Reliance and BLAST form joint venture to boost esports in India
RISE Worldwide Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Reliance Industries Limited, and BLAST Esports Limited, a subsidiary of BLAST ApS, have announced a joint venture (JV) to expand the esports business in India.
The partnership aims to operate and create market leading IPs in India and bring leading global IPs of BLAST to India for fans, players and brands. The JV’s ambition is to attract top tier titles and events in the future, according to statement by RISE.
India’s esports market
India is one of the fastest-growing gaming markets in the world, with an estimated 600 million gamers, representing 18 percent of the global gaming population. The Indian gaming market is expected to grow at a CAGR of approximately 19 percent, reaching $9.2 billion by 2029 from $3.8 billion in 2024. Recognising this growth, the Government of India has officially classified esports under the “multi-sports event” category, further legitimising the industry.
The global esports market is also expanding rapidly, projected to increase from $2.8 billion in 2024 to $16.7 billion by 2033 at a CAGR of 22 percent.
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. BLAST has a proven track record of delivering world-class tournaments and entertainment for global audiences, and we can’t wait to bring that expertise to India. 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,” Douek added.
Strategic partnership to shape India’s esports future
The newly formed joint venture will bring together BLAST’s extensive experience in esports media production, publisher collaborations, and tournament organisation with Reliance’s distribution network and technology expertise.
The JV will cater to the entire esports spectrum:
- Services to publishers and sponsors
- End-to-end tournament management
- Targeted marketing
- Production and broadcasting
The events and tournaments will be hosted on Reliance’s JioGames platform, ensuring widespread accessibility and audience engagement.
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. We are very confident that with this partnership, India esports will be able to realise its full potential. With this JV, Reliance will extend its interest in sports into esports and leverage RISE’s ability to market and promote sporting events and teams, along with Jio providing its distribution and technology expertise.”
BLAST’s global esports expertise
BLAST is an European esports entertainment company known for its high-quality production and tournament organisation. It partners with major game publishers, including Epic Games, Valve, Riot Games, KRAFTON, and Ubisoft, to deliver top-tier esports events for games like Rocket League, Fortnite, PUBG, Rainbow Six, Dota 2, and Counter-Strike 2.
In 2025, BLAST’s esports events are expected to generate two billion views, reaching audiences in over 150 territories and broadcasting in more than 30 languages. The company is renowned for delivering engaging fan-first moments and organising world-class esports tournaments in cities like London, Singapore, Austin, and Rio.
