Drugs and Alcohol Use By Popular Indian Esports Player - Why Entity Gaming Stayed Away

Despite becoming one of the most successful Indian PUBG Mobile teams, Entity Gaming did not re-enter the PUBG Mobile esports scene even after the game’s return as Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) in the Indian market. This left fans wondering why the organization disappeared from the scene. In an episode of AFK Gaming's Men of Culture podcast, Entity Gaming’s co-founders Varun Bhavnani and Neerav Rukhana shed light on why the organization did not re-enter the PUBG Mobile scene after the game was unbanned. 

The co-founders revealed that Entity Gaming was in the process of onboarding a team, but one player’s request to remove a clause in their contract that prevented the use of alcohol and drugs in the bootcamp was seen as a “big red flag” by the organization. This was the main thing that repelled the organization away from the PUBG Mobile scene and shut down the PUBG Mobile shop for it.

Entity Gaming co-founders reveal demand to permit liquor in the bootcamp led to its exit from PUBG Mobile esports

Neerav stated that after PUBG Mobile returned to the Indian market (as Battlegrounds Mobile India), Entity Gaming was considering entering the Indian PUBG Mobile market. The organization was even in the process of onboarding a team and was in talks with the players of the team. He noted that this was after the organization parted its ways with TSM, and there were already a lot of influencers in the industry.

He highlighted that Entity Gaming’s player contract has a clause that prevents players from using alcohol, doping, and all in the organization's bootcamp, and has a code of conduct that the players must follow. Neerav said, “This is the day before the contractual signing was about to take place. We were onboarding a team, we were almost finalizing the bootcamp and stuff for these guys. One of the guys called me, one of the players…”.

Varun then quoted the player’s exact words: “I do everything, and I will keep doing everything. Remove this clause from the contract, I want to drink alcohol.”

Neerav stated that the organization saw this as a “big red flag,” and it shut down the PUBG Mobile shop for it right there and then. Varun added that it was the main thing that repelled the organization away from the PUBG Mobile scene.

Neerav refrained from revealing the player's name. However, the co-founders stated that it was one of the popular influencers who is still popular.  

He emphasized that there are often issues that occur behind the scenes that the public is not aware of. Neerav stated that while he knows about such issues, he does not have the liberty to publicly disclose them because it can be harmful to those involved. “They don't realize that. It is like some guy comes and says ‘I want to cheat. I want to hack. Can I do it?’ Who asks such questions? Like, ‘I do it. Still, you sign me on the team.’ How can you even ask such a question? It was a big red flag for us. Ever since then, we were like we don't want to get into the scene,” he added.