Pixel P&L: NODWIN Secures South Asia Media Rights for Esports World Cup

NODWIN Gaming just locked in exclusive access to 1.5 billion consumers by securing Esports World Cup media rights across South Asia, positioning the Indian company as the gateway between global tournament organizers and one of the world's largest gaming markets.

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🌐 Game Over for Geographic Limits: How esports companies are cracking the code on emerging market domination

NODWIN Gaming Secures Media Rights Deal for Esports World Cup in South Asia

Indian esports company NODWIN Gaming said on Friday it has secured media rights sales across South Asia for the Esports World Cup, including India, Bangladesh and Nepal.

Under the partnership, NODWIN Gaming will manage media rights sales and distribution strategies for the Esports World Cup across South Asia. The company will also serve as the foundation's marketing partner for the Indian market, developing local campaigns and initiatives to support the foundation's mission of elevating esports and gaming culture worldwide.

"The Esports World Cup is a landmark moment for global esports, and we're proud to partner with the EWCF to bring that experience to South Asia," said Akshat Rathee, co-founder and managing director of NODWIN Gaming.

The Esports World Cup Foundation, which organizes the annual tournament, said South Asia represents a key growth market for competitive gaming.

The 2024 tournament featured 1,500 players and 200 clubs from over 100 countries competing across 21 gaming titles. It attracted 500 million online viewers and offered $60 million in prize money and was held in Saudi Arabia.

Sega Partners With Asian Companies to Reduce Japan Dependence

Sega is partnering with international companies to expand across Asia and reduce its reliance on the Japanese market, as the videogame publisher shifts focus beyond console gaming.

The Sonic the Hedgehog creator has been moving its developers away from targeting primarily domestic console players, President Shuji Utsumi said in a Bloomberg TV interview. Mobile games now represent more than half of Sega's games business and are growing faster than other segments.

Sega's brand recognition is strong in Western markets but expanding in Asia presents challenges, Utsumi said. The company signed a licensing agreement with Longtu Game in China and is selecting partners across Southeast Asia.

Parent company Sega Sammy Holdings Inc. acquired Angry Birds creator Rovio Entertainment Oyj in 2023 to strengthen its mobile offerings. Utsumi said Angry Birds will be an important asset for exploring mobile markets.

"We were paying too much attention to the console. Now we are paying attention to the console, PC and mobile markets," he said.

⚡Quick Bytes

BGMI Partners With DC Studios for Superman Film Tie-In

Battlegrounds Mobile India has partnered with DC Studios on a promotional event tied to the Superman film opening in Indian theaters July 11. The collaboration includes in-game rewards and content designed to drive player engagement during the movie's release window. The mobile game also reintroduced premium weapon skins to capitalize on increased player activity.

British Esports Secures Funding for Sunderland Arena

British Esports has secured financing for a 15,000-square-foot gaming arena in Sunderland set to open in 2026. The facility will feature a 200-seat theater and content studios, positioning itself as Europe's first purpose-built esports arena. Construction is expected to begin in September.

Netflix's Squid Game Mobile Game Sees Downloads Spike

Netflix's Squid Game: Unleashed mobile game recorded increased downloads following the final season launch, though growth was smaller than previous seasons. The game reached 20 million downloads since its November 2024 debut, adding new content tied to Season 3. User-generated versions on platforms like Roblox and Fortnite have outperformed Netflix's official title.

⚔️Side Quest

📺 Listen: The Game Changers Podcast examines "vibe coding," where you can build fully functional apps by simply describing what you want, no programming skills needed. Host Josh Chapman explores how AI is democratizing software creation while uncovering serious security and scalability concerns when creators don't understand their code. Essential for entrepreneurs and anyone curious about AI's impact on development.

🎮 Play: Drive Beyond Horizons offers addictive car building and exploration that shines in co-op play. This Early Access survival game lets you customize vehicles, scavenge parts, and traverse procedural worlds with solid physics. Expect some roughness, but the core loop of building the perfect ride and discovering new terrain is genuinely engaging.

📚 Read: Bitmap Books' "The Art of the Box" celebrates the golden age of video game cover art that sparked childhood memories for countless players. Founder Sam Dyer shares his journey tracking down 350+ illustrations from 26 artists, preserving iconic imagery that was often more memorable than the games themselves before this dying art form disappears forever.

💡Did You Know

The Casio Loopy was a groundbreaking 32-bit game console released exclusively in Japan in 1995, specifically marketed to female gamers. What made it truly unique was its built-in thermal color printer that could create stickers from game screenshots. Players could capture moments from their games and turn them into personalized stickers, blending gaming with crafting. The console also supported an optional "Magical Shop" accessory that could capture images from VCRs and DVDs for sticker creation. Despite its innovative features and targeted marketing approach, the Loopy had a brief lifespan, with only 11 games released before production ended in 1998.

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