Global Esports Leaves Esports Behind for AI Venture

Global Esports (GE) will end its competitive esports operations and redirect its business toward GE Studios, an AI-focused venture, Founder & CEO, Dr. Rushindra Sinha, announced on Oct. 19, 2026. The decision follows the Indian organization's most successful VALORANT season, which included international appearances and its first VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) Pacific Stage 2 championship.

The move ends nearly a decade of competitive operations but does not dissolve the organization. Sinha stated that Riot Games approached GE in November 2025 to discuss its future amid changes to the VCT partnership structure and competitive format.

How Did Global Esports Reach its Final Competitive Season?

Founded in India in 2017 by Sinha and co-founder Mohit Israney, GE expanded from a startup into an international esports organization. It secured seed funding from Venture Catalysts, becoming India's first venture-capital-backed esports company. The business was formally incorporated in November 2018.

The organization competed across multiple titles, including Dota 2, Overwatch, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS: GO), PUBG Mobile, Fortnite, and Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI).

In 2022, following its VALORANT Conquerors Championship (VCC) victory, Riot Games selected it as one of 10 permanent VCT Pacific partners and the only organization representing South Asia. GE subsequently established operations in Seoul, South Korea, to support international competition.

Its final season delivered several milestones:

• International appearances: Masters London and the Esports World Cup (EWC) in Paris.
• Global qualification: A place at VALORANT Champions in Shanghai.
• Regional title: Victory in the VCT Pacific Stage 2 championship in September 2026.

Global Esports Timeline: Major Milestones From 2017 to 2026

Here are the significant milestones that shaped GE's journey from a multi-title esports organization to its AI-focused transition:

• 2017: Dr. Rushindra Sinha and Mohit Israney founded GE in India, initially building its presence around Dota 2 and Overwatch.
• 2018: The company was formally incorporated in November and expanded into South Korea with its Overwatch roster.
• 2019: GE entered Indian CS and Dota 2 competition, winning the ESL India Premiership Fall Finals in Dota 2 and finishing as runner-up in Overwatch Contenders Pacific Season 2.
• 2020: GE won the ESL India Premiership Summer in CS, formed a PUBG Mobile lineup, and entered VALORANT by signing the God Squad roster featuring Ganesh “SKRossi” Gangadhar.
• 2021: GE won the VCC, qualifying for the APAC Last Chance Qualifier. SKRossi emerged as a leading player in India's competitive VALORANT scene.
• 2022: GE won the inaugural BGMI Masters Series (BGMS) and became one of 10 VCT Pacific partner organizations, representing South Asia.
• 2023: GE debuted internationally at VCT LOCK//IN in São Paulo and competed in the inaugural VCT Pacific season. SKRossi departed later that year after three years with the organization.
• 2024-2025: GE finished as runner-up at BGIS 2024 before winding down its mobile esports operations in late 2025. It also streamlined operations amid financial pressure across India's esports industry.
• November 2025: Riot Games discussed upcoming VCT structural changes with GE, prompting Sinha to indicate that 2026 would likely be the organization's final competitive year.
• September 2026: GE won the VCT Pacific Stage 2 championship, defeating Nongshim RedForce 3-2 in the grand final.
• October 2026: On Oct. 19, Sinha announced the closure of GE's competitive operations and the transition toward GE Studios, an AI-focused venture.

Why is Global Esports Releasing its Players?

Despite its championship, Sinha pointed out that maintaining the business solely to retain its five-player roster was not sustainable. Changes to competitive rules meant losing even one player could undermine the arrangement, while continuing under those circumstances could restrict other opportunities.

The organization has released its players into free agency, including Filipino players Xavier “xavi8k” Juan and Patrick “PatMen” Mendoza, alongside Filipino assistant coach Darren “Aimix Strange” dela Cruz. Sinha said several players had already received offers.

“We tried everything to keep this roster together because I want nothing more than for these five players to have the best life ever,” he said in his farewell video.

What Will GE Studios Build With AI?

GE plans to apply its gaming experience to AI-powered game development, digital content, storytelling, and community building. Sinha has expressed a strong interest in AI and sees the technology changing how games are created and how audiences engage with content.

The organization's official Instagram account described 2026 as a year of “firsts (and lasts)” and directed followers to its GE Studios website.

The supplied background identifies planned initiatives, including Jeufy, described as a prompt-to-playable game engine, Ares, a voice-operated system, and automated digital content pipelines. The company intends to build its next phase around these AI applications rather than competitive teams.

GE's history also reflects the challenges of scaling an Indian esports business internationally, including player visas, cross-border operations, and corporate remittances.

The organization previously positioned itself as a sustainable business during a period when several Indian esports competitors shut down. Its shift to AI now marks a change in strategy, with Sinha aiming to make the next decade more exciting than the last.