Fnatic made their entry into the Indian eSports scene with their acquisition of Team XSpark. Team XSpark is one of the leading PUBG Mobile teams in the country boasting a roster of very popular names in the PUBG Mobile scene in India.

Amidst the surprising announcement, we decided to have a chat with the people behind the scenes, the team management. Victor Bengtsson, a member of Team Fnatic’s pro-gaming management team, answered a few questions related to the gaming scene in India, Fnatic’s plans, and much more. The following are excerpts.

Disclosure: The interview has been slightly edited for an enhanced reading experience.

Spiel Times

What’s the financial investment you’ve put (or are planning to) in the overall structure of the team?

Fnatic

For the initial months, we’ll focus on the sports side and content. Over time, we are looking to set up a gaming facility and staff up so that all the fans and gamers in India can get the full Fnatic experience that they deserve, in terms of products, experiences and of course content. There will be a dedicated manager and coach working with the team, as well as social media and marketing experts from the Fnatic HQ working closely with the players. One of the core reasons for us coming to India is to create a platform where fans of esports can find a home.

Spiel Times

What are the basic accomplishments you’re targeting with this team?

Fnatic

We have full trust in the roster. We’ve gotten to know them behind the scenes while preparing for the launch. It has been nothing but an impressive display from the boys as we moved towards revealing them to the mobile gaming scene. Our intentions are, as always, to be the best. The players are eager to compete under the black and orange, and we hope to bring many titles to the organisation. One thing is sure, we are here to compete internationally – and our players want nothing but to beat the best of the best.

Spiel Times

How would this collaboration benefit Fnatic, as an esports organisation?

Fnatic

The Indian market is something we’ve always been interested in. The dedication we see from fans whenever anything esports related takes place is nothing short of remarkable. We were simply looking for the right opportunity that would reflect how big of a splash we wanted to make in whatever title we entered with. PUBGM became that title. We believe that Fnatic will bring a true fan experience for gamers across India, and we can’t wait to connect with all of them.

Spiel Times

How long are the contract terms of the players? Are they on salary basis or tournament earnings?

Fnatic

We will not disclose any specific details of the contracts that we have signed, but our players are being compensated through a monthly salary, and of course tournament earnings. We build narratives – the greatest stories in esports. That is what we aim to do with this roster as well.

Spiel Times

As compared to CS:GO and Dota 2, how much importance and guidance are being given to the PUBG Mobile squad?

Fnatic

The investment is in the future of gamers. PUBGM is not yet as big as the CS:GO or Dota 2 esport eco-system, but well [it’s] on its way. But we believe the gamers of tomorrow are playing on mobile and PUBGM is in the centre of that. So we will focus heavily on PUBGM moving forward, to give fans across the world, the best esports experience as well as content entertainment.

Spiel Times

Will the team focus on domestic tournaments only?

Fnatic

Fnatic is global, we believe in every gamer. We start with India, then we look to the world.

Spiel Times

Do you plan to expand to more games and players from India in different games and different ways?

Fnatic

We are always looking for more opportunities and it may very well be that we enter more titles or look into more players. The future will tell. As of right now, we are extremely proud of the players who have decided to join us. With that being said, there are children across India seeing this announcement. We hope we are giving them more than just entertainment, we want to give them the right to dream of a place within esports.

From the moment I joined the first group-chat with the players, I felt like we were onto something extraordinary. I’ve seen great players formed in other titles and there is always something special about that journey. At the beginning of it, you have a sense of something rare, something that you can’t define. But it’s there, it’s just there. That’s exactly how we felt about this roster. They are going to entertain millions, they are going to represent the future of gamers in India.