AnimationXpress’s highly anticipated events of the year—the GEM (Gaming, Esports, and Metaverse) Awards 2025 in association with Anime Times concluded with a bang. The ceremony brought together the trailblazers from the Indian gaming, esports and metaverse industries for a spectacular celebration.
This third edition of the GEM Awards was held on 28 February 2025 at The Lalit Ashok, Bengaluru from 6 to 8 pm, hosted as a part of Bengaluru GAFX, India’s premier annual conference for the animation, VFX, and gaming industries, which was supported by the Government of Karnataka. The awards were held in association with Anime Times. The industry partners for GEM Awards 2025 were Xbox and CyberPowerPC.
On this momentous occasion, AnimationXpress chief operating officer Neha Mehta expressed, “Congratulations to the incredible game developers, game studios, esports teams, esports organisations, and metaverse companies for pushing the boundaries of innovation, creativity, and passion in the gaming and esports sectors. Your hard work and dedication have set new standards in the industry, and this recognition is a testament to your unwavering commitment to excellence. Here’s to more groundbreaking achievements ahead!”
The gaming, esports and metaverse awards jury consisted an esteemed panel of industry experts:
- Anil NM Wanvari | founder, chairman & editor-in-chief, AnimationXpress
- Arun Rao | senior vice-president, Havas Play
- Bruce Lin | NB marketing manager, MSI India
- Biren Ghose | president – ABAI | chairman – Bengaluru GAFX
- C B Arun Kumar | dean – design, film, gaming, Pearl Academy
- Christopher Stair | co-founder & game director, Squid Shock Studios
- Mike Fischer | professor of interactive media, University of Southern California
- Rajat Ojha | CEO, Gamitronics
- RK Chand | executive director – The Mill, Technicolor Group India | secretary, ABAI
- Siddharth Nayyar | co-founder and CRO, Max Level
- Supriya Mankame | deputy general manager, Gigabyte Technology India
- Tushar Handa | associate vice-president – creative, culture & platform strategy, Publicis Play
- Vishal Parekh | COO, CyberPowerPC India
- Vishvesh Mishra | national product marketing manager (India), DeepCool
AnimationXpress has issued two special awards to honour the state and the people who have left a huge mark in the upliftment of this industry. The awards presented were:
- State Contribution to the Indian Esports Industry
- Contribution to Gaming & Esports Industry in India.
The State Contribution to the Indian Esports Industry was presented to the Tamil Nadu government. It was received by Tamil Nadu Sports Development Authority’s Dr. J. Meghanath Reddy IAS. The Tamil Nadu government has done a remarkable job in organising the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister’s Trophy 2024, a progressive step towards promoting esports and engaging audiences across diverse categories, including school students, college students, government employees, the general public, and differently-abled individuals. The inclusion of esports in such a prestigious event reflected the government’s commitment to fostering innovation and empowering the youth for global platforms like the Asian Games and the Olympics.
The Contribution to Gaming & Esports Industry in India award was presented to JetSynthesys founder and CEO Rajan Navani. His visionary leadership and enduring commitment to the gaming and esports industry have been transformative. His emphasis on responsibility within the industry, advocating for games developed with checks and balances, and promoting sustainability have set benchmarks for ethical innovation and focused on greater community engagement, particularly involving gamers in shaping the industry, has inspired countless stakeholders. Navani’s insights on the potential of esports to bring international recognition to India resonate deeply, especially as the country prepares for opportunities like the esports Olympics.
Sharing his enthusiasm for the Indian gaming and esports sector, AnimationXpress director Mishaal Wanvari said, “We are witnessing remarkable talent and innovation emerging from India in gaming, esports, and the metaverse segments. Through the GEM Awards, we aim to recognise and showcase some of the industry’s most outstanding contributions.”
