Asia
Esports Proposed As Official Medal Sport At AIMAG 2025
Esports has been included into the proposed list of official medal sports to be contested at the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games 2025. Announced at the recently concluded 41st Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) General Assembly last week, this proposal is a step towards seeing esports elevate its status from demonstration games to a full-fledged medal event.
Set to take place in Riyadh, AIMAG 2025 will be the 7th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games, and marks the first time Saudi Arabia. The next AIMAG will take place next year in Chonburi, Thailand.
If successful, having esports feature as an official medal event at AIMAG would have brought the progress full circle, following its debut in a multi-sporting event’s program at the AIMAG 2017 in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan as a demonstration sport. From thereon, esports has appeared at the 2018 Asian Games as demonstration sport followed by full-medal events at the 2019 and 2021 SEA Games. Esports was also planned as a full-medal sport at the 2022 Asian Games that is currently postponed.
Mr Animesh Agarwal, Founder & CEO, 8bit Creatives, India’s leading esports consulting and talent agency & an ex-esports athlete:
With esports gaining the momentum that it has, it has made its way into various national and international platforms including the Asian Games. The most recent consideration of adding esports to AIMAG 2025, comes as a very welcome move. At a time when the gaming industry in India is getting redefined and diversifying into many new games while recovering from recent setbacks, this comes as a validation of the prominence of esports in this world. Clearly, the growth track that Gaming and Esports have been on, is going to continue.
Such developments instil a lot more confidence in the whole sporting ecosystem built around esports and is an inspiration for budding esports players to hone themselves. Our esports teams, 8bit & sOul are all motivated to work hard and represent India in these national and international tournaments and bring laurels for the country. At 8Bit Creatives, we are committed to nurturing and supporting more and more esports players in our country to put India on the global map.
Mr Lokesh Suji, Director, Esports Federation of India & Vice President of the Asian Esports Federation (AESF):
What better news than this, from the first addition of esports as a demonstration event at AIMAG 2017 to being included as a proper medal event at AIMAG 2021 (postponed due to the pandemic) and now possible inclusion at AIMAG 25 brings us immense joy & excitement. It is safe to say that Esports is not far away from being considered a mainstream sport now courtesy of the remarkable efforts undertaken by the AESF and the OCA. The event AIMAG 2025 is set to take place in Riyadh and the Saudi Arabia government recognised esports as a sport there which is very encouraging.
ESFI is proud to be a full member of the AESF and to have participated in all major sporting events conducted by the OCA. With these constant landmarks scaled by Esports on the international stage under the committee that has already recognised it as an official sport, it is now time for the Indian government to do the same as well so that we will have the proper infrastructure, training facilities and coaching given to our young esports athletes.
Rohit Jagasia, Founder & CEO, Revenant Esports:
It’s great to see Esports continue its transition into major international multi-sports events after the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games. The AIMAG is a prestigious game organized by the OCA and having Esports as a full-fledged medal event in it will only increase its significance among the Indian population.
A lot of international organisations have already given official recognition to Esports and if our government was to follow suit, it would provide immense motivation to the hardworking gamers and esports athletes of the country who are already exceeding expectations in different rosters. We would definitely be excited to see India compete in Riyadh at AIMAG 2025 and win medals.
Rohit Agarwal, Founder & Director, Alpha Zegus, the next-gen marketing agency specializing in the domains of gaming & lifestyle:
It’s an absolute big win for the community. Being honoured as an official medal sport gives so much more credibility to esports, not only as a sport but as a viable career option. We need more of such instances to attract higher interest from the government, investors, and most importantly, fans. Not too long until we see Esports being placed in the same league as cricket, football, basketball, etc. and having similar fan power, scale and craze.
Max Level will work closely with Riot’s India and South Asia teams to amplify brand campaigns, regional esports initiatives, product updates, and community-first storytelling in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and other South Asian markets. The collaboration aims to build authentic, culturally resonant narratives that reflect Riot’s mission as a player-focused organisation.
The win follows a competitive multi-agency pitch process that saw Max Level selected from among several top PR agencies. The decision was based on Max Level’s deep understanding of the gaming and esports audience, its creative-first approach, and its proven ability to drive conversation and cultural relevance.
Siddharth Nayyar, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer at Max Level, said, “Winning the PR mandate for Riot Games is a defining moment for us. Riot has not only shaped the modern multiplayer era but also built global communities around player-first values. We’re thrilled to help expand that legacy in India and South Asia, a region that’s growing and evolving at a breakneck pace.”
Max Level’s mandate includes ongoing campaign support for key products and IPs, regional amplification of Riot’s global esports events, as well as strategic counsel on community engagement and creator collaborations. The agency’s track record with brands like NODWIN Gaming, SuperGaming, CyberPowerPC India, KRAFTON, ESL FACEIT Group among others makes it uniquely positioned to drive culturally relevant PR in gaming and esports.
