Reliance Industries Limited, through its wholly owned subsidiary RISE Worldwide Limited, has entered into a strategic partnership with BLAST Esports Limited to bring a new dimension to India’s fast-growing esports market. This partnership marks a significant step for Reliance in broadening its portfolio to include esports alongside its already dominant presence in other sports and entertainment domains.

India’s Growing Esports Market
The Indian gaming market has emerged as one of the fastest-growing segments globally. With a massive base of over 600 million gamers in the country, accounting for 18% of the total global gamer population, India’s gaming industry is projected to grow rapidly. It is expected to reach a valuation of US$ 9.2 billion by 2029, a sharp rise from its US$ 3.8 billion market value in 2024. This expansion is in line with the broader global esports market, expected to hit US$ 16.7 billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 22%.

Recognizing this growth potential, the Government of India has officially recognized esports as a part of the “multi-sports event” category, further accelerating the industry’s legitimacy and development in the country.

The Partnership Between Reliance and BLAST
In a bid to capitalize on this momentum, RISE Worldwide Limited and BLAST Esports have come together to form a joint venture (JV) aimed at creating and hosting world-class esports events in India. This partnership will focus on introducing BLAST’s globally recognized esports properties to Indian audiences, with the objective of fostering a sustainable and innovative esports ecosystem in the country.

BLAST Esports is one of the leading global players in the esports industry, known for organizing some of the biggest and most popular tournaments across the world. They collaborate with top-tier game publishers such as Epic Games, Valve, Riot Games, KRAFTON, and Ubisoft, producing high-profile events for games like Fortnite, Rainbow Six, PUBG, Dota 2, and Counter-Strike 2. With world-class production quality and an unmatched ability to create fan-first moments, BLAST is known for delivering high-stakes tournaments with large prize pools and captivating viewing experiences.

The strategic partnership between Reliance and BLAST will leverage Jio’s technological expertise, distribution reach, and local market relationships, with the goal of bringing esports events to JioGames, thereby providing unparalleled access to India’s growing esports audience. This collaboration aims to expand across multiple areas, including:

• Providing services to game publishers and sponsors.

• Offering end-to-end tournament management.

• Targeted marketing for esports audiences.

• Managing the production and broadcasting of high-profile esports events.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Esports in India
With the formation of this joint venture, Reliance aims to tap into the potential of the Indian esports ecosystem, one of the most exciting markets in the world. Robbie Douek, CEO of BLAST, stated, “India is one of the most exciting and fastest-growing gaming markets in the world, with a rapidly expanding esports audience and appetite for more competitive gaming experiences.” He added that this partnership would help take the local esports scene to new heights by bringing global esports entertainment to India, offering opportunities for local talent to shine on the world stage.

Devang Bhimjyani, Head of Reliance Sports, expressed his enthusiasm about the partnership, emphasizing that Reliance’s extensive experience in sports marketing and promotion would enable the joint venture to reach new milestones in esports development. The partnership will also capitalize on RISE Worldwide’s ability to manage and promote sports and entertainment events, coupled with Jio’s leadership in digital technology and vast reach across India.

Conclusion
This strategic joint venture is a significant development for Reliance Industries as it expands its footprint in the entertainment sector, particularly within esports. With the Indian gaming and esports market on a steep growth trajectory, this partnership with BLAST positions Reliance to lead in one of the most lucrative emerging industries, shaping the future of esports in India and beyond.

This collaboration between Reliance and BLAST represents a major step in fostering the growth of competitive gaming in India, aligning with the country’s ambitions to become a global hub for esports in the coming years.

The Current active IPO are Infonative Solutions Limited,Spinaroo Commercial Limited,Retaggio Industries Limited.

The Closed IPOs are  Identixweb Limited, ATC Energies System Limited, Shri Ahimsa Naturals Limited.

Start your Stock Market Journey and Apply in IPO by Opening Free Demat Account in .Choice Broking FinX

Join our Trading with CA Abhay Telegram Channel for regular Stock Market Trading and Investment Calls by CA Abhay Varn - SEBI Registered Research Analyst.