By Avnish | Oct 23, 2026
Google and NODWIN Gaming Collaborate to Bring Google Play Arena to Life
This ambitious multi-phase championship brings together India’s biggest gaming clubs, a highly diverse lineup of competitive titles, and a brand-new grassroots esports club led by sporting legend MS Dhoni.
INDIA, October 23, 2026: Google Play and NODWIN Gaming have officially joined forces to unveil Google Play Arena, a monumental esports championship explicitly built to celebrate and elevate India’s vibrant, rapidly expanding mobile gaming community. Launching today with free open registrations, the multi-phase championship will run extensive grassroots qualifiers in the coming weeks before culminating in a spectacular Grand Finale scheduled for December 19–20, 2026.
The platform aims to bridge the gap between amateur talent and professional stardom. By bringing together India’s biggest established gaming clubs, global sporting icon MS Dhoni—a famously passionate gamer himself—and a completely open competitive pathway, Google Play Arena is set to become a defining battleground for India’s local gaming talent across multiple genres.
Featured Titles & The Ultimate Club Rivalry
Unlike traditional single-title tournaments, Google Play Arena will feature intense competitions across a diverse line-up of hit games. This multi-genre approach is designed to reflect the sheer breadth, scale, and diversity of India’s current gaming landscape, ensuring players of all playstyles have a stage to shine on. The official tournament games include:
A major highlight of the Google Play Arena is the unprecedented crossover between traditional sports and digital athletics. MS Dhoni will officially lead his newly formed team, Mahi Clutchers, into the competition as they vie for the title of the country’s best club. Built entirely from the ground up through open qualifiers, this initiative offers everyday gamers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to compete directly under the banner of one of India's greatest sporting captains.
To ensure the highest level of competitive friction, the tournament will also feature prominent heavyweight gaming clubs such as Orangutan, GodLike Esports, Apex Gaming, Revenant XSpark, and Team S8UL. These established organizations will bring not only their elite professional rosters but also their massive, fiercely loyal fan armies directly into the arena, setting the stage for high-octane rivalries.
Industry Vision: Empowering the Grassroots
Google is collaborating directly with NODWIN Gaming to bring this massive vision to life. NODWIN Gaming will lead the conceptualisation, strategic planning, partnerships, and full-scale execution of the Google Play Arena initiative. The organizers aim to unite players, professional clubs, game publishers, and casual enthusiasts around a shared celebration of competitive gaming, supported by recognizable national icons.
“India’s gaming community continues to grow in both scale and diversity, with gaming becoming an increasingly important part of how young audiences connect, compete and engage with the interests they share. Google Play Arena brings that energy together through popular titles, established gaming clubs and the participation of national icons like MS Dhoni who is a passionate gamer himself. At NODWIN Gaming, we look forward to bringing our experience in building gaming IPs and delivering large-scale competitive gaming experiences to create an event that resonates with players and fans across the country.”
— Akshat Rathee, Co-founder and Managing Director, NODWIN Gaming
"Google Play has long supported India’s journey toward becoming a powerhouse of global app and gaming talent, and with Google Play Arena, we are expanding this commitment. India’s mobile gaming ecosystem continues to undergo exciting growth driven by a deeply passionate and strategic community of players, and our goal with this championship is to celebrate this talent on a national stage. By offering a structured, merit-led pathway from grassroots play to professional recognition, we are thrilled to partner with NODWIN Gaming to bring this celebration of gaming to life for players and fans across the country."
— Kanika Kalra, Director, Consumer Apps & Platforms Marketing, Google India
Join the Action
The road to the Grand Finale is packed with momentum, special community unlocks, and exclusive in-game offers. The competitive pathway is officially open to all players. Register now to secure your spot in the qualifiers and prove your skills on the national stage.
Register for Free on Google Play
About NODWIN Gaming:
NODWIN Gaming, a leader in new-age youth entertainment, gaming, sports and esports, holds a significant position in the global gaming and esports industry in emerging markets. Since its inception in 2014 by Akshat Rathee and Gautam Virk, NODWIN has established a global presence in regions such as Taiwan, South Asia, Singapore, the Middle East, Central Asia. The company’s business centres around building and monetising global youth access through pop culture, gaming, esports, live events, sports and content through IPs such as Leagues, Tournaments, Reality shows. It engages with Artists, Content creators, professional esports athletes, teams. Notable investors include Founders investment vehicle Good Game Investments, Nazara Technologies, KRAFTON Inc, Sony Group Corporation and JetSynthesys. For more information, visit www.nodwingaming.com.