Nazara Technologies Limited (Nazara) today announced that ESL, the world’s largest esports company has invested for a minority stake in the Indian company.
Founded in 2000, ESL runs amateur to professional leagues, ranging from online tournaments through major global mega stadium events in venues around the world, distributing its content and original programming across digital and linear channels, including Facebook, Twitter, Twitch, Sony Vue, Disney XP, and Hulu.
Additionally, ESL has signed a license agreement with NODWIN Gaming, the pioneer of esports in India
(Source: F&S Report), which was recently acquired by Nazara Technologies.
As part of this, NODWIN Gaming secures multi-year exclusive licensing rights for the ESL system and ESL community platform for organizing and operating ESL competitions in India. NODWIN Gaming also secures media distribution rights of ESL global content to local linear and digital platforms in the Indian subcontinent.
ESL hosts competitions around the globe to facilitate thousands of gaming competitions annually.
Some of their more notable competitions include the following- ESL National Championship, ESL Pro League, ESL One and Intel® Extreme Masters.
Speaking on the advent of esports in India, Ralf Reichert, Co-Founder, and CEO of ESL quoted “Our goal is to bring esports to the players and fans all around the world. We believe that Nazara, one of the leading mobile games companies will help us in expanding our ESL operations through strategic local partnerships.”
According to Manish Agarwal, CEO, Nazara Technologies, “We at Nazara welcome ESL to Nazara’s family of shareholders and look forward to partner with ESL to bring global games to India and other emerging markets.”
He further adds, “We believe that the partnership with ESL and NODWIN Gaming, will enable us to leverage the strength of global experience of ESL, the execution experience of NODWIN Gaming and on ground networks of Nazara across different countries in emerging markets.”
According to, NODWIN Gaming with the license for ESL for 5 years, CEO and Managing Director, Akshat Rathee, “Ralf & ESL team have been important supporters of Nodwin since many years and have witnessed the growth of Nodwin Gaming and esports in India. I hope that with Nazara and ESL, NODWIN will be able to successfully develop the esports business in the emerging markets where esports is one of the fastest growing sports.”
Nazara Technologies Limited has recently filed DRHP and has received investments from IIFL Asset Management recently. Nazara, with its existing investments in mobile gaming companies like NextWave MultiMedia, Mastermind Sports, Moong Labs and HalaPlay is in line with building a network of synergistic companies for operations in India and other emerging markets across the Middle East, Africa and South East Asia.
Now with ESL’s investment in Nazara and NODWIN’s securing exclusive rights of using the ESL system and platform for the next 5 years, Nazara is poised to exploit the expected opportunity in the esports business.
