, even state-linked game dev hubs.
And iQOO? They’re not just pushing phones. They’re co-designing them with gamers. The hardware is being shaped by the very community it’s meant to serve.
Final Word
As someone who’s covered hardware and gaming long enough to see brands come and go with the esports wave, I can say this feels different. This is a movement grounded in thought, not trend.
We’re not just watching tournaments.
We’re watching a scene come of age.
And iQOO and NODWIN are choosing to be architects of that age.
