Introducing Google Play Arena: India’s Ultimate Mobile Gaming Championship
Today, India represents one of the world's largest, most passionate mobile gaming communities. From the country’s first official gaming contingent sent to the Asian Games to the massive rise of talented local creators, mobile gaming in India has evolved from a casual pastime into a structured, skill-led pursuit.
To further support this growth, we are launching Google Play Arena, a merit-based gaming championship in collaboration with NODWIN Gaming. The platform brings together India’s biggest gaming clubs, sporting legend MS Dhoni - a passionate gamer himself, and a completely open grassroots competitive pathway to encourage India’s local gaming talent.
Google Play has long supported India’s journey toward becoming a powerhouse of global app and gaming talent, and with Google Play Arena, we are expanding this commitment. Designed as a pure skill-led competition, the arena has no entry fees and no pay-to-play mechanics. Our goal is to give India's mobile gaming community what mainstream sports enjoy: recognized professional clubs, a grassroots-to-professional ladder, and a stage where merit is the sole determinant of success.
Six Games, Six Clubs
Instead of focusing on a single title, Google Play Arena introduces an integrated club-based championship format. The competition spans six diverse game titles representing sports, shooters, and strategy: Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), Free Fire MAX, Moba Legends: 5v5!, Real Cricket, Chess (Chess.com), and EA SPORTS FC™ Mobile.
To compete across these six titles, the tournament features six participating clubs. This includes five of India's popular gaming organizations - Team S8UL, GodLike Esports, Orangutan Gaming, Revenant XSpark, and Team Apex Gaming.
In an exciting addition, MS Dhoni is also entering the arena with his very own competitive club, Mahi Clutchers, which will serve as the sixth club. Built entirely from the ground up through open qualifiers, his team offers gamers an opportunity to compete under his banner.
Opening the Field to Grassroots Talent
Google Play Arena is built on the belief that competitive play should be open to all, not just established professionals. Gamers aged 18 and older can register for free to compete in open online qualifiers. Top performers will earn the opportunity to represent one of the six professional clubs at the Grand Finale in December 2026.
Over the next few weeks, the road to the Grand Finale will be packed with momentum, and we look forward to having gaming enthusiasts and the entire community join us in this celebration. Keep a close lookout for special community unlocks, exclusive game offers, and opportunities to join us live at the arena.
Free registrations open today. Visit the official Google Play Arena platform on the Google Play Store to register and start your journey.
