Reliance forms JV with BLAST to develop Esports market in India

Mumbai, Apr 2: RISE Worldwide Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Reliance Industries Limited, and BLAST Esports Limited have announced an agreement to form a joint venture focused on developing the esports industry in India.

The partnership aims to leverage BLAST's global esports properties and production expertise alongside Reliance's technological capabilities and market reach through the JioGames platform. The joint venture will focus on bringing BLAST's established tournament formats to India while developing new competition formats tailored to the local market.

India represents a significant growth opportunity, with approximately 600 million gamers (18% of global gamers) and a gaming market projected to reach US$9.2 billion by 2029, growing at 19% annually from US$3.8 billion in 2024. The esports segment specifically is expected to experience high growth, supported by the Indian government's recent recognition of esports as an official "multi-sports event" category.

BLAST, a European esports entertainment company, partners with major game publishers including Epic Games, Valve, Riot Games, KRAFTON, and Ubisoft to create tournaments for popular titles such as Rocket League, Fortnite, Rainbow Six, PUBG, Dota 2, and Counter-Strike 2. These games have a combined monthly active player base exceeding 350 million. BLAST events are projected to generate 2 billion views in 2025, reaching audiences in over 150 territories.

The joint venture will provide comprehensive esports services including tournament management, marketing, production, and broadcasting for publishers and sponsors.

"India is one of the most exciting and fastest-growing gaming markets in the world," said Robbie Douek, CEO of BLAST. "This joint venture will not only help grow the Indian esports ecosystem but also create new pathways for local talent to shine on the global stage."

Devang Bhimjyani, Head of Reliance Sports, added: "We are confident that with this partnership, India's esports industry will be able to realize its full potential."