Pixel P&L: South Asia’s Biggest VALORANT Tournament Returns

We’re covering NODWIN and Riot’s massive Valorant tournament, S8UL’s new co-founder, Monster Hunter Wilds’ record-breaking debut, and major acquisitions by Rockstar and Tencent.

/ NODWIN, Riot Games Announce VALORANT Challengers South Asia 2025 With INR 1.13 Cr Prize Pool

NODWIN Gaming and Riot Games have announced the 2025 edition of the VALORANT Challengers South Asia (VCSA), set to take place from March 4 to July 14. The tournament, a key part of Riot’s competitive circuit in the region, features an INR 1.13 crore prize pool and aims to build on the growing popularity of VALORANT esports in South Asia.  

The event will feature teams from India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Afghanistan, and the Maldives. Riot Games has been expanding its esports footprint in South Asia, with efforts focused on increasing accessibility for new teams and strengthening the competitive ecosystem.  

The previous edition of VCSA drew significant viewership, with 8.8 million total viewers and a reach of over 10 million. Matches will be broadcast in Hindi and English on NODWIN’s YouTube and Facebook channels.

S8UL Names Sumit Sovasaria as Co-Founder Amid Expansion Plans

S8UL has appointed Sumit Sovasaria as a co-founder as the organization expands into new markets and business verticals, according to a release. Sovasaria, an industrialist with experience in strategic planning and operations, has been a close associate of the organization and is expected to focus on business structuring as S8UL scales its operations beyond esports.

The move comes as S8UL pushes into new regions, including Southeast Asia, Latin America, and Europe, while also entering competitive titles such as VALORANT and Call of Duty: Mobile. In addition to its competitive ambitions, the organization is expanding into content creation, merchandising, and esports education with the planned launch of the S8UL Academy.

“With our expansion into new titles, geographies, and verticals, having Sumit’s expertise will help us scale effectively,” said Animesh "Thug" Agarwal, co-founder of S8UL, in the release.

⚡Quick Bytes

Monster Hunter Wilds Becomes Capcom’s Fastest-Selling Game With 8M Units Sold

Launched on February 28, Capcom’s game saw over a million concurrent players on Steam on its first day, peaking at 1.38 million over the weekend. The surge likely contributed to Steam surpassing 40 million concurrent users earlier last week.

Rockstar Acquires Video Games Deluxe, Renames It Rockstar Australia

Rockstar Games has acquired Video Games Deluxe, the studio behind the recent updates to Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition for iOS and Android, Netflix, and modern consoles, renaming it Rockstar Australia. The studio previously worked on L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files and multiple Rockstar projects. The move distinguishes Video Games Deluxe from Grove Street Games, which handled the trilogy’s troubled 2021 launch. “After working together closely over many years, we are excited to have Video Games Deluxe join the team,” said Rockstar’s Jennifer Kolbe.

Tencent Increases Stake in FromSoftware Owner Kadokawa to 7.97%

Tencent has raised its stake in Kadokawa, the parent company of Elden Ring developer FromSoftware, to 7.97%, according to The Nikkei. The Chinese tech giant acquired an additional 1.11% of shares as part of its business alliance with Kadokawa.

💡 Did You Know?

Stanford researchers found that adults who played Pokémon extensively as children have a dedicated brain region that activates when they see Pokémon characters. The occipitotemporal sulcus, a brain fold behind the ears, lights up when shown images of Pikachu, Bulbasaur, and others. Researchers attribute this to early, repeated exposure to Pokémon on small Game Boy screens, reinforcing neural pathways in visual processing. The study supports the idea that the brain develops specialized regions for recognizing frequently viewed objects, much like those for faces and words, revealing how childhood experiences can shape long-term neural organization.

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