---

Reliance Industries Enters Gaming Market In India With BLAST JV

Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) has officially stepped into the esports arena through a joint venture with BLAST Esports. This collaboration is geared toward accelerating the growth and development of India’s esports ecosystem by harnessing the unique strengths of both partners.

The partnership involves RIL’s wholly owned subsidiary, RISE Worldwide Limited (RISE), teaming up with BLAST Esports Limited (BLAST). This strategic alliance will bring together BLAST’s global experience in esports media production, strong ties with game publishers, and established intellectual properties, alongside Jio’s cutting-edge technology, expansive distribution network, and deep understanding of the local market.

The joint venture aims to host premier esports events on the JioGames platform, with a focus on sustainable growth and innovation in the Indian gaming industry.

As part of this initiative, the JV will offer a full spectrum of esports services, including:

• Comprehensive tournament management
• Customized services for game publishers and brand sponsors
• Strategic, audience-focused marketing solutions
• Premium production and broadcasting services

India’s esports industry is witnessing rapid expansion, fueled by a massive gaming community of over 600 million players—accounting for 18% of the global gaming population. The country’s gaming market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19%, reaching $9.2 Billion by 2029, up from $3.8 Billion in 2024. On a global scale, the esports industry is projected to grow at a CAGR of 22%, increasing from $2.8 Billion in 2024 to $16.7 billion by 2033.

BLAST CEO Robbie Douek underscored the significance of the partnership, stating, “By joining forces with Reliance, a market leader with unmatched expertise and reach in India, we have a unique opportunity to elevate the country’s esports landscape. BLAST has a strong legacy of delivering world-class tournaments and entertainment for global audiences, and we’re excited to bring that experience to India.”

Devang Bhimjyani, Head of Reliance Sports, also spoke about the partnership’s potential, saying, “We are confident that this joint venture will help unlock the full potential of Indian esports. Through this collaboration, Reliance will extend its footprint in the sports domain to include esports—leveraging RISE’s marketing and promotional capabilities, alongside Jio’s technology and distribution infrastructure.”

BLAST x Reliance Industries JV Announcement

A huge day for BLAST!

We’ve announced a joint venture with @R1SEWorldwide, a subsidiary of @RIL_Updates, to accelerate the growth of Indian esports 🇮🇳

India is home to 600M+ gamers – that’s 18% of the global audience🌎 pic.twitter.com/OFGUMAJelx

— Robbie Douek (@robbiedouek) April 2, 2025

BLAST brings a robust portfolio of experience, having worked with leading game publishers such as Epic Games, Valve, Riot Games, KRAFTON, and Ubisoft. The company has been instrumental in producing, marketing, and delivering top-tier esports tournaments for popular titles including Rocket League, Fortnite, Rainbow Six, PUBG, Dota 2, and Counter-Strike 2—games that collectively boast over 350 million active monthly players.

The global rise of esports continues, with the International Olympic Committee preparing to launch an annual esports series, and the Olympic Council of Asia having already included esports in the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou.

The Indian Government has been showing positive aspects when it comes to esports and India’s role in it. Earlier, The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that he would like to see Indian IT resources at the top of the gaming scene, while a Karnataka Minister, Priyank Kharge had said that the southern state should be the central hub of the gaming genre. 

With these recent developments, it won’t be a surprise to see India firmly embracing online gaming as not just an entertainment genre but a market as well.

---

---

More News

---

Comments