PUBG India Champions

PUBG India Champions is India's biggest battle royale esports tournament, specifically designed for Indian players of PUBG Mobile. Organized by Krafton India Pvt. Ltd., this annual tournament has become the most anticipated event in the Indian gaming calendar since its first edition in 2020.

Unlike global PUBG tournaments, PUBG India Champions focuses entirely on the Indian gaming community, featuring regional qualifiers, local language commentary, and prize pools tailored to the Indian market. It's not just a competition—it's a celebration of India's growing esports culture.

Overview of PUBG India Champions

PUBG India Champions is more than just a tournament—it's a multi-stage event that runs for over three months, starting with online qualifiers and culminating in a grand offline final in one of India's major cities. The tournament is open to all Indian players aged 16 and above, with separate divisions for amateur and professional teams.

What makes PUBG India Champions unique is its deep integration with Indian culture. From the tournament structure that aligns with Indian festivals to the use of regional languages in commentary, every aspect is designed to resonate with Indian players.

The tournament has grown exponentially over the years. While the first edition in 2020 had a prize pool of ₹50 lakh and 2,000 participating teams, the 2025 edition boasts a ₹5 crore prize pool and over 50,000 registered teams from across India.

To participate in PUBG India Champions, teams must consist of 4 players (with 1 substitute) who are all Indian citizens or residents. The tournament follows the standard PUBG Mobile rules but with some India-specific modifications, such as adjusted weapon spawn rates and map variations that reflect Indian landscapes.

Gameplay and Tournament Structure

Core Gameplay for Tournament

PUBG India Champions uses a modified version of PUBG Mobile's standard battle royale mode, optimized for competitive play. Each match features 100 players (25 teams of 4) dropped onto a map, where they must scavenge for weapons, vehicles, and supplies while eliminating other teams and avoiding the shrinking safe zone.

The tournament uses a points-based system rather than just wins. Teams earn points for kills (10 points per kill) and their final position (up to 100 points for first place). This encourages aggressive play while still rewarding strategic positioning.

Matches are played in the "Erangel" and "Miramar" maps, with occasional use of the India-exclusive "Rajgir" map—a fictional Indian terrain featuring forts, villages, and urban areas inspired by real Indian locations.

Tournament Stages

PUBG India Champions follows a rigorous multi-stage format to ensure the best teams reach the finals:

Online Registration – Open for one month, where teams submit their rosters and pay a nominal registration fee of ₹500 (waived for teams from rural areas). The 2025 edition received 52,347 team registrations.

Regional Online Qualifiers – Teams are divided into 6 regional groups (North, South, East, West, Central, and Northeast). Each region plays 10 matches over two weekends, with the top 100 teams from each region advancing.

Zonal Playoffs – The 600 teams from qualifiers are grouped into 3 zones (North-Central, East-Northeast, South-West). Each zone plays a 15-match round-robin, with the top 20 teams from each zone (60 total) moving to the next stage.

League Stage – 60 teams compete in a double round-robin format (30 matches total) over three weeks. The top 16 teams qualify for the grand finals, while teams ranked 17-32 get a second chance in the Last Chance Qualifier.

Last Chance Qualifier – 16 teams battle it out in 6 matches, with the top 4 joining the league stage qualifiers in the grand finals.

Grand Finals – 20 teams compete in 10 matches over three days in a major Indian city. The team with the most total points is crowned PUBG India Champions.

India-Specific Gameplay Adjustments

To make the tournament more relatable to Indian players, PUBG India Champions includes several unique features not found in global PUBG tournaments:

• Rajgir Map – An India-exclusive map featuring landmarks inspired by Indian architecture, such as the "Red Fort" compound, "Backwater" villages, and "Mountain Temple" areas.
• Local Weapon Skins – Special weapon skins based on Indian weapons like the khukuri, talwar, and pata, available only in the tournament.
• Festival-Themed Events – During tournament stages that coincide with Indian festivals, the game includes special elements like Diwali fireworks, Holi color explosions, and Ganesh Chaturthi decorations.
• Adjusted Spawn Rates – Weapon and item spawn rates are adjusted based on Indian player preferences, with more emphasis on mid-range weapons like the AKM and M416.
• Internet Optimization – Special servers in Mumbai, Bangalore, and Delhi to handle India's unique network conditions, reducing lag for players across the country.

