The upward trajectory of Indian eSports
Although categorized under online gaming, eSports is slowly being acknowledged as a professional sport comparable to football and hockey. In 2022, the Indian government officially recognized eSports as a part of multi-sports events, which would further stimulate sponsorships and participation. Prior to this too, India has hosted several tournaments on national and international levels, the biggest event being the Battlegrounds Mobile India Pro Series.Additionally, gaming influencers have been key to boosting eSports viewership in the country, with Dynamo Gaming being the most popular eSports streaming channel on YouTube. Furthermore, Garena Free Fire and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang emerged as the most watched eSports titles in 2021, in terms of peak viewers and hours watched respectively.
Representation in the international eSports arena
India has been gearing up to close the gap with other leading eSports countries. Over the years to come, the number of Indian eSports athletes is expected to grow to approximately 1.5 million by financial year 2025. Similarly, the number of eSports teams preparing to compete on the national and international levels was also forecasted to rise. Moreover, having qualified for the eSports segment of the postponed Asian Games 2022, India will be represented by an 18 member contingent to compete in five titles, namely, League of Legends, FIFA22, DOTA2, Street Fighter V, and Hearthstone in September 2023.As the largest South Asian eSports market, India successfully secured investments from more than 70 brands in 2021 alone. Among these investors were major gaming companies, such as Krafton Inc., that frequently organized numerous eSports events nationwide. More than 200 million Indian rupees were awarded as prize money over the course of 2021. Despite the banning of certain game titles by the government that resulted in a decline in prize pools the following year, industry forecasts predicted a surge in prize money 2023 onwards.