KRAFTON India College Campus Tour: Igniting India's Esports Revolution Across 128 Campuses in Year 2
- Saswata Mondal
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
Imagine thousands of college students across India, controllers in hand, dropping into intense BGMI skirmishes or smashing sixes in Real Cricket showdowns, right in the heart of their campus festivals. That's the electric reality of the KRAFTON India College Campus Tour, now exploding into its second year with a massive leap to 128 colleges spanning Tier 1, 2, and 3 cities. Announced on January 27, 2026, this nationwide initiative isn't just tournaments; it's a full-throttle talent factory, embedding pro-level esports into student life and funneling top squads toward BGIS and beyond.
KRAFTON India, the powerhouse behind BGMI, is doubling down on grassroots development amid a booming market projected to hit ₹1,100 crore by 2025 with 1.5 million active players and 250,000 organized teams. After Year 1 engaged over 50,000 students and expanded from 64 to 85 colleges due to overwhelming demand, Year 2 cranks it up, creating structured "Path to Pro" pipelines.
KRAFTON India College Campus Tour Year 2:
128 Campuses, Bigger Stakes
Fresh off the January 27 announcement, KRAFTON India College Campus Tour Year 2 blankets 128 colleges, a near-doubling from Year 1's finale, hitting every corner of India from metros to emerging hubs. Tournaments weave directly into college festivals, turning cultural events into esports spectacles with pro-grade infrastructure: stable servers, live streams, and creator meetups.
Core Games:
BGMI (Battlegrounds Mobile India): Squad-based survival battles, perfect for team synergy and clutches.
Real Cricket 24: Fast-paced cricket action, tapping India's cricket fever.
Each event features standardized rules, oversight from KRAFTON, and hands-on training, broadcast gear, tournament software, even digital citizenship workshops. It's a cultural shift, legitimizing esports as a viable career amid skyrocketing sponsorships from tech, telecom, and lifestyle brands.
Past patterns: Events like Pramana 2025 (Esports Club HYD) and SRGI fests show January-February hotspots, with prizes up to ₹50,000 per tourney.
Inside a Typical KRAFTON India College Campus Tour Event
From drop-in to victory royale, here's the flow:
Registration: Free via college portals (e.g., Google Forms for UEM Kolkata's Feb 21-22 event). Solo/duo/squad formats, open to students.
Qualifiers: Campus-level heats during fests.
Finals: On-site grandstands, live streams, creator guests like ZAP and ISHIKA PLAYZ.
Perks: Prizes, swag, networking, plus progression invites.
Aspect | Year 1 Details | Year 2 Upgrades |
Colleges | 64 (expanded to 85) | 128 nationwide |
Students Reached | 50,000+ | Projected 100,000+ |
Prize Pool | ₹2 Cr total (₹2L+ per college) | ₹3-4 Cr (₹2.5L+ per college) |
Games | BGMI-focused | BGMI + Real Cricket 24 |
Progression | Scouting nods | Campus → Zonal → Top 16 to pro qualifiers |
Prizes, Progression, and Pro Pathways: Your Road to BGIS Glory
Cash isn't the only draw, progression is king. Campus winners feed into zonal stages, with the Top 16 teams snagging invites to KRAFTON's elite qualifiers, potentially BGIS 2026 or BGMS. This "Path to Pro" scouts raw talent, stress-tests servers, and builds teams for the ₹1,100 Cr market.
Prize Breakdown (Based on Year 1 + Ongoing Events):
Level | Example Prizes | Total Est. Year 2 |
Per Campus | ₹20K-₹50K (1st: ₹30K squads) | ₹2.5L+ per college |
Zonal | ₹1L+ winners | Multi-crore aggregate |
Top 16 Qualifier | Gear, coaching, pro contracts | Ties to BGIS/BGMS pools |
Karan Pathak, Associate Director – Esports at KRAFTON India, nails it: "India’s Esports growth will be defined by how early we create access and structure for young talent... Through the Campus Tour, our focus is on building credible pathways—not just for participation, but for progression."
How to Join the KRAFTON India College Campus Tour: Squad Up Now
Quick-Check Toolkit: Is Your Campus in the KRAFTON India College Campus Tour?
Search Hack: Google "[Your College Name]" "KRAFTON" "Campus Tour" OR BGMI tournament—results pop with event posters/regs in seconds.
Social Scout: Follow your college's esports club Instagram/X/FB
(e.g., @esports_gitamhyd, @esports_uemkolkata). They post regs first!
KRAFTON Radar: Track @KRAFTONIndia, @Let’sBGMI, @letsgrowesports on X - hype posts tag campuses.
Pitch Your College: Non-participants? Email esports@krafton.in or form on krafton.in/contact - demand spiked Year 1 from 64→85!
WB/Local Gems (Examples) | Event Deets | Reg Link/Example |
UEM Kolkata | Feb 21-22, BGMI squads | Google Form |
GITAM Hyderabad | Recent Edition, ₹20K+ | IG: @esports_gitam.hyd |
GNIT (Greater Noida) | EUPHONIOUS x ZYZZVA 2K26 | IG Reels hype |
IIIT Nagpur | Oct '25 (Year 1 carryover, ₹5K) | @iiitnagpur_esports |
Avantika University | Jan '26 BGMI/RC | School of Eng IG |
The Origins: How the KRAFTON India College Campus Tour Started
Launched in 2024 as a landmark push for scholastic esports, the KRAFTON India College Campus Tour kicked off with 64 tournaments across Tier 1-3 cities, boasting a ₹2 crore total prize pool, over ₹2 lakh per host college. It wasn't fly-by-night fun; KRAFTON partnered with tournament organizers for standardized formats, broadcast setups, and career workshops on roles like game design and community management.
Early stops included heavyweights like IIT Delhi and IIT Kanpur, blending seamlessly into fests for authentic vibes. The result? A 32% expansion mid-Year 1 to 85 colleges, captivating 50,000+ students and birthing India's largest college esports pipeline. Top performers got scouting nods, proving the tour's pro potential.
This success fueled KRAFTON's H1 2025 roadmap (₹4 crore prizes overall), setting the stage for 2026's colossal scale-up.
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