Indus Battle Royale Kicks Off with India’s Largest Esports Prize Pool

Pune-based game developer, SuperGaming, has announced an ambitious esports initiative called the ‘Clutch India Movement‘ for their newly launched battle royale game, Indus.

This announcement marks a significant milestone in India’s growing gaming industry, featuring one of the largest prize pools ever offered for a battle royale game in the country.

Tournament Structure and Prize Pool

The centerpiece of this initiative is the “Indus International Tournament,” which boasts an impressive total prize pool of INR 2.5 crore (approximately £228,000).

Running from October 2024 to February 2025, the tournament is structured in four distinct phases:

1. Homegrown Phase
   • Prize Pool: INR 15 lakhs
   • Duration: November 6th – December 3rd
   • Open registration for all players
2. Nationals
   • Prize Pool: INR 10 lakhs
   • Focused on building national competitive scene
3. Powerplay
   • Prize Pool: INR 25 lakhs
   • Exclusively for professional esports teams
4. International Phase
   • Duration: November 15th – December 30th, 2024
   • Invitation-only for global teams
   • Culminates in Grand Finale with INR 2 crore prize pool
   • Special MVP prize: A brand new Mahindra Thar

Beyond the Main Tournament

SuperGaming’s esports roadmap extends beyond this primary tournament:

• Indus International Mahasangram planned for October 2025
• Community events focused on nurturing new talent
• Support for third-party tournament organizers through proprietary tools
• Continuing previous successful events like ‘Grudge Wars,’ ‘Indus Inferno,’ and ‘Indus Unchained‘

Game Launch and Reception

Indus launched on October 16th across iOS and Android platforms, quickly achieving over 1 million downloads. The game introduces unique features like the ‘Grudge system,’ which has seen over 200,000 player rivalries declared since launch. However, the reception has been mixed:

• Current ratings: 3.4 on Google Play and 3.1 on App Store
• Some critics describe it as “bland” and cite “low-end graphics”
• The game also faces tough competition from established titles like Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Free Fire, and BGMI

Controversy

The game launch was not without controversies. SuperGaming faced criticism for issuing copyright strikes against YouTube videos that critiqued the game. They also filed an FIR against the content creator involved.

Nevertheless, the company issued a statement on X explaining their actions. In it, SuperGaming stated that the content creator had crossed a line with hate speech, personal attacks, and inappropriate content, including altered pornographic images targeting their team members. The company affirmed their stance of zero tolerance towards abuse, hate speech, or offensive content directed at their staff.

Later, however, they withdrew FIR and in a statement affirmed that they were “100% open to all feedback.”

Vision for Indian Esports

Roby John, CEO and Co-founder of SuperGaming, shared his vision:

“Our goal with Indus was to create a game that Indian gamers could call their own. With the Indus International Tournament, we hope to see new heroes emerge from the community.”

He further highlighted India’s growing esports potential, stating,

“India’s esports scene is evolving rapidly, and we believe it’s ready to compete on the global stage.”

With its roadmap, SuperGaming is determined to leave a significant imprint on the Indian esports landscape, despite initial setbacks.

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