ESports
Esports organisation Fnatic acquires Indian PUBG Team XSpark
XSpark has represented India in the international circuit previously.
One of the most popular eSports organisations in the world, Fnatic has gained entry into the Indian eSports market. It has acquired Team XSpark, which is currently the leading PUBG Mobile team in the nation.
Consisting of Sc0utOP, Ronak, Owais, InYoDream and Paritosh, XSpark has also represented India in the international circuit previously, besides being one of the most well-known teams in the country. Sc0utOP and Ronak are the most sought-after players to have qualified for the PUBG Invitationals in Berlin recently. Fnatic took to Instagram for the announcement.
"It’s been a long term dream and goal to enter India. We’ve been exploring the market as well as meeting with players, organizations and game developers to understand how the market is moving and where the opportunities lie. With Team X and PUBG Mobile we have a great opportunity as they are a pro team, who are not just the best in India but also are international contenders," said Patrik Sattermon, Fnatic's Chief Gaming Officer, in an exclusive interview with AFK Gaming. He added later:
For the initial months, we’ll focus on the sports side and content. Over time, we are looking to set up a gaming facility and staff up so that all the fans and gamers in India can get the full Fnatic experience that they deserve, in terms of products, experiences and of course content. We are delighted to be here. It’s been a long journey but I think we’ve found the perfect opportunity to engage and learn from a thriving esport community that we are happy to be part of.
The free-to-play PUBG Mobile has seen a huge growth among users in Asia, with Tencent announcing in June that the game had been downloaded 400 million times with 50 million daily users. The $2.5 million PUBG Mobile Club Open 2019, a year-long event, is currently underway, with the Fall Split Global Finals to be held in December.
“The Indian market is something we’ve always been interested in,” PUBG Corporation's Division Director Victor Bengtsson told Spiel Times. “The dedication we see from fans whenever anything eSports-related takes place is nothing short of remarkable. We were simply looking for the right opportunity that would reflect how big of a splash we wanted to make in whatever title we entered with. PUBG Mobile became that title. We believe that Fnatic will bring a true fan experience for gamers across India, and we can’t wait to connect with all of them," added Bengtsson.
