NODWIN Gaming picks up 10% stake in digital content network Rusk Media

Nazara Technologies on Monday said its subsidiary NODWIN Gaming has acquired a strategic 10 per cent stake in digital content IP media network, Rusk Media.

No financial details of the transaction were disclosed.

Continuing its 'youth first' philosophy, NODWIN Gaming aims to deepen and widen its portfolio of content IPs in the gaming and e-sports ecosystem by investing in Rusk Media, a regulatory filing by Nazara said.

NODWIN Gaming's investment in Rusk Media will enable the massification of entertainment-first gaming and e-sports content in the country and enable media platforms to have access to content that the Gen Z cohort is looking for, it added.

Recently, NODWIN Gaming acquired the gaming and adjacent IP businesses of OML Entertainment, including the IP of the BACARDI NH7 Weekender music festival.

As a leader of e-sports in the South Asian region, we aim to eventually have a significant presence across the entire ecosystem in this sector. Through our investment in Rusk Media, we aim to take further steps in the massification of e-sports and gaming by creating entertainment-first gaming IPs for the GenZ, NODWIN Gaming Managing Director Akshat Rathee said.

Rusk Media is an exclusive GenZ-first digital content IP network, and its content is tailor-made for audiences in the 15-25 age group with a focus on equal viewership across genders. Founded in 2019, Rusk now delivers over 300 million views across its IPs monthly on social platforms and OTT (over the top) platforms.

"We're excited to have NODWIN Gaming as a part of our journey to revolutionise entertainment for the Gen-Z and Millennial audience. We want to bring together the worlds of entertainment and esports and create digital-first IPs that are made for gaming fans, Rusk Media CEO Mayank Yadav said.