NODWIN Gaming acquires StarLadder

NODWIN Gaming has announced their complete acquisition of StarLadder in a deal worth INR 46.75 crores or USD 5.5 million, with the acquisition uniting StarLadders' capability of producing AAA events with NODWIN Gaming’s vision. StarLadder, though, will continue to maintain their identity with their founder Roman Romantsov continuing to run the business whilst also becoming a shareholder of NODWIN Gaming. NODWIN Gaming is the entertainment, gaming and esports and a material subsidiary of Indian technology holding company Nazara Technologies Limited.

StarLadder previously had the honour of hosting a CS:GO Major in Berlin in 2019. Their roadmap for 2025 contained StarLadder Starseries Season 19 and 20 in the months of May and September, before they had to cancel Season 19 due to extended Major timeline. NODWIN stated that StarLadder will continue to operate with their core identity and founder Roman Romanstov will continue at the helm.

StarLadder and Roman are the superstars behind the Creme de la Creme events that esports fans have loved to see. Roman is considered one of the pioneers of esports event production with his deep insight in stage design, creative broadcast solutions and entrepreneurial energy. I have been a fan of his work for the longest time and cherish the opportunity to work and build NODWIN with one of my heroes. We have a vision of elevating and creating incredible community experiences, including more CS:GO tournaments for our amazing fans and partners and look forward to taking them to more emerging markets. We are so proud to welcome such an amazing brand and founder into the NODWIN Gaming family.
Akshat Rathee, Co-Founder, NODWIN Gaming

NODWIN Gaming also has a history of being involved with Counter-Strike tournaments in India, having hosted DreamHack Hyderabad and BLAST The Draft in 2023 and 2024 and has previously worked with ESL to host CS events in the country as well.

We live in an era of globalization, where the synergy of resources, expertise, and potential drives success and paves the way for future growth. We are thrilled to have found partners and like-minded individuals who share our vision and ambition. Together with NODWIN Gaming, StarLadder is committed to creating extraordinary experiences for fans, delivering unforgettable events across multiple games and regions. Stay tuned for what’s to come!
Roman Romantsov, Founder, StarLadder

NODWIN's acquisition of StarLadder should spell good news to Indian CS fans, who have been eagerly waiting for fresh tournaments to ignite the local scene. While no announcements have been made regarding Indian tournaments yet, it will be interesting to see what the future holds.