# Mortal (gamer)
**Mortal** is the professional alias of Naman Sandeep Mathur (नमन संदीप माथुर, born 1997), a retired Indian professional [PUBG Mobile](https://www.edgepedia.org/pubg-mobile) and [Battlegrounds Mobile India](https://www.edgepedia.org/battlegrounds-mobile-india) (BGMI) player, YouTube content creator, and co-founder of the esports organization S8UL[1](https://liquipedia.net/pubgmobile/Mortal) • [2](https://www.esportsearnings.com/players/67613-mortal-naman-mathur) • [3](https://liquipedia.net/mobilelegends/S8UL_Esports). He rose to prominence as a member of Team SouL, winning the PUBG Mobile India Series and PUBG Mobile Club Open (Spring, India) in 2019, and became one of the most recognizable figures in Indian gaming[2](https://www.esportsearnings.com/players/67613-mortal-naman-mathur) • [4](https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/sport-others/mortal-naman-mathur-pubg-mobile-ban-interview-7137403/lite/).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name and birth | Naman Sandeep Mathur, born 1997, India[1](https://liquipedia.net/pubgmobile/Mortal) |
| Competitive career | Team SouL, December 21, 2018 to January 16, 2023, when he retired from professional play[1](https://liquipedia.net/pubgmobile/Mortal) |
| Prize money | $55,463.57 from 13 tournaments, all in PUBG Mobile[2](https://www.esportsearnings.com/players/67613-mortal-naman-mathur) |
| Major titles | PMCO Spring India 2019 (1st, $15,000), PMIS 2019 (1st, $10,200), BMPS Season 1 2022 (1st, $16,000)[2](https://www.esportsearnings.com/players/67613-mortal-naman-mathur) |
| Organizational role | Co-owner of S8UL Esports since October 15, 2020, alongside Goldy and Thug[3](https://liquipedia.net/mobilelegends/S8UL_Esports) |
| Audience | 7.02 million YouTube subscribers and 5.5 million Instagram followers as of 2022; over 7 million stream followers by 2026[5](https://www.outlookbusiness.com/the-big-story/lead-story/ahead-of-the-game-6638) • [6](https://www.hindustantimes.com/sports/others/global-chess-league-has-re-invented-fan-engagement-in-chess-says-india-s-esports-icon-naman-mortal-mathur-101788764243854.html) |
| Awards | Third in Mobile Player of the Year 2020 and runner-up Streamer of the Year 2021 at the Esports Awards; Content Creator of the Year 2024[5](https://www.outlookbusiness.com/the-big-story/lead-story/ahead-of-the-game-6638) • [7](https://desportz.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/November-24-News-Letter.pdf) |
## Name and early career
Mathur has explained the origin of his moniker: "People often chose a moniker with the word 'Immortal', so I decided to head in the other direction and claim 'Mortal' to show that I can take a hit in a game and still rise and win"[5](https://www.outlookbusiness.com/the-big-story/lead-story/ahead-of-the-game-6638). In-game he competed as "Soul Mortal" during his Team SouL years[8](https://articleshubspot.com/mortal-content-creator-of-the-year/).
He first gained attention playing [Mini Militia](https://www.edgepedia.org/mini-militia), where his skills drew a following, and also played Fortnite before his breakthrough[9](https://www.entrepreneurindia.com/influencer/naman.php) • [5](https://www.outlookbusiness.com/the-big-story/lead-story/ahead-of-the-game-6638). His life changed when PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG) launched in India in 2018; he first posted PUBG Mobile gameplay on his own YouTube account on June 20, 2018[5](https://www.outlookbusiness.com/the-big-story/lead-story/ahead-of-the-game-6638) • [10](https://www.180dcsggscc.org/_files/ugd/5f164d_26547daee49a424da4cf55ece3896095.pdf).
## Team SouL and competitive record
**Team SouL.** Mathur joined Team SouL on December 21, 2018, together with Ronak, Owais, Viper, and Slayer[11](https://liquipedia.net/pubgmobile/Team_SouL). The team's breakthrough came in 2019, when it won the PUBG Mobile India Series (PMIS), a victory that established SouL as one of India's premier gaming teams[12](https://community.iqoo.com/in/thread/86038). Mathur's individual record from that year includes first place at PMCO Spring India in June 2019 ($15,000), first place at PMIS 2019 in March ($10,200), and second place at the PMCO Fall 2019 South Asia Championship in November ($7,500)[2](https://www.esportsearnings.com/players/67613-mortal-naman-mathur). He moved to an inactive roster position in August 2019, returned to the starting lineup in September, and remained with the organization until announcing his retirement on January 16, 2023[1](https://liquipedia.net/pubgmobile/Mortal) • [11](https://liquipedia.net/pubgmobile/Team_SouL).
His largest single prize was $16,000 for first place at the Battlegrounds Mobile India Pro Series Season 1 on June 12, 2022, which accounted for 28.85 percent of his career winnings[2](https://www.esportsearnings.com/players/67613-mortal-naman-mathur). Across 13 paid tournaments he earned $55,463.57, all in PUBG Mobile, with about 59 percent from online events and 41 percent from LAN play[2](https://www.esportsearnings.com/players/67613-mortal-naman-mathur).
## The 2020 PUBG ban and pivot to content
The Indian government's ban of PUBG in 2020 removed the game on which his channel was built overnight[5](https://www.outlookbusiness.com/the-big-story/lead-story/ahead-of-the-game-6638). Mathur described the moment in an interview: he was mid-match when news of the ban spread, and he immediately contacted the organization's owner to plan what came next[4](https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/sport-others/mortal-naman-mathur-pubg-mobile-ban-interview-7137403/lite/).
