As the dust settles on a thrilling BGIS 2025 Grand Finals in Kolkata, all eyes are now on what lies ahead for Battlegrounds Mobile India esports. In an exclusive conversation with InsideSport, Karan Pathak, Associate Director of Esports at Krafton India, delved into community involvement in prize pools, the BGMI Rising Stars program, and Krafton’s evolving tournament formats.
The BGIS 2025 prize pool made history—not just for its size, but for its model. The base prize pool of ₹2 crore was augmented by an additional ₹1.2 crore, thanks to fan contributions through in-game crate purchases.
When asked whether this model would become the norm, Pathak said:
“We want to make it bigger and better. We’re already talking to our product team for BGIS 2026. The ₹1.2 crore from players opens doors to creativity, but of course, there are development limitations as well.”
While future iterations may evolve, the blend of developer support and community funding looks likely to stay, offering fans a tangible way to impact the scene.
The BGMI Rising Stars initiative has been one of Krafton India’s most promising moves to develop new esports talent. With over 3,000 registrations, the scouting process emphasized esports-first creators rather than traditional content influencers.
“We didn’t ask for subscriber counts. We checked channel activity manually,” Pathak noted. “One applicant was inactive since 2021—I personally called and encouraged him to rejoin the scene for the second edition.”
Eventually, only 10 were selected, with a minimum threshold of 5,000 subscribers. The goal? Build a foundation of competitive players who also stream—not streamers who occasionally play competitively.
According to Pathak, BMPS 2025 (Battlegrounds Mobile India Pro Series) is set to kick off on May 22nd and will run through July 2025. The Grand Finals will be held as a LAN event in New Delhi, continuing Krafton’s push into more metro and Tier-1 cities after successful events in Kochi and Kolkata.
Krafton has also hinted at another new tournament format for BMPS 2025, in line with their strategy of refreshing the structure every season.
On the possibility of a franchise-based league, Pathak remained tight-lipped:
“There’s always something new we want to introduce. As for a franchise league in BGMI esports—you’ll have to wait for an official announcement.”
While nothing is confirmed yet, the conversation points toward Krafton exploring long-term sustainability models for Indian esports, possibly inspired by international ecosystems.
With record-breaking prize pools, new grassroots talent initiatives, and a revamped BMPS format, Krafton continues to invest heavily in building a robust BGMI esports ecosystem tailored for India. The community-first approach, evident through both Rising Stars and crowdfunding models, could be the blueprint for regional mobile esports globally.
Stay tuned for more updates on BMPS 2025, and Krafton’s big plans for Indian mobile gaming.
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