SoulCity, Rooter and IGMC launch Indian GTA esports event

SoulCity, the Grand Theft Auto V (GTA V) arm of Indian esports organisation S8UL, has partnered with Indian streaming platform Rooter and the Indonesia GTA V Masters Championship (IGMC).

As a result, the parties will collaborate to launch the Indian GTA V Rumble Invitational, a regional battle royale tournament.

The format of the battle royale tournament has been developed by Rooter to ‘enhance competitiveness’ and provide opportunities for teams to apply strategies to advance further into matches. How the format specifically works has not been revealed.

A total of 20 teams, including representatives of SoulCity, will compete in the inaugural Indian GTA V Rumble Invitational for its INR 2 lakh (~£1,891) prize pool. Qualifiers begin on May 17th with the grand finals taking place from June 7th through June 9th. The event will feature invited (10) and qualified (10) teams.

Battle Royale titles continue to be some of the most popular titles in the esports industry. In comparison to the likes of Fortnite and Apex Legends, GTA battle royale tournaments have yet to appear in Western markets but deliver good numbers in Asia. The grand final of the 2024 IGMC has accumulated over 500,000 views on its YouTube channel.

In recent years, S8UL has continued to expand its offerings, becoming one of the largest organisations in India. in April 2024, it partnered with KRAFTON to promote the launch of shooter title Bullet Echo India and in July 2023 it hosted a two-day gaming festival in Bangalore.

Lokesh Jain, Co-founder of S8UL, spoke on the news: “Building on the immense success of SoulCity’s star-studded server, we are thrilled to introduce the Indian GTA V Rumble Invitational.

“This initiative will not only showcase the remarkable talent within the Indian Esports community but it also aligns perfectly with SoulCity’s vision of expanding the GTA V community in India. By joining forces with Rooter and IGMC, we aim to create a unique gaming experience that brings out the best GTA V action while providing an opportunity for budding players to shine.”