NODWIN Gaming, a leading company in new-age youth entertainment, gaming, and esports and a material subsidiary of Nazara Technologies Limited (BSE: NAZARA), announces the full acquisition of StarLadder, a driving force in the global esports ecosystem. This acquisition will unite StarLadder’s capability of producing AAA events with NODWIN Gaming’s bold vision to redefine live entertainment for the youth. StarLadder will maintain its identity and the founder Roman Romantsov will continue to run the business while becoming a shareholder of NODWIN Gaming.

A Strategic Move to Accelerate Growth and Innovation

The acquisition comes at a time when NODWIN Gaming is expanding its footprint globally through its recent strategic moves of acquiring Comic Con India, influencer and MCN business Trinity Gaming, the agency business of AFK Gaming, the global esports and gaming marketing agency Freaks 4U Gaming based in Germany, West Asia and Turkey-focused marketing and esports agency Ninja Global, and Singapore-based live events firm Branded. The acquisition of StarLadder marks a significant step in NODWIN’s strategy to enhance AAA content and event offerings on a global level, catering to both emerging and developed markets, while creating synergies between the companies. 

What This Means for the Industry and Community

For StarLadder’s existing partners, this acquisition unlocks exciting new opportunities to expand their reach and connect with diverse communities worldwide. With access to NODWIN’s extensive network, StarLadder will be able to enter new markets, forge new strategic partnerships and strengthen its global presence.

Fans of the brand can look forward to an even bigger and bolder future, with new grand events on the horizon set to shake up the industry.

While the company will continue to operate with its core identity and creative spirit intact, Roman Romantsov will remain at the helm, ensuring continuity and authenticity in its vision. By joining NODWIN Gaming’s extensive network of industry-leading companies and experts, they will gain access to new resources, and new creative and distribution channels. This synergy will not only amplify overall impact but also create fresh collaborations and innovative content experiences for fans.

Akshat Rathee, Co-Founder of NODWIN Gaming, commented: “StarLadder and Roman are the superstars behind the Creme de la Creme events that esports fans have loved to see. Roman is considered one of the pioneers of esports event production with his deep insight in stage design, creative broadcast solutions and entrepreneurial energy. I have been a fan of his work for the longest time and cherish the opportunity to work and build NODWIN with one of my heroes. We have a vision of elevating and creating incredible community experiences, including more CS:GO tournaments for our amazing fans and partners and look forward to taking them to more emerging markets. We are so proud to welcome such an amazing brand and founder into the NODWIN Gaming family.”

The StarLadder team, led by Roman Romantsov, brings over two decades of expertise in esports event management, having organized some of the industry’s most prestigious tournaments. Their portfolio includes iconic events such as CS:GO and Dota 2 Majors, the PUBG Europe League, and long-running series like StarSeries – spanning 18 seasons for CS 1.6 and CS:GO, and 17 seasons for Dota 2. In addition to their own flagship events, they have successfully delivered white-label projects for major publishers, including Valve, Tencent, Krafton, Blizzard, Riot Games, Supercell, Com2us, Moonton, Smilegate, and many more.

Roman Romantsov, Founder of StarLadder, stated: “We live in an era of globalization, where the synergy of resources, expertise, and potential drives success and paves the way for future growth. We are thrilled to have found partners and like-minded individuals who share our vision and ambition. Together with NODWIN Gaming, StarLadder is committed to creating extraordinary experiences for fans, delivering unforgettable events across multiple games and regions. Stay tuned for what’s to come!”

The deal is valued at an initial consideration of USD 5.5 million (INR 46.75 crores) with a second part of the consideration payable on meeting the earn-out targets.