Rising Stars 2026: KRAFTON India Expands Esports Creator Pipeline With Two-Tier Programme

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KRAFTON India has opened registrations for the KRAFTON India Esports Rising Stars Programme 2026, starting January 20, 2026. The window runs till February 20, 2026. Selected Rising Stars will be announced during BGIS 2026 on KRAFTON India's social media, and onboarded later.

The programme continues KRAFTON India's focus on grassroots esports talent across India. It follows a year of strong on-ground impact and creator growth. The 2026 edition brings a wider, more organised format. It aims to support long-term careers and build a steady talent pipeline.

Two-tier structure and support benefits

The Rising Stars Programme 2026 will operate with two tiers. These tiers are Elite Rising Stars and Backup Rising Stars. This structure is meant to give clear growth paths. It links support to performance. It also keeps a ready pool of talent within the programme.

Elite Rising Stars will receive support such as streaming device help and room cards. They will also gain added performance, visibility, and ecosystem benefits. Backup Rising Stars will get room card support. They will stay ready to move up if standards are met.

Performance benchmarks will guide movement between tiers. High-performing Backup Rising Stars can be elevated to the Elite group when needed. These checks aim to keep accountability and quality. They also reward consistent effort and improvements over time within the programme.

Regular tournaments and competitive exposure

KRAFTON India Esports plans to run multiple Rising Stars tournaments each year. These events will be dedicated to programme participants. Rising Stars will compete with their own teams. They will play for prize pools and gain organised tournament exposure through repeat events.

KRAFTON India's vision for esports creators

Karan Pathak, Associate Director – Esports, KRAFTON India, said: "As India's esports ecosystem matures, creators need more than short-term visibility—they need consistency, competitive relevance, and clear pathways to grow. With Rising Star 2026, we've built a more structured, performance-led programme that rewards commitment and progression.

He added: "By introducing tiered support, regular competitive opportunities, and clear benchmarks, we're creating a scalable pipeline that allows emerging talent to grow sustainably and step up when they're ready. This programme reflects our long-term vision of strengthening India's esports ecosystem from the ground up."

Impact of the 2025 inaugural cohort

The Rising Stars Programme launched in 2025. It was created to find and support new esports athletes and gaming content creators. The model used structured mentorship, ecosystem support, and long-term development. Seven Rising Stars formed the first group under this plan.

The 2025 cohort included NOOBPARI, SHIRAJ, ZALAIKAM, SAUMRAJ, MERNOX, SAM, and EVIL. Many saw strong growth on Instagram and YouTube. Live streaming became a major driver of fan engagement. It helped them build closer, real-time links with their audiences.

Participants also improved content discipline across reels, shorts, long videos, and community posts. Their journey showed a move from early-stage creators to more professional, audience-led esports personalities. KRAFTON India Esports supported this through mentorship, strategy inputs, infrastructure, and wider platform reach.

In its first year, the programme proved itself as a reliable talent route. It showed how steady guidance, creator-first backing, and access to the esports ecosystem can speed up growth. Rising Star is set up as an ongoing pipeline, where creators enter, develop, and progress over time.