Esports in India: Mobile, Adaptive, and GROWING
Esports had exploded in India despite government restrictions on its most popular games and the long-lasting effects of the pandemic.
According to the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) and EY India, the Indian esports industry grew to INR 3 billion (~$38.6 million) in FY2021 and is expected to reach INR 11 billion (~$146 million) by the end of 2025.
Meet the Indian Esports Audience
An estimated 17 million people in India watched esports last year, and that number continues to expand as additional tournaments are held in the country.
Esports will make its debut at the Asian Games 2022 (once it has been rescheduled). The decision to include competitive gaming gives legitimacy to the sport to viewers worldwide. The previous event, in 2018, was viewed by 110 million people in India.
This summer, ESL Gaming?kicks off its inaugural Snapdragon Pro Series of mobile esports tournaments in India. The series features Brawl Stars, Clash of Clans, and Battlegrounds Mobile India.?
Valorant is becoming a major esports title in the country, as well. India now participates in the Valorant Conquerors Championship (VCC) — the qualifying event for the Valorant Champions Tour APAC Last Chance Qualifiers. A total of?8 million viewers tuned in to watch the Skyesports Valorant League 2021, according to Esports Charts, a 200% growth over its previous season in 2020.
Above: Team Vitality's Indian team
Meet the Indian Esports Player
The Esports Federation of India estimates that there are about 200 million esports enthusiasts in the country. Of those, 274 were playing at a professional level. This was a massive jump from 75 pro gamers in 2015.
Additional pro circuits and tournaments held in the country will continue to add credibility and opportunity for up-and-coming talent.
Mobile gaming is a major draw for players in India due to its lower cost and barrier to entry. It's no surprise, then, to learn that the top competitive games played in the region are on mobile devices.
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Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), the country-specific version of PUBG Mobile, was the top-played title in India as of the end of 2021. Garena Free Fire, Call of Duty Mobile, Clash Royale, and Clash of Clans rounded out the top five.
Above: Team Brutality
The Future of Esports in India
The Indian Government's strict bans against apps and games made in China has created significant setbacks for organizations that invested in teams for those games. Fnatic and TSM, for example, both had to withdraw operations from India when PUBG Mobile suffered a nine-month ban. In February of this year, Garena Free Fire was added to the government's ban list as well.
Several countries are pushing to have esports recognized as an official sport by their respective governments. The challenge has been to differentiate competitive video games from gambling. The Esports Federation of India has urged the Government to recognize esports for the revenue-generating, real athletic industry that it is.
Despite its hardships, Indian esports professionals and organizations outside the country continue to invest in its potential.
"India is an emerging nation and the second most populous market in the world," Vitality’s Chief Marketing Officer, Florent ‘ElChikito’ Gutierrez told AFK Gaming for Esports Insider. "But despite its size, its biggest challenge is the dependency on one/two publishers to invest and help build the esports ecosystem.?
“We want to do our best to help grow this field from the bottom up by scouting and giving international exposure to local talents, but also offering grassroots competitions to show publishers, and the rest of the ecosystem, that India carries an immense potential for the global development of esports.”
By?H.B. Duran
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