17-feb-2026, 5:07 PM, KRAFTON India is expanding its grassroots esports programme with the second edition of its College Campus Tour, bringing organised competitive gaming to colleges across India.
The 2026 initiative spans 128 colleges across Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, giving students an opportunity to participate in structured esports competitions directly through their campuses. The programme includes tournaments based on BATTLEGROUNDS MOBILE INDIA (BGMI) and Real Cricket.
The initiative is part of KRAFTON India’s broader effort to build a structured pathway for aspiring esports players and strengthen India’s competitive gaming ecosystem.
What Is the KRAFTON College Campus Tour?
The College Campus Tour is a grassroots esports initiative designed to bring organised gaming competitions closer to college students.
Instead of requiring students to participate only through large national tournaments, KRAFTON takes competitions directly to college campuses.
The 2026 edition is being conducted across 128 institutions, covering colleges in different parts of the country. The programme is designed to give students exposure to organised competition while allowing KRAFTON to identify emerging gaming talent.
The initiative includes competitions in BGMI and Real Cricket, two titles supported by KRAFTON India.
Second Edition Expands Across 128 Colleges
The 2026 College Campus Tour is the second edition of KRAFTON India’s nationwide campus initiative.
The first edition reportedly engaged more than 50,000 students, creating a large college-level esports participation base. KRAFTON said the second edition would build on that foundation by expanding the programme to 128 colleges.
The expansion covers institutions in Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, allowing the programme to reach students beyond India’s biggest metropolitan gaming communities.
This wider geographic approach is important because esports participation is growing across different parts of the country.
BGMI and Real Cricket Competitions
Students participating in the campus programme can compete in tournaments based on BGMI and Real Cricket.
The competitions are designed around structured formats rather than casual gaming.
At participating campuses, students can experience organised tournament rules, competitive matches and event management similar to larger esports competitions.
For BGMI players in particular, the campus programme can provide an opportunity to gain experience before attempting to compete at higher levels of organised esports.
KRAFTON’s official esports platform describes its tournaments as ranging from open competitions to professional-level events, with the broader aim of creating opportunities for Indian gamers to showcase their skills.
Creating a Pathway for Young Esports Talent
One of the main objectives of the programme is to create a clearer path for students who want to take competitive gaming seriously.
College esports can provide young players with their first experience of organised tournaments.
Students can compete against other campus teams, build teamwork and communication skills and gain experience in competitive environments.
For KRAFTON, the programme also provides an opportunity to connect with India’s growing student gaming community.
The company has previously described its esports strategy as focused on building a gaming ecosystem where players can participate in tournaments and develop their skills.
Tour Reaches Different Parts of India
The 2026 tour includes colleges from a wide range of locations.
The February schedule includes campuses in cities and regions such as Delhi, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Meghalaya, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and other parts of the country.
This geographic spread reflects the growing presence of competitive gaming among students outside major gaming hubs.
The campus format also allows students to participate in esports as part of their college environment, rather than travelling to a separate professional tournament venue.
Why College Esports Is Growing
College campuses have become an important part of India’s esports ecosystem.
Students already form a major part of the country’s gaming audience, while college festivals and student communities provide natural environments for competitive gaming.
Organised campus tournaments can also introduce students to opportunities beyond simply playing games.
These include tournament management, broadcasting, content creation, coaching, event production and other roles connected to the gaming industry.
As India’s gaming ecosystem develops, such opportunities could become increasingly important for students interested in building careers around esports and gaming.
KRAFTON’s Wider Esports Strategy
The College Campus Tour is part of KRAFTON India’s broader esports strategy.
The company has announced an expanded 2026 esports roadmap covering major tournaments including the BGMI India Series, BGMI Pro Series, BGMI Showdown and BGMI International Cup.
The roadmap also includes open tournaments and the KRAFTON India Awards.
The campus programme adds a grassroots layer to this ecosystem by introducing competitive gaming at the college level.
This creates a potential progression from campus tournaments to larger organised competitions.
From Campus Competitions to Professional Esports
The long-term importance of the programme could lie in creating more opportunities for players to move from amateur competition into organised esports.
Students who perform well in campus tournaments can gain visibility and competitive experience.
KRAFTON’s esports structure already includes competitions at different levels, from open tournaments to professional events.
This means college competitions can become an entry point for players who may eventually compete at larger events.
However, participating in a campus tournament does not automatically guarantee a professional esports career. Players still need consistent performance, teamwork, discipline and opportunities to progress through competitive levels.
What Students Can Expect
The campus tour gives students the opportunity to participate in structured competitions while representing their colleges.
For gaming communities, these events can also create opportunities to build teams and organise esports activities within their institutions.
The combination of BGMI and Real Cricket allows students with different gaming interests to participate.
The programme also brings tournament-style competition closer to students who may not otherwise have access to professional esports events.
Building India’s Grassroots Gaming Ecosystem
KRAFTON has increasingly focused on developing India’s gaming ecosystem beyond individual tournaments.
The company says its esports initiatives are intended to create platforms where Indian gamers can showcase their skills and become part of a wider competitive community.
The College Campus Tour supports that objective by focusing on students and institutions.
With 128 colleges included in the 2026 edition, the programme represents a significant expansion compared with its earlier edition.
Conclusion
KRAFTON India’s 2026 College Campus Tour is bringing organised esports competitions to 128 colleges across Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.
The second edition includes BGMI and Real Cricket tournaments and is designed to give students greater exposure to structured competitive gaming.
The programme is also part of KRAFTON India’s larger esports strategy, which includes major national and international competitions during 2026.
By taking esports directly to college campuses, KRAFTON is creating another entry point for young players who want to compete, develop their skills and explore opportunities within India’s growing gaming ecosystem.
The long-term success of the initiative will depend on how many students continue into organised competitive esports after their campus experience, but the expansion to 128 colleges gives the programme a much wider reach across India’s student gaming community.
Source: KRAFTON India and related event announcements.