Download Statistics in India

PUBG Mobile (the base game for PUBG India Champions) has been a phenomenal success in India, with numbers that reflect its massive popularity among Indian gamers.

The game's popularity is spread across all corners of India, with the highest concentration of players in:

• Maharashtra (Mumbai, Pune, Thane)
• Telangana & Andhra Pradesh (Hyderabad, Vijayawada)
• Tamil Nadu (Chennai, Coimbatore)
• Karnataka (Bangalore, Mysore)
• Uttar Pradesh (Lucknow, Kanpur, Noida)
• Delhi NCR (Delhi, Gurgaon, Ghaziabad)

Interestingly, PUBG India Champions has driven significant growth in tier-2 and tier-3 cities, where 72% of the player base now resides. This is partly due to the tournament's regional qualifiers, which make it accessible to players outside major metro cities.

Downloads and active players typically spike during the PUBG India Champions registration period. In 2025, downloads increased by 350% in the two weeks after registration opened, with over 10 million new players joining to participate in the tournament.

Another interesting trend is the gender distribution—while 78% of players are male, female participation has grown from 8% in 2020 to 22% in 2025, with several all-female teams making it to the zonal playoffs in recent editions.

Player Reviews and Ratings

PUBG Mobile (the game behind PUBG India Champions) has received generally positive reviews from Indian players, with an average rating of 4.7/5 on the Google Play Store and 4.6/5 on the Apple App Store. Let's look at what Indian players are saying.

Positive Reviews from Indian Players

Common themes in positive reviews include:

• Regional accessibility that allows small-town teams to compete
• Indian-specific content like the Rajgir map and local weapon skins
• Low-latency gameplay due to Indian servers
• Multilingual commentary (Hindi, English, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali)
• Opportunities for amateur players to showcase their skills

Player Feedback and Suggestions

Areas players want improved:

• Better support for players with poor internet connectivity
• Tournament schedules adjusted for student exams
• Lower registration fees for teams from economically weaker areas
• More practice resources for amateur teams
• Better anti-cheat measures during online qualifiers
• More regional offline events for players who can't travel far

Krafton India has responded to much of this feedback. The 2025 edition introduced a "Rural Access Program" that waives registration fees for teams from villages, provides free data packs for qualifiers, and set up 500 local gaming centers across rural India for practice.

Localization and Regional Versions

One of the key reasons for the success of PUBG India Champions is its extensive localization for the diverse Indian market. Unlike global tournaments that use a one-size-fits-all approach, this tournament is tailored to India's linguistic and cultural diversity.

Language Support

PUBG India Champions offers comprehensive language support to ensure players from all regions can participate comfortably:

• Commentary in 8 languages: Hindi, English, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Punjabi, Marathi, and Malayalam
• Tournament rules and guidelines translated into 12 Indian languages
• Customer support available in 15 languages, including Assamese, Gujarati, and Odia
• Regional casters for each qualifier—local celebrities and gamers who understand regional nuances
• Interface options for Devanagari, Tamil, Telugu, and Bengali scripts

This language support has been crucial in expanding the tournament's reach beyond English-speaking urban players. For example, the Tamil commentary team during the South Zone qualifiers increased viewership in Tamil Nadu by 280% compared to English-only broadcasts.

Regional Content and Features

To cater to India's diverse regions, PUBG India Champions includes region-specific content that resonates with local players:

• Regional Map Variations – The Rajgir map features different variations for regional qualifiers, with landmarks specific to each region (e.g., a replica of Charminar for South Zone qualifiers).
• Local Celebrity Appearances – Regional qualifiers feature guest appearances from local celebrities, such as Tollywood actors in Telugu states and Bengali film stars in East Zone.
• Regional Sponsorships – Local brands sponsor regional qualifiers, from South Indian beverage companies to North Indian mobile brands, making the tournament feel more connected to local communities.
• Cultural References – In-game events during regional qualifiers incorporate local festivals and traditions, like Bihu themes in Northeast qualifiers and Pongal celebrations in Tamil Nadu.

