Rivals, Ampverse DMI’s gaming and entertainment platform for India’s youth, is the brand behind College Rivals and is now expanding its presence into professional esports and broader gaming experiences. As part of this expansion, Rivals announced Pro Rivals, a new national competitive esports property currently underway, alongside the return of College Rivals for its fourth and biggest season yet.
College Rivals Season 4 Announced
The inaugural edition of Pro Rivals is being held from July 17 to 29, 2026, and has attracted nearly 1,000 teams from across India for a six-round national competition. A total prize pool of ₹7 lakhs is on offer, with the champions receiving ₹3 lakhs, the runners-up ₹2 lakhs and the third-place team ₹1 lakh. Individual honours will also be awarded to the Most Valuable Player (MVP) and Fan Favourite, with each winner receiving ₹50,000. Conducted entirely online, the tournament will culminate in India’s leading teams competing for the inaugural Pro Rivals championship title.
Charlie Baillie, Co-Founder & Group CEO, Ampverse, said, “Pro Rivals represents the next step in the evolution of the Rivals platform. As gaming communities continue to mature, players are looking for more opportunities to compete at a higher level and challenge themselves against stronger opposition. With Pro Rivals, we’re expanding the Rivals experience beyond campuses and have created a new stage for competitive play that complements College Rivals and strengthens the overall Rivals ecosystem.”
Meanwhile, College Rivals Season 4 began in Pune on July 20, marking the start of the platform’s largest collegiate esports competition season to date. The season will reach more than 100 colleges across over 40 cities, with competitions in BGMI Solo, BGMI Female, BGMI Squad and EA SPORTS FC™ Mobile. Students will also be able to participate in community gaming experiences and engagement activities through the Rivals Arcade zone.
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Chess will also make its debut on the platform as a competitive title, with tournaments taking place online across colleges and cities. Beyond competition, College Rivals will continue to bring together music, creators, pop culture elements and immersive campus experiences, reinforcing its position as a gaming and youth culture platform for India.
Sumedha Mahajan, India Business Head, Ampverse DMI , said: “With Season 4, we’re significantly expanding the scale and experience of College Rivals, reaching more campuses, introducing new formats like Chess, and creating more ways for students to engage with gaming and youth culture. Alongside this, Pro Rivals extends the RIVALS platform by bringing together professional organisations and emerging teams in a national competition, giving players and fans new ways to experience RIVALS throughout the year.”
India’s mobile gaming and esports market was estimated to be worth US$1.1 billion in 2025 and projected to reach US$2.4 billion by 2029. As participation continues to grow, structured competitions and community-led platforms are expected to play an increasingly important role in shaping the industry’s next phase of development.