Below is a full list of winners:
GAMING
Best Casual Game
Bloom – A Puzzle Adventure by Lucid Labs
Best Hyper Casual Game
- Military Academy 3D by Street Lamp Games
- Wobble Gobble by Backstage Pass Institute of Gaming and Technology
Best Midcore Game
Artifice: War Tactics by Silvine Game Studios
Best Hardcore Game
1971: Indian Naval Front by Neosphere Interactive Studios
Best Console Game
Darkarta: A Broken Heart’s Quest by Tuttifrutti Interactive
Best Mobile Game
- Indus Battle Royale by SuperGaming
- Ludo Supreme by Zupee (RMG Game)
Best PC Game
Laser Tanks by AbhiTechGames
Best PC Game – International
- Valorant by Riot Games
- The Finals by Embark Studios
Best Student Game
- Cognac Metaverse by Aditya Gaurav, Chandigarh University
- Heads Off! by Rajath Biju/Hurshwardhan Nashine/Prathamesh Gandhi, Whistling Woods International
Best Gaming Promo
- Unsung Empires: The Cholas I by Ayelet Studio
- Jungle Book Snake and Ladder Game by Powerkids Entertainment (Singapore)
Best Game Direction
- Chirag Chopra, Bloom – A Puzzle Adventure by Lucid Labs
- Abhishek Vyas, American Dad! Apocalypse Soon by Reliance Games (Zapak Games)
Best Game Producer
Abhishek Vyas for WWE Mayhem, Reliance Games (Zapak Games)
Best Art Direction
- Unsung Empires: The Cholas I by Ayelet Studio
- American Dad! Apocalypse Soon by Reliance Games (Zapak Games)
Best Game Score/Music
Andrea Belucci for Artifice: War Tactics, Silvine Game Studios
Best Audio Design
Vishwas for Artifice: War Tactics by Silvine Game Studios
Games for Impact
Little Singham Cycle Race by Reliance Games (Zapak Games)
Best Ongoing Game
Battle Legion by Godspeed Games
Most Anticipated Game
- Unsung Empires: The Cholas II by Ayelet Studio
- Kapih by 88 Games
- Winds of Arcana: Ruination by Brewed Games (Editor’s Choice)
Best Indie Studio of the Year
- Lucid Labs
- Gamebee Studio
Game Studio of the Year
SuperGaming
METAVERSE, NFTs, TECHNOLOGY
Metaverse Developer of the Year
Immersive Gamitronics Studios for “Revolutionizing Cultural Experiences with the PartyNite Metaverse”
NFT Creator of the Year
Skoda Auto Volkswagen India for Škodaverse India 1 of 128
Best Custom PC Builder
EliteHubs
Best PC Hardware Brand
Cooler Master
ESPORTS
Best Streaming Platform
Rooter
Esports Coach of the Year
Rahul “Osmium” Sharma
Esports Caster of the Year
Ankit “Ankiiibot” Pandey
Best Esports Promo/Commercial
Rivalry Anthem by Ampverse DMI
Best Esports Production
- Tesseract Esports | BGIS 2024
- Nodwin Gaming | BGMS Season 3
Esports Commercial Partner of the Year
Hero Xtreme x GodLike Esports
Esports Moment of the Year
Riot Games India & South Asia | Convergence
Esports Athlete of the Year
Jonathan “Jonathan Gaming” Amaral
Esports Tournament Organiser of the Year
Skyesports
Esports Tournament of the Year
BMPS 2024 by Skyesports
Esport Organisation Of the Year
GodLike Esports
Best Esports Team
- Gladiators Esports | BGIS
- Godlike Esports | CODM
Best Esports Player
Ganesh “SK Rossi” Gangadhar
Streamer of the Year – Male
- Yash “Lollzzz” Thakkar
- Tanmay “Sc0utOP” Singh
Streamer of the Year – Female
Payal “Payal Gaming” Dhare
Content Creator of the Year (Gaming)
Sakshi “Sharkshe” Shetty
EXCEPTIONAL CONTRIBUTION TO INDIAN GAMING & ESPORTS ECOSYSTEM
State Contribution to the Indian Esports Industry
Tamil Nadu
Contribution to Gaming & Esports Industry in India
Rajan Navani
FAN CHOICE AWARDS
Fan Favourite Esports Team of the Year
Team Soul
Fan Favourite Content Creator of the Year
GamerFleet – Anshu Bisht
Fan Favourite Lifestyle Gaming Personality of the Year – Male
Ocean Sharma
Fan Favourite Lifestyle Gaming Personality of the Year – Female
Kaashvi “Kaash Plays” Hiranandani
Fan Favourite Esports Player of the Year – Female
Swayambika “Sway” Sachar
Fan Favourite Esports Player of the Year – Male)
Jonathan “Jonathan Gaming” Amaral
Most Trending Game of the Year
Battlegrounds Mobile India
