Reliance x BLAST: Reliance Enters Esports After PM Modi's Vision for the Gaming Industry

From time to time, we have heard how Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed a supportive stance towards India's gaming industry. Now, it looks like we are seeing its implications on the ground. In a massive announcement, Reliance-owned RISE Worldwide has announced a partnership with BLAST. Now, this is really big news if we see it in terms of opportunities; it gonna flood in Indian gaming and esports scene. 

But before going into the details, it is better to know the whole crux of this venture. So, if you don't know about BLAST, it is a prominent Denmark-based esports organizer and is renowned for hosting top-tier esports tournaments, such as the BLAST Premier series for Counter-Strike.

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As per their press release, “The joint plans to create and operate leading esports IPs with big prize pools that will be tailored for the Indian market that has a massive 600 million gamer base that is 18 percent of the worldwide.”

Is 600 million really 600 million?

There is a bit of contradiction here that needs to be cleared out. The eye-catching number of 600 million gamers base sounds astonishing at first, but that number has nothing to do with either Reliance or BLAST, as this is just a massively inflated RMG players' headcount. And we don't think this partnership is planning to delve into that segment, or are they?

The remaining players mostly consist of mobile gamers who also play BGMI or Free Fire. So, are we expecting mostly mobile-centric esports events? And if so, then there are a few valid doubts: As Free Fire is already banned in India, we are only left with BGMI. Is Reliance x BLAST going to create a parallel IP to Krafton's well-structured and deep-rooted BGMI esports ecosystem? And how is the latter going to sustain against it? Well, Krafton indeed has a lot of problems. Be it the issue of hacks and cheats or anything else, it is not enough to find a stable base in the jam-packed esports schedule of BGMI by Krafton and its associates.

This left us to explore the other available option, which by the way is also looking to bail out itself from the despair state in the Indian esports scene, and it is PC gaming. BLAST indeed can be a messiah for it. Now, it is not untrue that India does have a lump sum amount of PC gamers, especially if we are talking about Counter-Strike, Valorant, and Apex Legends, which is, in fact is BLAST's niche.

You know that the most interesting prospect of this partnership could be a slot in BLAST’s global IPs like BLAST premier or BLAST series. This would not only allow Indian teams to compete but would also brace them for prominent milestones in esports like the Asian Games 2026, as well as the long-awaited Esports Olympics, which will be in the following year. 

Robbie Douek, CEO for BLAST, said, "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. By partnering with Reliance, a market leader with unparalleled expertise and reach in India, we have a unique opportunity to elevate the local esports scene to new heights."

Moreover, BLAST’s arrival could also inspire other well-established Indian organizations to expand their horizons. Organisations that have traditionally focused on mobile esports, backed by strong capital and corporate support, won’t hesitate to explore new frontiers in PC gaming once they see the potential. The support is there, the audience is surely waiting. 

Reliance x BLAST: Challenges at Hand

Today, Reliance has taken this initiative, and who knows, we are going to see a surge of these types of partnerships from the next Industry leader. But a few challenges need to be tackled first; local esports infrastructure won’t be an easy task. Yes, even not for giants like BLAST, because tailoring an ecosystem in the Indian market needs local support.

Although Reliance/JioGames is there with them but there is a difference between sports and esports. When was the last time you heard of an esports tournament organised or run by them or their associates?

Devang Bhimjyani, Head of Reliance Sports, said, “We are excited to partner with BLAST, which is a leader in conducting world-class esports tournaments globally in partnership with the largest gaming publishers for marquee gaming titles. I welcome Robbie and his team to the Reliance Group."

Then there is another option to ask for local organizer support. So, will BLAST approach Nodwin? Tesseract Esports? In the past, there were few partnerships, but they couldn't go the way they should have. We have already wasted a lot of time and we surely don't want to miss the train, especially when such a big opportunity is on the door.

There could not be better than witnessing a thriving esports ecosystem in India backed by global standards. This is where BLAST can make an impact. Still, before celebrating it too much prematurely, we need more clarity about this initiative. 

If executed well, this partnership could unlock new opportunities, bridge the gap between Indian and international esports, and ultimately elevate the region to a global standard.

Reported by Musab Zaman (Head of Esports and Gaming, India Today), with additional inputs from Ashish Jha ( Freelance writer, India Today Gaming)