Device and Network Optimization for India

Understanding India's unique technological landscape, PUBG India Champions has made significant optimizations for Indian devices and networks:

• Low-End Device Support – A "Lite Mode" specifically for budget smartphones (under ₹10,000) that reduces graphics but maintains gameplay integrity, crucial for players in rural areas.
• Data-Saving Features – Options to reduce data usage by 60% during online qualifiers, with compressed updates and optional HD asset downloads.
• Regional Servers – 12 dedicated servers across India (Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Pune, Jaipur, Lucknow, Kochi, Guwahati) to minimize lag.
• Uninterrupted Play – Auto-reconnect feature that preserves a player's position and inventory after network drops, common in many Indian regions.
• Power Saving Mode – Optimized for devices with smaller batteries, allowing 4+ hours of continuous gameplay on a single charge.

These optimizations have paid off, with 68% of PUBG India Champions participants using devices priced under ₹15,000—proving that esports in India isn't just for those with high-end equipment.

Indian Player Guides and Strategies

Indian players have developed unique strategies for PUBG India Champions that leverage local gaming conditions and cultural knowledge. Here are some top tips from successful Indian players and teams:

Map-Specific Strategies for Indian Players

Rajgir Map – "The Rajgir map is perfect for Indian players because its layout resembles our villages and cities. Focus on the 'Fort Area' for early loot—it's like our Indian forts with multiple entry points. Use the narrow lanes between village houses for ambushes, just like how we play cricket in those lanes!" – Team Desi Warriors, 2024 North Zone finalists.

Erangel for Indian Servers – "On Indian servers, players love rushing early, especially in Erangel. Our strategy is to drop at 'School' but not enter immediately—wait outside in the trees. Most Indian teams will fight inside, then you can pick off the winners. Works 80% of the time in regional qualifiers!" – ProGamerRohan, top 10 individual player 2025.

Miramar for Long-Distance Fights – "Miramar's open spaces are tricky, but remember that many Indian players struggle with long-range aim. Use this to your advantage—camp in the hills around 'Pecado' with a sniper. Most teams will rush into town, giving you easy picks. Just be careful of desert storms—they come faster on Indian servers!" – Desert Hawks, South Zone champions 2024.

Team Composition Tips for Indian Teams

"In Indian teams, we often have friends playing together, but that's not always best for PUBG India Champions. You need specific roles: one good looter (usually the most organized person), one driver (knows vehicle spawns), one sniper (patient player), and one assaulter (aggressive). In our village team, we assigned roles based on our real-life skills—it works!" – Village Warriors, 2025 Central Zone qualifiers.

Economy and Equipment Strategies

"Indian players often waste time looting everything. For PUBG India Champions, focus on these essentials: 3x scope (most Indian players can't handle higher), 2-3 grenades (great for pushing teams in small houses), and a shotgun for close fights in villages. You don't need 100 bullets—50 is enough if you aim properly!" – WeaponWizard, Indian gaming coach.

Tournament-Specific Tips

PUBG India Champions!" – StrategyNinjas, 2025 top 16 team.

Tournaments and Localized Events

PUBG India Champions isn't just a single tournament—it's a series of events throughout the year that build excitement and engage the Indian gaming community.

Main Tournament Editions

Annual Grand Championship – The flagship event, running from August to November each year, with the grand finals usually held in November. The 2025 edition will be hosted in Hyderabad, with a ₹5 crore prize pool—the largest ever for an Indian mobile esports tournament.

Seasonal Challenges – Four smaller tournaments (Spring, Summer, Monsoon, Winter) with ₹50 lakh prize pools each, serving as qualifiers for the grand championship. These are spread throughout the year to keep the competitive scene active.

College Cup – A separate tournament for college students, with over 2,000 colleges participating in 2025. The winning college team gets a ₹10 lakh scholarship fund and a gaming lab setup on their campus.

Women's Championship – Launched in 2023, this all-female tournament has grown to 5,000+ teams, with the winner earning a spot in the main PUBG India Champions tournament. The 2025 edition will have a ₹25 lakh prize pool.

