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Key people at NODWIN Gaming.
NODWIN Gaming was founded in 2015 by Akshat Rathee (Co Founder & Managing Director) and Gautam Virk (Co-Founder and CEO).
NODWIN Gaming operates as a global entertainment company specializing in the vibrant youth culture encompassing esports, gaming, music, anime, and comedy. The company develops and manages intellectual properties, organizes events, and builds communities within these digital entertainment verticals. Its comprehensive approach spans content creation, talent management, and broadcast production, establishing a significant presence across various youth-centric platforms globally.
The company was co-founded in 2015 by Akshat Rathee, who serves as its Managing Director. Rathee recognized the nascent but rapidly growing potential of competitive gaming and digital entertainment within the youth demographic, particularly across emerging markets. This insight spurred the creation of a platform dedicated to professionalizing and expanding the esports and gaming ecosystem, capitalizing on increasing digital penetration and youth engagement.
NODWIN Gaming primarily serves a global audience of young adults and enthusiasts deeply engaged with digital entertainment and competitive gaming. The company's long-term vision is to further cultivate and expand the global youth entertainment landscape, establishing itself as a pivotal force in driving cultural and economic growth within the interconnected realms of gaming, esports, and adjacent youth-focused content.
NODWIN Gaming was founded in 2015 by Akshat Rathee (Co Founder & Managing Director) and Gautam Virk (Co-Founder and CEO).
Key people at NODWIN Gaming.
NODWIN Gaming is a leading esports and gaming company that organizes tournaments, produces content, manages talent, and creates IPs blending gaming with youth entertainment like music, anime, and comics.[1][2][7] As an independent subsidiary of Nazara Technologies, it serves gamers, brands, publishers, and fans across regions including India, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia, and now the US, solving the challenge of connecting global gaming experiences with local audiences through events, media rights, and brand activations.[1][3][4] The company has raised ₹482.46 Cr in funding, employs 150 people, and shows strong growth via acquisitions, partnerships (e.g., Banijay Asia, ESL, Valve), and expansions like launching NODWIN Gaming USA Inc. in 2025, producing over 10,000 hours of content viewed by 100M+ people.[2][3][4][6]
Founded in 2015 by Akshat Rathee (current CEO and co-founder/MD) and Gautam Virk in Gurugram, India, NODWIN Gaming emerged to tap into the booming esports scene in South Asia.[1][4][5] It started by partnering with global giants like ESL, Valve, Blizzard, and Tencent to bring international events such as DreamHack and ESL India Premiership to India, quickly gaining traction with over 100 events organized.[2][3] A pivotal moment came in January 2018 when Nazara Technologies acquired a majority stake, fueling evolution from a regional tournament organizer to a global player creating proprietary IPs like Playground and expanding via acquisitions (e.g., Comic Con India, StarLadder, Branded).[1][3][6] This backing enabled diversification into content production, talent management, and youth festivals, solidifying its position as South Asia's top esports firm.[2][7]
NODWIN rides the global esports and youth entertainment boom, where gaming converges with streaming, live events, and IP-driven content amid rising mobile penetration in emerging markets like India, MENA, and Africa.[1][2][4] Timing is ideal as esports viewership surges (e.g., 100M+ for their content) and layoffs hit Western firms, allowing agile expansion into stable regions; market forces like Nazara's investments and partnerships with Tencent/Blizzard favor IP localization.[2][3][4][6] It influences the ecosystem by localizing global titles, scaling events like DreamHack India/EVO internationally, and pioneering hybrid formats (e.g., Playground with Banijay), setting standards for blended gaming-entertainment in high-growth areas while countering industry volatility through diversification.[1][4][6][7]
NODWIN Gaming's trajectory points to accelerated global scaling, with the 2025 US entry as a nimble foothold amid economic shifts, more acquisitions, and IP exports like Playground to multiple languages/markets.[4][6] Trends like AI-enhanced content, Web3 gaming, and youth culture fusion (e.g., deeper anime/comics integration) will shape it, bolstered by Nazara's funding and partnerships with Sony/Qiddiya for EVO.[6][7] Influence may evolve from regional leader to worldwide youth entertainment powerhouse, redefining "timeshare of mindshare" through cultural IPs—positioning it strongly as esports matures beyond tournaments into enduring franchises.[1][4] This builds on its tech-driven origins, turning gaming passion into a multifaceted global force.
