Las Vegas witnessed a watershed moment for Indian gaming on November 19, 2025. Animesh “8bit Thug” Agarwal became the first Indian to win Esports Personality of the Year at the Esports Awards 2025, beating global heavyweights in his debut nomination for this category.
Table of Contents
Who is 8bit Thug?
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Real Name | Animesh Agarwal |
| Born | March 5, 1996, Guwahati |
| Role | Co-Founder of S8UL Esports |
| Background | Former PUBG Mobile Pro Player |
| Achievement | First Indian Esports Personality Winner |
| Organization | 250+ brand partnerships (Monster, Lenovo, Red Bull) |
The Historic Win
In his debut nomination, Thug beat out heavyweight names like Marc “Caedrel” Lamont, Ibai Llanos, Dan “apEX” Madesclaire, and Jeremy “Disguised Toast” Wang. The victory wasn’t just personal—it validated India’s decade-long esports journey on the world’s biggest stage.
S8UL became the first Indian organization to win two separate titles at the Esports Awards that night, with the organization also securing its fourth consecutive Content Group of the Year award. Talk about dominance!
What Makes Thug Different?
While many focus on personal branding, Thug built an entire ecosystem. From competitive PUBG Mobile player to entrepreneur, he co-founded 8Bit before partnering with Mortal to launch S8UL.
S8UL now houses over 25 content creators, has partnerships with 250+ brands, and operates competitive rosters across multiple titles. The organization’s Gaming House 2.0 provides infrastructure that puts Indian creators on par with global counterparts.
His impact extends beyond business. Thug pushed BGMI into mainstream consciousness when Indian esports barely registered internationally, mentored dozens of creators, and proved Indian organizations could compete with global giants.
For more insights on India’s esports ecosystem, check out our comprehensive esports coverage.
The Competition Was Fierce
The Esports Personality category featured some of esports’ biggest names:
- Marc “Caedrel” Lamont (League of Legends analyst/streamer)
- Ibai Llanos (Spanish content creator with 17M+ followers)
- Dan “apEX” Madesclaire (Counter-Strike legend)
- Jeremy “Disguised Toast” Wang (multi-platform sensation)
Thug’s win against this lineup proves Indian esports has arrived at the global table.
What This Means for Indian Gaming
This recognition at the “Oscars of gaming” opens doors for upcoming Indian creators and validates years of grinding when India was overlooked. With the Esports Awards 2025 taking place at the HyperX Arena in Las Vegas, marking its 10th anniversary, the timing couldn’t be more symbolic.
The Indian gaming community also saw Payal Gaming nominated for Streamer of the Year alongside Kai Cenat and IShowSpeed, proving multiple Indian creators are reaching global recognition levels.
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For official information about the awards, visit the Esports Awards website.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Has any other Indian won at the Esports Awards before?
Yes, but not in individual categories. S8UL has won Content Group of the Year four consecutive times since the category launched in 2022. However, 8bit Thug’s Esports Personality of the Year win marks the first time an Indian has won an individual recognition award at this level, making it a historic achievement for Indian esports.
Q: What other Indians were nominated at Esports Awards 2025?
Payal Gaming (Payal Dhare) was nominated for Streamer of the Year, competing against global names like IShowSpeed, Kai Cenat, and xQc. While she didn’t win, her nomination alongside S8UL’s double victory shows India’s growing influence in global gaming. The presence of multiple Indian nominees across competitive categories signals the country’s emerging dominance in content creation and esports leadership.
