Samsung has taken a significant step into India’s expanding esports ecosystem by becoming the Official Title Sponsor of College Rivals Season 3. The South Korean technology major has partnered with esports arena Ampverse DMI, marking its first large-scale association with collegiate competitive gaming in India. As part of the deal, Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Ultra will be used for all on-ground gameplay and will feature prominently across tournament content and integrations.
The move highlights the growing interest of global consumer brands in Indian esports, particularly at the college level. It also follows the recent entry of Hindustan Unilever Limited into the competitive gaming space, signalling wider corporate confidence in esports as a youth engagement platform.
The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act (PROGA) 2025 introduced formal rules for online gaming and esports, along with state‑backed incentives for players. Esports expanded beyond metropolitan centres, with its inclusion in the Khelo India Youth Games driving participation from smaller towns. States such as Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan hosted official tournaments, helping to develop local talent. The rise in state‑level competitions created the basis for a national esports structure that is broader and more competitive.
As reported by Storyboard18, under the partnership, student gamers participating in College Rivals Season 3 will compete exclusively on the Galaxy S25 Ultra. The device will serve as the official tournament smartphone, placing it under real competitive conditions across multiple cities and campuses.
India’s college esports scene has grown rapidly over the past few years, driven by a young population with increasing access to mobile gaming and organised tournaments. Players are seeking devices that deliver stable performance, fast response times and strong visual quality. Flagship smartphones are now seen as essential tools for serious competitive play.
Collegiate tournaments have also become important pathways for discovering grassroots talent. These platforms allow aspiring players to compete at scale while offering brands visibility among a highly engaged youth audience.
College Rivals Season 3 is set to be the largest edition of the tournament so far. This year, the series will expand to more than 70 colleges across 20 cities. Organisers have added more qualifiers and introduced new team-based formats for Battlegrounds Mobile India, aiming to raise the level of competition and improve the overall participant experience.
Ampverse describes itself as Asia’s largest ecosystem of gaming and entertainment communities and intellectual properties. The company operates in partnership with DMI Finance through a strategic joint venture focused on strengthening India’s esports and gaming ecosystem.
Since its launch in August 2023, the College Rivals Esports Series has positioned itself as India’s largest collegiate esports intellectual property. By its third season, organisers claim it has achieved the highest campus penetration in the sector.
Samsung’s entry comes as other large consumer companies begin exploring esports sponsorships. Hindustan Unilever Limited recently made its debut in the segment by sponsoring the Chennai Esports Global Championship. The state-backed international tournament marked HUL’s first structured move into competitive gaming.
HUL’s Boost Protein brand sponsored the championship, indicating how mass and youth-focused brands are starting to align with esports. Industry observers note that such partnerships reflect a cautious but growing corporate interest in the sector, with companies likely to adopt phased strategies as esports audiences continue to expand.
With campus esports gaining momentum, partnerships like Samsung’s suggest that competitive gaming is becoming an established channel for technology testing, talent discovery and youth-focused brand engagement in India.
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