Global fan-experience specialist OS Studios—known for Pokémon, Call of Duty and NBA events—has entered India with full-service operations across Bengaluru, Delhi and Mumbai. Led by Nrupen Gutta and Yadush Bose, the agency aims to close the country’s “Experience Gap” with world-class strategy, broadcast, experiential and content solutions for brands and publishers.
OS Studios, the global fan-experience agency behind some of the world’s most iconic gaming and entertainment properties, has officially entered India with the promise of transforming the country’s rapidly expanding but uneven gaming and esports landscape. The agency, part of the Project Worldwide network and known internationally for elevating fan experiences for brands like Pokémon, Call of Duty, Major League Soccer and the NBA, has launched full-service operations across Bengaluru, New Delhi and Mumbai. Backed by George P Johnson India—its experiential sister agency—OS Studios aims to bring global-quality production, creative strategy and immersive fan engagement to a market it believes is on the verge of a major experiential leap.
India’s operations will be led by two industry figures who understand both the nuances of the country’s gaming economy and the unique behaviour of its audiences: Nrupen Gutta, who takes charge of strategic partnerships and creator relations, and Yadush Bose, who steps in as director, growth and client success. Their dual leadership structure, rooted in partnerships, creators, growth and client management, reflects the agency’s intent to build a local team that can translate global methodologies into region-specific insights and execution.
The decision to expand into India comes at a critical time for the gaming and esports ecosystem. India is now one of the world’s fastest-growing gaming markets, with hundreds of millions of players, a thriving creator economy and large-scale events that attract substantial brand interest. Yet, despite this momentum, industry insiders frequently point out that the quality of production and event execution varies widely. Issues such as weak broadcast workflows, mismatched brand integrations, poor stagecraft and inconsistent fan engagement have plagued several high-investment projects. OS Studios describes this mismatch between investment and execution as an “Experience Gap,” and sees fixing it as its central mission in the Indian market.
For more than a decade, the agency has built fan-first ecosystems for some of the world’s most demanding IP owners. Its role as the global agency of record for the Pokémon World Championships is one of its most notable credentials—a multi-layered fan experience that requires precision, storytelling, broadcast excellence, experiential sophistication and a deep understanding of community culture. In addition to Pokémon, OS Studios has delivered work for Activision, Twitch, Major League Soccer and the NBA, among others, often blending digital, live, and hybrid formats to engage audiences worldwide. With this pedigree, the company believes it can elevate Indian esports and entertainment experiences to levels that match global standards.
The agency plans to introduce its proprietary Fan Z Operating System to the Indian market—a framework that integrates strategy, production, experiential design, content development and broadcast services. The system is built to address the full lifecycle of fan engagement, from pre-event storytelling and influencer activations to arena production, livestream architecture, sponsorship alignment and post-event content pipelines. The arrival of such a structured model is likely to be welcomed in India, where large-scale gaming activations are often assembled piecemeal by multiple vendors with uneven competencies.
OS Studios’ entry is not just about bringing in technical capabilities; it is also about reshaping brand behaviour. As gaming and esports attract big-budget sponsorships from telecom, fintech, consumer goods and auto brands, there is a growing need for nuance in how brands interact with gamers. Global gaming audiences often reject inauthentic or intrusive advertising, and Indian fans are no different. The agency’s goal is to help brands navigate these sensitivities, build culturally relevant narratives and create experiences that feel organic rather than imposed.
John Higgins, CEO of OS Studios, highlighted the emotional and cultural core of the expansion in his statement. “The passion of the Indian gaming community is undeniable, and it represents a massive opportunity for brands to build lifelong loyalty,” he said. Higgins emphasised that the company is “fully committed to this market” and eager to bring its global Fan Z playbook to India—a framework he believes will uplift the overall quality of fan experiences in the country. His comments reflect a conviction that India is not merely a new outpost but a market deserving of world-class expertise.
Project Worldwide’s chief growth officer for India and South Asia, Rasheed Sait, offered a more critical perspective that underscores the urgency of the company’s arrival. He observed that while India is now one of the most exciting gaming markets globally, execution quality has not kept pace with financial investment. “We are seeing major events with massive budgets fail on fundamental execution,” he said, adding that this “Experience Gap” is a disservice to both brands and fans. Sait also positioned OS Studios not as a typical agency but as a collective of audience and culture experts who live and breathe gaming. This identity, he argued, is what will enable the company to deliver the authentic, world-class experiences that Indian fans deserve.
The new India operations will be supported by George P Johnson India, one of the country’s leading experiential agencies and part of the same global network. This partnership is expected to strengthen OS Studios’ execution capabilities, particularly when it comes to on-ground production, venue design, fabrication and experience delivery—areas where GPJ has decades of expertise. The partnership also signals that OS Studios is not entering the country as a lightweight digital-first agency but as a full-fledged experiential powerhouse combining content, production and strategy.
Already fully operational, OS Studios India has begun early conversations with major brands and game publishers. While details of upcoming projects are yet to be disclosed, industry observers expect the agency to make an early impact given its reputation abroad and the existing gaps in the Indian market. Its arrival is also likely to increase competitive pressure on local agencies and production houses, many of whom have been instrumental in building the esports ecosystem from the ground up but may not have the global playbooks or cross-market experience that OS Studios brings.
For Indian gamers, creators and fans, the entry of OS Studios could mark a turning point. Broadcast quality—often cited as a weak link—could see significant upgrades with more disciplined workflows, higher production values and richer creative direction. Live events, which sometimes struggle with logistical inconsistencies, could benefit from stronger global practices. Brand partnerships, too, may become more sophisticated and culturally aligned.
Industry analysts note that this move also reflects India’s maturing position within the global gaming map. International publishers and brands have taken increasing interest in India as both a consumer market and an esports destination. Having a global agency with the credibility of OS Studios operating locally may make India even more attractive for major international tournaments, collaborations and content initiatives.
Ultimately, OS Studios’ entry highlights a broader shift underway in the Indian gaming industry—a shift from scale to sophistication. India already has the numbers: one of the world’s largest gaming audiences, a thriving influencer ecosystem and rapid growth in mobile esports. The next frontier is experience quality, and OS Studios clearly believes it can lead that transformation.
With a leadership team that blends global standards with local insight, and with backing from a powerful global network, the company is positioning itself not just as a service provider but as a catalyst for cultural and experiential change. As India’s gaming and esports aspirations grow larger and more international, OS Studios’ arrival may be perfectly timed to help bridge the gap between ambition and execution, ensuring that fans—the heart of the ecosystem—finally get the world-class experiences they deserve.
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