According to the Lumikai State of India Gaming Report 2024, India’s gaming market reached $3.1 billion in FY23, with projections to hit $7.5 billion by FY28, fueled by a base of over 568 million gamers, nearly half of whom are paying users. The report also highlights how India is now the largest consumer of mobile games globally, creating an immense opportunity for publishers like Riot to scale their reach and community.
The post Max Level Wins PR Mandate for Riot Games in India and South Asia appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
The next highly anticipated gaming event on EGT Digital’s calendar is SiGMA Asia, which will be held on June 3rd and 4th in Manila. Together with EGT, the iGaming provider will welcome visitors at booth 1113 to reveal its impressive selection of innovations and bestsellers.
The guests will be able to try out EGT Digital’s wide range of over 140 casino games spanning a variety of themes, as well as further increase their chances of winning with the Bell Link, Clover Chance, High Cash, and Single Progressive jackpots. The 4-level multi-denomination Gods & Kings Link will be presented for the first time locally. It received positive feedback after its recent official debut and is expected to get a warm acceptance also from Asian operators and players. Currently including 3 games: Ape of Luck, Glorious Alexander, and Rise of Ra, with more to join in the coming months, it will offer the show attendees numerous bonuses and a lot of fun.
EGT Digital will also demonstrate X-Nave, its in-house developed “all-in-one” betting platform, providing all the tools and features needed for building and maintaining a successful online business or for improving current performance. X-Nave includes 4 main modules: Sport Product, Gaming Aggregator, CRM Engine, and Payment Gateway. Depending on the operators’ needs, each of them can be used as part of the complete solution or independently, as they can integrate with developments from third-party providers.
“EGT Digital’s products have enormous potential for the local markets, and SIGMA Asia provides us with a great opportunity to showcase them to many potential future clients in the region,” said Mariana Manchina, Director of EGT Philippines. “In addition, we are also looking forward to the prestigious SiGMA Asia Awards, where our company is shortlisted in the Best Sportsbook Provider 2025 and Best Platform 2025 categories.”
The post EGT Digital’s innovative developments to captivate visitors at SiGMA Asia 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
EGT is pleased to announce that it will participate in this year’s edition of SiGMA Asia, which will take place on 03 and 04 June in Manila. “We have prepared a fascinating selection of products developed specifically for the Asian markets, so don’t miss the chance to stop by our booth 1113 and learn more about it!,” said Mariana Manchina, Director of EGT Philippines.
Among the main highlights will be the 4-level progressive Zhao Cai Shuang Yu jackpot, which will be presented to the local gaming audience for the first time. Housed in the popular slot cabinet G 50 J1 Up, it will dive visitors into the world of its 2 games Prosperity Strike and Rising Coins, enabling them to collect special symbols and win at any bet level, with higher stakes increasing the likelihood of hitting the highest Grand level.
Sheng Sheng Bu Xi and Cai Fu Tian Jiang, which have already been successfully installed in various gaming venues across different countries, will also be on display. They will invite the guests to embark on captivating adventures that will reward them with riches and lots of fun. Numerous attractive bonus features will add even more thrill to the game, providing additional winning opportunities.
The top-performing G 50 C Up and G 50 J2 Up cabinets and the vast diversity of the General Series multigames will complement EGT’s slot display.
The company will present its ETG developments as well. The attendees will be able to try out the GS 32 T and S 32 T terminals, which feature frameless displays for crystal-clear visuals, numerous ergonomic functionalities, and enormous flexibility, allowing them to participate in endless configurations. The G RSA, EGT’s compact Standalone Automatic Roulette center, will also demonstrate its seamless connectivity to all the company’s play stations. The option to add an American roulette wheel further enriches the gaming choice and guarantees an engaging player experience.
EGT Digital will also showcase its extensive portfolio of iGaming solutions, featuring instant and casino games, jackpot products, as well as the in-house developed “all-in-one” betting platform X-Nave, which comprises four main modules. All this provides operators with a complete solution for building and maintaining a successful online business.
Ms. Manchina concluded: “SIGMA Asia is one of the most important gaming events in the region and I am glad that we will take part in it once again. Our participation in the previous 2 editions was very fruitful, having brought us many valuable new contacts and the opportunity to present our high-potential products to the key players in the local markets. I believe that our performance in 2025 will be the same, and it may even be better. This year, we are even more excited because EGT is a finalist in the SiGMA Asia Awards, where we will compete for the accolade in the Best Land-based Game Feature category.”
The post EGT’s Asian-themed products to make a splash at SiGMA Asia 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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