Held in the HyperX Arena in Las Vegas, the Esports Awards 2025 concluded a few hours ago, which witnessed Animesh "8bit Thug" Agarwal emerge victorious in the Esports Personality of the Year category. Astonishingly, 8bit Thug won the trophy in his first-ever nomination and etched his name in the esports' history books. His win reflects his massive fanbase (who voted for him) that he earned due to his contribution to esports.This article delves into 8bit Thug's journey as an esports and gaming personality and his contribution to the meteoric rise of gaming in the country.8bit Thug's Esports Personality of the Year win at the Esports Awards 2025 is a testament to his hard work for the growth of Indian esportsAnimesh "8bit Thug" won the Esports Personality of the Year category by defeating popular personalities at the Esports Awards 2025. View this post on Instagram Instagram Post8bit Thug was nominated alongside the following renowned personalities:Marc "Caedrel" LamontIbai "Ibai" LlanosDan "apEX" MadesclaireJeremy "Disguised Toast" WangCorentin "Gotaga" HousseinMossad "Msdossary" AldossaryMatthew "Nadeshot" HaagSeth "Scump" AbnerKamel "Kameto" KebirThug's victory was celebrated by many, irrespective of their organizations, as they congratulated him, sharing stories on their respective social media handles. This highlights how Thug has been able to rise above challenges in his career and become a successful gamer, YouTuber, businessman, and co-owner of an immensely popular esports org, S8UL.Also read: Who won Streamer of the Year at Esports Awards 2025?While he started his esports journey as a PUBG Mobile streamer and represented India at the PUBG Mobile Star Challenge 2018, he quickly transitioned into a businessman. With Naman "Mortal" Mathur, he co-owns Team SouL (started in 2019), and then, with Lokesh "Goldy" Jain, he co-founded S8UL in 2021.Thug also worked intensely for S8UL to become the only partner club in the Esports World Cup 2025. Furthermore, it is his company 8bit Creatives, that onboards content creators for S8UL, all of whom helped the organization win the fourth straight Esports Content Group of the Year at the Esports Awards 2025.As a pioneer in the Indian gaming industry, Thug often brings in lucrative deals for his creators and friends alike. He is also an influencer who has a large following on YouTube and Instagram.Besides attending various talk shows and podcasts for media houses and YouTubers, 8bit Thug was also one of the chosen games that had the privilege to talk to the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, about the rising gaming and esports scene in India.