In what could be said to be one of the most dominant performances in BGMI tournaments recently, Orangutan Gaming took the number one position at the first-ever iQOO Battlegrounds Series, building a massive 61-point gap from the next. This is not only a huge win for them, it is also the team’s first ever BGMI LAN championship, competed for in front of thousands of their cheering fans at the Noida Indoor Stadium from August 8 to 10.
Tournament Overview
The iQOO Battlegrounds Series, hosted by NODWIN Gaming and in association with iQOO performance smartphones, kicked off from July 21, 2025.
- Total Teams: 32 (30 got invited and 2 qualified through the qualifiers in the iQOO Community Cup)
- Stages: Group Stage → Semi Finals → LAN Grand Finals
- Venue: Noida Indoor Stadium
- Prize Pool: INR 1 crore
In the group stage, the top 8 teams went directly to the Grand Finals, and the remaining 24 teams competed in the Semi-Finals again for the remaining 8 spots. This left the 16 squads, which then competed in the LAN Grand Finals.
Final Standings
After 18 matches over three extremely intense days on LAN, Orangutan Gaming was undisputed winners.
- 1st Place: Orangutan Gaming – 217 points, Prize: ₹55 lakh
- 2nd Place: Meta Ninza – 156 points, Prize: ₹15 lakh
- 3rd Place: K9 Esports – 121 points, Prize: ₹7.5 lakh
Ankit “AKop” Shukla of the team was awarded the Most Valuable Player award for his great individual play, which concluded the finals with 62 finishes and got him additional ₹2 lakh.
Voices From The Champions
Team captain Arman “Aaru” said,
“Four years ago, it was only a dream. Now, it’s in our hands. Every time we had setbacks, close calls or hard days, it only made us grow stronger. We just didn’t give up, that’s why this happened.”
The LAN Atmosphere & Star Presence
Noida Indoor Stadium buzzed with energy everywhere. Fans could also attend meet-and-greet sessions with some of India’s most renowned gaming content creators:
- Naman “Mortal” Mathur
- Raj “Snax” Varma
- Gulrez “JokerKiHaveli” Khan
- Payal “PayalGaming” Dhare
- Kaashvi “KaashPlays” Hiranandani
- Tanmay “ScoutOP” Singh
This gave the tournament more community vibes, which many esports events sometimes miss.
Brand Perspectives
iQOO’s Vision
Nipun Marya, CEO of iQOO, shared:
“The iQOO Battlegrounds Series is our flagship gaming IP, where the best teams of India come on the grand stage. Heartfelt congratulation to iQOO Orangutan for the win, and also to Meta Ninza and K9 Esports for playing with spirit. We are proud to give a place that promotes skills, passion and ambition.”
NODWIN Gaming’s Take
Akshat Rathee, Co-founder & MD of NODWIN Gaming, remarked:
“Here you see innovation and talent meeting together. Orangutan deserve the win and all the teams shown the competitive spirit. With partners like iQOO, our aim is to keep raising the standards and take Indian esports further to the world.”
About iQOO
iQOO is a performance-focused smartphone brand. The brand name is derived from “I Quest On and On.” iQOO is a BMW M Motorsport premium partner and also partnered with Indian esports since 2020. About NODWIN Gaming
About NODWIN Gaming
A part of Nazara Technologies Ltd., NODWIN Gaming has established itself well in esports and gaming regions, organizing events in South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. It has investors such as Sony, KRAFTON, and JetSynthesys.
Why This Win Matters
Orangutan’s trophy is not just about winning games. It reflects how India’s esports scene is rising with large LANs, structured formats, and large prize pools. iQOO Battlegrounds Series launch has now raised the bar for BGMI tournaments, and there seem to be much more greater things in store.
