Pixel P&L: KIA's Esports Entry, Nvidia Media Tactics, Bungie Plagiarism Crisis

Welcome to another Pixel P&L edition. This issue takes 4 minutes to read. If you only have one, here are the 5 most important things:

• KIA makes its first entry into Indian esports with BMPS 2025 partnership — learn more about this move below.

• Nvidia accused of aggressive tactics to control media coverage of its graphics products.

• Apple adds warning labels to EU apps using alternative payment methods.

• Bungie faces a crisis as art plagiarism allegations hit upcoming shooter Marathon.

• Square Enix reports sales slump to five-year low despite 64% profit gains. 

Let's get into it.

KIA Makes its Entry into Indian Esports With BMPS 2025

Krafton India is set to launch the Battlegrounds Mobile India Pro Series (BMPS) 2025, featuring a ₹2 crore prize pool. Team registrations open May 22, with finals scheduled for July 4-6 at Yashobhoomi, New Delhi.

KIA India has made its first significant move into the esports sector, joining as the official mobility partner for BMPS 2025. This strategic entry gives the automaker direct access to India's gaming community, estimated to reach 517 million users this year.

For KIA, the partnership represents a calculated pivot toward digital engagement channels that resonate with younger Indian consumers. The automaker aims to leverage BGMI's massive user base to enhance brand perception among tech-savvy demographics that traditional automotive marketing often struggles to reach effectively.

The tournament follows KRAFTON's successful BGIS 2025 event, which featured a ₹3.2 crore prize pool and record viewership.

Nvidia Accused of Leveraging Media Access to Control Product Narrative

Multiple prominent tech reviewers have accused Nvidia of employing aggressive tactics to control media coverage of its graphics products, raising concerns about transparency in the $178+ billion gaming hardware market.

Gamers Nexus claims Nvidia threatened to withhold access to company engineers unless they include specific technology comparisons in reviews. "In order to continue doing these types of interviews, we had to cover things a certain way," Gamers Nexus reported, specifically regarding Multiframe Generation technology.

Hardware Unboxed reports similar pressure tactics, alleging Nvidia has restricted early RTX 5060 review drivers to "friendly" outlets under strict conditions, including prohibitions against comparing new cards to predecessors and requirements to use frame generation features that inflate performance metrics.

"This isn't a conspiracy theory. It's a systemic shift in how media manipulation works in tech," Hardware Unboxed stated, noting they previously declined financial incentives from Nvidia for favorable coverage in 2019.

Despite approximately 90% market share in discrete graphics cards and a $3.3 trillion market capitalization, Nvidia's gaming division represents only a fraction of its AI-dominated business, leaving us questioning the necessity of such aggressive media strategies.

⚡Quick Bytes

Apple Adds Warning Labels to EU Apps With Alternative Payments

Apple is displaying cautionary notices on EU App Store listings for apps using alternative payment methods. The warnings, featuring a red alert triangle, state: "This app does not support the App Store's private and secure payment system. It uses external purchases." Industry watchers question if similar warnings will appear in US apps following recent court-mandated removal of payment restrictions.

Bungie Faces Crisis as Art Plagiarism Allegations Hit Marathon

Bungie has acknowledged plagiarizing artist ANTIREAL's 2017 work for its upcoming shooter Marathon, blaming a former employee. This controversy, amid already poor alpha test reception, has reportedly sent studio morale into "free-fall." Despite mounting pressures, sources indicate no official delay from September's release date is being discussed publicly.

Square Enix Reports Sales Slump Despite Profit Gains

Square Enix's net sales dropped 9% to ¥324.5 billion ($2.2bn) in fiscal 2025, hitting a five-year low since earning ¥260.5bn ($1.8bn) in 2020. Despite this, operating income rose 25% to ¥40.6bn ($280m) while profit jumped 64% to ¥24.4bn ($168.4m). The gaming giant cited "intensified competition" in its ¥206.5bn ($1.4bn) digital entertainment segment.

⚔️Side Quest

📺 Watch: A captivating descent into gaming's most brilliantly cruel dungeon crawler that shows how Fear and Hunger transforms frustration into addiction through its unforgiving design and atmospheric horror.

🎮 Play: Don't miss Capcom Fighting Collection 2, a nostalgic showcase featuring beloved 2D classics alongside rare 3D gems like Power Stone, all enhanced with modern networking that fighting game enthusiasts won't want to miss.

📚 Read: How Vietnam's strategic government regulations, technical expertise, and the viral phenomenon of Flappy Bird catapulted the country into a formidable player in the global mobile gaming industry, creating a blueprint for emerging tech markets worldwide.

💡Did You Know

Square Enix nearly ended Final Fantasy XI in 2024 after a remarkable 22-year run. Before the game's 20th anniversary, executives considered shutting down servers once "The Voracious Resurgence" storyline concluded. However, steady player numbers and passionate community support convinced the team to reconsider. "I took this as a sign that we should keep running the game," said producer Yoji Fujito, who took over from Akihiko Matsui. Now celebrating its 23rd anniversary, FFXI has received infrastructure updates and promises exciting new features for 2025, including character race changes and solo-play improvements. This makes it one of gaming's longest-running MMORPGs with a bright future ahead.

📜 Quote of the Day

Was this forwarded to you? Sign up for free here. 

We read every email! Share your feedback by hitting reply.