Festival Special Events

PUBG India Champions leverages Indian festivals to create special events that resonate with players:

• Diwali Battle Royale – A 10-day event around Diwali where in-game loot boxes are decorated like diyas, and winning matches gives "firework rewards" that can be redeemed for exclusive skins. The 2024 event had 12 million participants.
• Holi Color Clash – Teams compete in colored zones, with victory granting special Holi-themed weapon skins. The final match is broadcast with Holi celebrations in the background, blending real-world and in-game festivities.
• Independence Day Challenge – August 1-15 event featuring tricolor-themed equipment and a special "Freedom Fighters" mode where teams battle for control of landmark-based objectives.
• Ganesh Chaturthi Cup – A 10-day tournament where the top 11 teams (representing the 11 days of celebration) get to compete in a special match with Ganesh-themed in-game events.

Regional Roadshows and Talent Hunts

To discover new talent across India, PUBG India Champions organizes regional roadshows in 30+ cities:

• City Qualifiers – Offline tournaments in shopping malls and gaming cafes, with the winner from each city advancing to regional qualifiers.
• School and College Tours – Setting up gaming stations in educational institutions to introduce students to competitive play and spot young talent.
• Rural Outreach Programs – Mobile gaming vans that travel to small towns and villages, organizing local tournaments and teaching basic gameplay skills.
• Free Coaching Clinics – Sessions led by past PUBG India Champions players, teaching advanced strategies to amateur teams.

The 2025 roadshow visited 35 cities and 120 villages, attracting over 500,000 participants and discovering several teams that went on to qualify for the zonal playoffs.

Community and Social Features

The PUBG India Champions community is one of the most active and passionate gaming communities in India, with millions of players connecting both online and offline.

In-Game Community Features

The tournament and base game include several features to foster community among Indian players:

• Regional Lobbies – Players can join lobbies with others from their state or language group, making it easier to find teammates who speak their language.
• Team Finder – A feature specifically for PUBG India Champions that helps players find teammates based on their region, skill level, and availability.
• Community Challenges – Weekly challenges where regional communities work together to achieve goals (like total kills or wins) for collective rewards.
• Local Leaderboards – Leaderboards that show rankings within your city, district, or state, making competition more personal and motivating.
• Fan Cam – During live tournament matches, players can submit short video cheers that are displayed on screen between matches, showcasing community support.

External Community Platforms

Indian players have built a massive community outside the game:

• The official PUBG India Champions Facebook group has over 12 million members, where players share strategies, form teams, and discuss tournament updates.
• YouTube channels dedicated to the tournament, like "PUBG India Pro" and "Champions Talk," have over 5 million subscribers each, featuring match analysis and player interviews.
• Regional WhatsApp groups with over 2 million total members, organizing local practice sessions and watching parties for tournament matches.
• Instagram accounts showcasing player highlights, with the hashtag #PUBGIndiaChampions receiving over 2.5 billion views.
• Reddit communities with over 1 million members discussing tournament rules, team performances, and upcoming changes.

Many Indian YouTubers and streamers have built their careers around PUBG India Champions. Streamers like "CarryMinati" and "Total Gaming" regularly broadcast tournament matches, with viewership often exceeding 1 million concurrent viewers during finals.

Offline Community Events

The PUBG India Champions community organizes numerous offline events across India:

• Watch Parties – Organized in cities during tournament finals, with large screens, food stalls, and gaming setups for attendees to play between matches.
• Local Tournaments – Community-organized competitions in gaming cafes, with prize pools funded by entry fees and local sponsors.
• Player Meetups – Informal gatherings of players from the same region, often organized through WhatsApp groups and Facebook.
• Charity Tournaments – Events where proceeds go to local causes, such as the 2024 Mumbai Charity Cup that raised ₹5 lakh for flood relief.

The annual "PUBG India Fan Fest" in Delhi attracts over 50,000 attendees, featuring live tournament matches, celebrity appearances, and gaming workshops. The 2024 Fan Fest included a performance by Indian rapper Badshah, who is a known fan of the tournament.

