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Reliance’s RISE Worldwide teamed up with Denmark-based BLAST Esports to launch a new gaming venture in India.
The deets: BLAST is a global esports powerhouse known for producing top-tier tournaments for games like Counter-Strike and Fortnite. The venture blends BLAST’s IP and production chops with Jio’s scale, tech, and reach, bringing international-grade esports to India via JioGames.
The why: with 450M+ Jio users and a fast-growing gaming platform, Reliance gives BLAST an instant stage in one of the world’s biggest gaming markets. For Reliance, it’s a chance to leapfrog into esports by tapping a seasoned partner rather than building from scratch.
Zoom out: Reliance already owns the IPL’s Mumbai Indians, now it’s betting that esports will be Gen Z’s cricket. The company has long played the infrastructure game in digital entertainment; this move signals it wants to own the content too.
Big picture: India has 600M+ gamers, nearly 18% of the global gaming population. The market is expected to more than double to $9.2 billion by 2029. Globally, esports is projected to hit $16.7 billion by 2033, growing at 22% a year.
