GoodGameNation signs Viral Fission to drive India's largest college esports competition with INR 3 Crores in cash prizes

MUMBAI: Viral Fission, Asia's largest GenZ community, today announced that it has signed a multi-year contract with GoodGameNation (GG Nation), India's first and only esports-as-a-service platform, to create India's largest esports championship and transform gaming from a hobby to a lucrative career option for millions of Indian student gamers by creating gaming clubs and gamer communities across campuses in India.

Esports is the fastest-growing sport globally and is the competitive format of video gaming, and is now a medal sport in Asian Games and Commonwealth Games; esports are also under consideration for the Olympics. To unearth and attract gaming talent that can represent India on the world stage, GoodGameNation has also announced its plans to disburse INR 3 crores in cash prizes.

Over the course of three years, this tie-up envisions attracting 100 million gamers and hosting over 16,000 intra-college and 10 national-level college esports tournaments.

Speaking on the vision for the partnership, Animesh Pande, Head of Marketing, Community & Content from GoodGameNation, said, "We are excited to partner with Viral Fission to amplify our efforts in campus esports in India. Viral Fission's track record of delivering youth activation for some of the biggest brands globally was an important factor in GoodGameNation picking them to amplify our efforts in campus esports. At GoodGameNation, we truly believe in the power of esports and its ability to bring communities together.

The Federation of Electronic Sports Associations of India (FEAI), the country's apex body for esports, states that India's esports industry will touch INR 1100 crore by FY25. This association will present the student gamers across the nation with unique opportunities to upskill themselves in the gaming arena through mentorship programs and engagement with their peers. "With this partnership, we endeavor to further our mission to build the most holistic and well-rounded ecosystem of gamers in the country by creating a platform for them to compete at multiple levels, upskill themselves and potentially even explore a full-time career in this fast-growing industry. Our dream, though, is to create esports athletes that could represent India at international tournaments and bring glory to Bharat," he further added.

Under the partnership, campus-based gaming clubs and gamer communities will be created across campuses to provide an opportunity for student gamers to compete in domestic and national-level esports competitions. These clubs will also be an inclusive space for gaming enthusiasts, game developers, and game streamers, to cultivate a sense of belonging. They will further act as a catalyst for brands to host various mobile, console, and PC games competitions in over 3000 colleges across the country.

Speaking on this partnership, Umang Gandhi, Product Head from Viral Fission, said, "We believe in fostering communities and in creating community first experiences in order to foster and nurture the next generation. Gaming is one of the fastest-growing industries globally, providing ample opportunities for young minds. With our partnership with GG Nation, we are glad to be a part of the global gaming boom and to bring gaming-first nano-communities within the campus ecosystems. This truly will create a unique experience for the youth and will foster the culture of gaming at the grassroots level. We aim at unlocking unique opportunities for the youth to get on board this wagon and build lucrative futures for themselves in the gaming industry." About Viral Fission Viral Fission was founded in November 2019 with a vision to bridge the gap between India's energetic youth and the brands they love. The core thought is an inspiration drawn by the founders from their own academic experience and learning. The company aims at redefining brand salience metrics with/for the youth. Viral Fission offers a community-based youth network that co-creates unparalleled brand experiences.

GGNation offers a holistic and structured program in esports that includes competitions at an institutional, domestic, regional and national levels, coaching from professional players and teams, and career opportunities for the best performers every annual calendar. GGNation was founded in 2021 by Abhinandan Balasubramanian, ex-founder of Racing Promotions which was majority acquired in 2021, and Hariansh Nagpal, Director of Rosmerta Group of Companies. GGNation already has campus gaming clubs in 100 colleges across India, and has conducted over 500 tournaments till date.