Professional Gaming Scene in India

PUBG India Champions has played a pivotal role in developing India's professional esports scene, creating career opportunities for thousands of Indian gamers.

Top Professional Teams in India

Several professional esports organizations in India have PUBG Mobile teams competing in PUBG India Champions:

• Team India OpTic – 2024 PUBG India Champions winners, known for their strategic gameplay and consistent performance. Sponsored by Flipkart.
• GodLike Esports – Runners-up in 2023 and 2024, famous for their aggressive playstyle. Sponsored by Red Bull and Xiaomi.
• TSM Entity – A merged team of international organization TSM and Indian Entity, known for discovering young talent from small towns.
• Revenge Esports – A team from Kerala that specializes in the Rajgir map, winners of the 2025 South Zone playoffs.
• Orangutan Esports – Known for their female team "Orangutan Queens," which made history by reaching the 2024 grand finals.

These professional teams offer salaries ranging from ₹30,000 to ₹2 lakh per month for players, plus bonuses for tournament wins. Top players also earn money through sponsorships, streaming, and brand endorsements.

Player Pathways to Professionalism

PUBG India Champions has created a clear pathway for amateur players to turn professional:

• Grassroots Tournaments – Local competitions in cities and towns, with scouts from professional teams in attendance.
• Development Leagues – A second-tier league below the main tournament where young players can showcase their skills.
• Scout Programs – Professional teams run scouting programs that identify top performers in PUBG India Champions qualifiers.
• Academy Teams – Many organizations have academy teams for young players (16-18 years) to develop their skills before joining main rosters.

One inspiring story is that of "VillageBoy" from a small village in Haryana, who was discovered in the 2023 rural qualifiers and now earns ₹1.2 lakh per month as a professional player with GodLike Esports.

Broadcasting and Viewership

PUBG India Champions has revolutionized esports broadcasting in India:

• Matches are broadcast on YouTube, Facebook Gaming, and Loco, with regional language commentary.
• The 2024 grand finals were watched by 18 million unique viewers, with a peak concurrent viewership of 3.2 million.
• Linear TV broadcasts on Sony Ten 3 and Star Sports Select, making esports accessible to non-digital audiences.
• Celebrity hosts and commentators, including Indian cricketers like Suresh Raina and actors like Tiger Shroff, who are gaming enthusiasts.
• Innovative broadcast features like "player POV" (point of view) switches and real-time stats in regional languages.

Sponsorship revenue for PUBG India Champions broadcasts has grown from ₹2 crore in 2020 to ₹35 crore in 2025, reflecting the tournament's increasing mainstream appeal.

Future Updates and Roadmap

Krafton India has announced ambitious plans for PUBG India Champions over the next two years, based on player feedback and India's growing esports market.

Upcoming Features for 2026

New India-Exclusive Map: "Ganges Valley" – A large map set along the Ganges river, featuring cityscapes, rural villages, and riverine areas. Will include landmarks inspired by Varanasi, Patna, and Kolkata.

100-Player Solo Championship – Responding to player demand, a new solo tournament format with a ₹1 crore prize for the winner. Will run parallel to the team tournament.

VR Spectator Mode – Allowing viewers to watch matches in virtual reality, with the ability to move around the map and view from any player's perspective. Initially launching in major cities with VR cafes.

Regional Franchise League – A new league format with 8 city-based franchises (Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Pune) that will replace the current open qualifier system.

Mobile + PC Cross-Platform Qualifiers – Allowing PC players to compete in a separate division, with the top PC team facing the top mobile team in a special exhibition match.

Planned Events for 2026

Players can look forward to these exciting events:

• Republic Day Invitational – A 2-day event on January 26 featuring the top 8 teams from the previous year, competing for a ₹1 crore prize and a chance to meet Indian athletes.
• IPL Collaboration – A special tournament where each team is sponsored by an IPL franchise, with players wearing team colors and maps featuring cricket stadiums.
• International Invitational – The first PUBG India Champions event to include international teams from Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan, with a $1 million prize pool.
• Rural Championship – A separate tournament for teams from villages and small towns, with a ₹50 lakh prize and special training opportunities for the winners.