Pixel P&L: DreamHack India 2025 Returns to Hyderabad This October

Pixel P&L: DreamHack India 2025 Returns to Hyderabad This October

Welcome to another Pixel P&L edition. This issue takes 6 minutes to read. If you only have one, here are the 5 most important things:

• DreamHack India returns to Hyderabad for its sixth year, merging gaming with pop culture in a massive three-day festival.

• India's Skillhub Online Games Federation replaces ESFI in major international esports bodies, reshaping the country's competitive gaming landscape.

• U.S. House panel summons gaming CEOs from Discord, Valve, Twitch and Reddit over political extremism concerns.

• Epic Games enables direct sales of digital items for Fortnite creators, letting them earn 100% of V-Bucks value through 2026.

• The International Game Developers Association names Limpho Moeti as first Global South chair, marking a historic leadership shift. 

Let's get into it.

DreamHack India Returns to Hyderabad for Sixth Year

NODWIN Gaming announced that DreamHack India 2025, the country's largest digital festival, will return to Hyderabad from October 31 to November 2 as part of Hyderabad Comic Con 2025. The event marks DreamHack's sixth anniversary in India, cementing its position as a cornerstone of the nation's gaming and esports landscape.

The three-day festival combines competitive gaming with pop culture entertainment, featuring LAN tournaments, cosplay contests, tech exhibitions, and creator meet-and-greets. Central to the experience is the popular Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) zone, where attendees can bring personal gaming setups or rent high-performance PCs on-site for continuous play.

Tournament highlights include PAN FEST featuring a BGMI competition, KO Fight Night with Tekken 8 and Street Fighter VI, and chess tournaments in rapid and blitz formats. A retro gaming zone offers classics like Contra and Pac-Man alongside traditional board games.

"This October, we're coming back bigger and bolder than ever with everything from comic book launches, spectacular cosplay showcases, music and comedy performances, and geeky shopping to esports tournaments, chess, retro, and tabletop games, all under one roof," said Akshat Rathee, co-founder of NODWIN Gaming.

Last year's event drew over 40,000 attendees. Comic Con India CEO Shefali Johnson emphasized how the collaboration brings together diverse fan communities under one roof.

India's Skillhub Online Games Federation Replaces ESFI in Major Esports Bodies

The Skillhub Online Games Federation has secured membership in both the International Esports Federation and Global Esports Federation, effectively replacing the Electronic Sports Federation of India as the country's representative in these prominent international bodies.

The transition grants SOGF authority to organize IESF and GEF-sanctioned competitions in India, including the newly announced Global Esports Tour and World Esports Championship. SOGF founder Nandan Kumar Jha was also appointed senior advisor to GEF.

Despite losing its international federation status, ESFI remains operational and will continue organizing domestic events. The organization retains control over Asian Games and Olympic Games esports competitions in South Asia, according to an ESFI spokesperson who spoke to The Esports Advocate.

The leadership change comes as both international federations strengthen ties with Saudi Arabia's growing esports infrastructure. Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud holds senior positions in both organizations, serving as GEF vice president and IESF president.

SOGF previously organized India's first "Esports Olympiad" and positions itself as aligned with India's evolving digital sports regulations.

⚡️Quick Bytes

India Game Developer Conference Moves to Chennai for 2025

India's premier gaming conference, IGDC, announced its 2025 dates and venue change Tuesday morning. The three-day event will run November 5-7 at Chennai Trade Center, relocating from Hyderabad. Early bird tickets are now available through the official website, which launched at 10:30 a.m. The conference features developer awards, investor pitch sessions, and an indie showcase highlighting 40 top games selected by expert jury.

U.S. House Panel Summons Gaming Platform CEOs Over Political Extremism

U.S. House Oversight Chairman James Comer invited CEOs from Discord, Valve, Twitch and Reddit to testify Oct. 8 about political extremism on their platforms following conservative commentator Charlie Kirk's murder. The hearing responds to the Sept. 10 shooting of Kirk during a Turning Point USA event in Utah, where prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, who allegedly used gaming platforms before the attack. "Congress has a duty to oversee the online platforms that radicals have used to advance political violence," Comer said, demanding executives explain prevention measures.

Epic Games Enables Direct Sales for Fortnite Creators

Epic Games will allow Fortnite creators to sell digital items directly from their custom islands starting December, earning 100% of V-Bucks value through 2026. After platform fees averaging 26%, creators will receive roughly 74% of sales revenue. The rate drops to 50% V-Bucks value in 2027, equating to approximately 37% of sales.

Game Developers Association Names First Global South Chair

The International Game Developers Association appointed Limpho Moeti as chair, making her the first leader from the global south. The South African industry veteran has nearly a decade of experience, including roles at indie studio Freelives and developer Nyamakop. The nonprofit also named a majority women and non-binary leadership team focused on expanding mentorship and industry partnerships.

⚔️Side Quest

📺 Watch: Colan Neese reveals how analyzing a game's "mindshare" pre-launch can predict hits and flops better than playtesting, Discord communities, or Steam wishlists. He's successfully called major surprises both ways. Essential viewing for developers tired of post-launch surprises.

🎮 Play: Gone Home masterfully transforms an empty house into an emotional journey of discovery. This atmospheric walking simulator uses eerie 1995 ambiance and storm sounds to create tension while you uncover your family's secrets through notes and objects. Though initially unsettling, it's a deeply moving story about identity and belonging that rewards patient exploration and careful attention to detail.

📚 Read: Next Games founder Joakim Achren explains why the gaming VC market collapsed: incumbents dominate with massive budgets, there's "no formula for fun," and acquirers vanished. Only proven teams with shipped hits can get funded now. Essential insight for gaming/startup ecosystem.

💡Did You Know

In 2011, Sony's fictional PlayStation spokesperson Kevin Butler (actor Jerry Lambert) created gaming's most embarrassing security breach through sheer confusion. When hacker Travis La Marr tweeted the PS3 jailbreak key with "Come at me, @TheKevinButler," Butler mistook it for a Battleship game reference and retweeted the entire security-cracking code to his followers. The irony was staggering: Sony was simultaneously threatening lawsuits against anyone distributing this exact code and demanding Google and Twitter reveal jailbreak distributors' identities. Instead of going to court, they only needed to check their own marketing department's Twitter activity.

📜 Quote of the Day

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