**Rebuilding.** He pivoted to streaming other titles, including [Fall Guys](https://www.edgepedia.org/fall-guys), Among Us, [Free Fire](https://www.edgepedia.org/free-fire-video-game), Call of Duty, and Valorant, and later returned to BGMI, the Indian version of the game, when it launched[4](https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/sport-others/mortal-naman-mathur-pubg-mobile-ban-interview-7137403/lite/) • [13](https://notablepeopleproject.org/mortal_gamer). Viewership initially fell, and he shifted his competitive role toward mentoring, saying he would act as a fifth or sixth player for his team rather than a full-time competitor[4](https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/sport-others/mortal-naman-mathur-pubg-mobile-ban-interview-7137403/lite/). His YouTube channel passed one billion total views in 2021[5](https://www.outlookbusiness.com/the-big-story/lead-story/ahead-of-the-game-6638).
## S8UL and entrepreneurship
On October 15, 2020, Mathur became a co-owner of [S8UL Esports](https://www.edgepedia.org/s8ul-esports) together with Lokesh "Goldy" Jain and Animesh "Thug" Agarwal[3](https://liquipedia.net/mobilelegends/S8UL_Esports). The organization won Content Group of the Year at the Esports Awards in both 2022 and 2023[8](https://articleshubspot.com/mortal-content-creator-of-the-year/), and its BGMI division, iQOO SouL, won the Chennai Esports Global Championship in November 2025[14](https://aroundodisha.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/AROUNDODISHA-18-11-2025.pdf).
His personal brand has attracted sponsorship contracts with smartphone brands including OnePlus and Redmi and hardware brands including [Corsair Gaming](https://www.edgepedia.org/corsair-gaming) and Gigabyte's Aorus[5](https://www.outlookbusiness.com/the-big-story/lead-story/ahead-of-the-game-6638). In interviews he has framed Indian esports as moving from skepticism to structure, with careers now extending beyond players into casting, coaching, team management, production, and community building[15](https://respawn.outlookindia.com/gaming/gaming-originals/mortal-on-how-indian-esports-will-grow-in-2026).
## Recognition
Mathur finished third in the Mobile Player of the Year 2020 category at the Esports Awards and was runner-up for Streamer of the Year at the Esports Awards 2021[4](https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/sport-others/mortal-naman-mathur-pubg-mobile-ban-interview-7137403/lite/) • [5](https://www.outlookbusiness.com/the-big-story/lead-story/ahead-of-the-game-6638). He won Content Creator of the Year at the Esports Awards 2024 in Los Angeles, his sixth consecutive nomination for the award[7](https://desportz.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/November-24-News-Letter.pdf). In 2024 he was among the gamers who met Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a roundtable discussion on gaming[16](https://www.hindustantimes.com/lifestyle/brunch/get-to-know-naman-mathur-101772742061604.html).
## References
1. [Mortal, Liquipedia PUBG Mobile Wiki](https://liquipedia.net/pubgmobile/Mortal)
2. [Mortal - Naman Mathur, Esports Earnings](https://www.esportsearnings.com/players/67613-mortal-naman-mathur)
3. [S8UL Esports, Liquipedia Mobile Legends Wiki](https://liquipedia.net/mobilelegends/S8UL_Esports)
4. ['Mortal' Naman Mathur strives to keep gaming alive in India after PUBG Mobile ban, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/sport-others/mortal-naman-mathur-pubg-mobile-ban-interview-7137403/lite/)
5. [Ahead Of The Game, Outlook Business](https://www.outlookbusiness.com/the-big-story/lead-story/ahead-of-the-game-6638)
6. [Global Chess League has re-invented fan engagement in chess, says India's esports icon Naman Mortal Mathur, Hindustan Times](https://www.hindustantimes.com/sports/others/global-chess-league-has-re-invented-fan-engagement-in-chess-says-india-s-esports-icon-naman-mortal-mathur-101788764243854.html)
7. [November 24 News Letter, Desportz](https://desportz.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/November-24-News-Letter.pdf)
8. [Naman Mathur (Mortal) | 2024 Content Creator of the Year, ArticlesHubSpot](https://articleshubspot.com/mortal-content-creator-of-the-year/)
9. [Naman Mathur (Mortal), Content Creator & Co-Founder of S8UL, Entrepreneur India](https://www.entrepreneurindia.com/influencer/naman.php)
10. [Gaming Industry Report, 180 DCSGGSCC](https://www.180dcsggscc.org/_files/ugd/5f164d_26547daee49a424da4cf55ece3896095.pdf)
11. [Team SouL, Liquipedia PUBG Mobile Wiki](https://liquipedia.net/pubgmobile/Team_SouL)
12. [Game Changers: India's Esports Revolution, Team SouL, iQOO Community](https://community.iqoo.com/in/thread/86038)
13. [Mortal (gamer), Notable People Project](https://notablepeopleproject.org/mortal_gamer)
14. [Around Odisha, 18 November 2025](https://aroundodisha.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/AROUNDODISHA-18-11-2025.pdf)
15. [Mortal on Indian Esports, BGMI, Brands, and the Road to 2026, Outlook Respawn](https://respawn.outlookindia.com/gaming/gaming-originals/mortal-on-how-indian-esports-will-grow-in-2026)
16. [Get to know... Naman Mathur, Hindustan Times](https://www.hindustantimes.com/lifestyle/brunch/get-to-know-naman-mathur-101772742061604.html)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Video games and digital play › Esports and competitive gaming › Players, casters, and figures › Streamers and content creators as competitors*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 19, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 19, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 11, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license