\Bengaluru: 8Bit Creatives, a gaming talent management agency in India, has been appointed as the Official Broadcast & Production Agency for Season 4 of the Tech Mahindra Global Chess League (GCL).
As part of the mandate, 8Bit Creatives will handle end-to-end live broadcast production across all nine days of the league, scheduled to take place in Bengaluru from September 5 to 13, 2026. The agency will also serve as the official photography and videography partner for the event.
Season 4 of the GCL will be held in Bengaluru for the first time, with six franchises competing in a double round-robin format across more than 30 matches at The Lalit Ashok. The tournament features leading global players including Magnus Carlsen, Alireza Firouzja, Viswanathan Anand, Ian Nepomniachtchi, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and Javokhir Sindarov, alongside other grandmasters, leading women players and emerging talent.
The league’s six-board team format combines men’s and women’s boards with icon players and juniors. Triveni Continental Kings enter Season 4 as the most decorated franchise, having won the first two editions of the league.
For the broadcast, 8Bit Creatives will deploy more than 30 cameras across three halls, including Jib and Steadicam coverage, dedicated board cameras and cameras focused on player reactions. The production will also introduce two independent live feeds in English and Hindi for the first time in the league’s history.
The agency will use its in-house chess data capabilities to integrate live DGT board feeds with real-time evaluation graphics, player statistics and analysis boards. An LED-driven in-arena experience will also bring live data and storytelling into the venue.
The production will include global live coverage across the league’s official platforms, along with daily highlights and an official after-movie documenting key moments from the season.
Animesh Agarwal, Co-founder, 8Bit Creatives, said, “Over the years, 8Bit Creatives has grown by exploring new ways to build meaningful experiences around gaming, creators and entertainment, and this feels like a natural next step in that journey. The Global Chess League gives us an opportunity to bring a fresh perspective to sports broadcast and explore new ways of engaging audiences around the game. Chess has a unique ability to create tension and drama with every move, and we’re excited to work with the League to bring that experience to life through a modern, data-rich and audience-first broadcast.”
Gourav Rakshit, Commissioner, Tech Mahindra Global Chess League, said, “Season 4 is our biggest yet, and the fan experience is just as important as the action on the boards. With 8Bit Creatives, we’ve found a partner who approaches chess broadcasts with the same passion and attention to detail as top sports productions, always focused on the viewer. From the excitement in the six-board arena to the experience at home, this season will look and feel unlike anything the League has done before.”
The broadcast mandate marks 8Bit Creatives’ expansion from gaming talent management into live production and the broader creator and entertainment ecosystem. Founded in 2018, the agency represents gaming creators including Naman Mathur (Mortal), Payal Dhare (Payal Gaming), Parv Singh (Regaltos), Krutika Ojha (Krutika Plays)z and Gulrez Khan (Joker Ki Haveli).
The agency has also executed campaigns for more than 100 brands across categories including apparel, FMCG, personal care, HORECA and entertainment.
For Season 4, the GCL broadcast will be produced live from a purpose-built production control room at the venue, with studio programming, commentary across both language feeds and coverage of key moments throughout the tournament, culminating in the Season 4 final on September 13.
