“There is no barrier to where this athlete can come from… he can come from a city, a smaller town or even a village,” Sukamal Pegu, esports lead for India and South Asia at Riot Games, draws a parallel between esports and traditional sports Sports like cricket.
“We define our sports heroes as motivating and inspiring figures. The same goes for esports as well,” Pegu said in a call from Dubai on the sidelines of Riot Games’ first Valorant international esports tournament in India, which began on December 14 and runs until December 17 indianexpress.com the Manpho Convention Center in Bangalore.
“We have athletes who come from small towns and districts where there is a lack of infrastructure and playing a game was a big challenge before mobile gaming brought them to the main stage. Now this talent is being rewarded.”
India is still a newcomer to esports, the world of professional competitive video games played on various platforms. Competitions are often held in large venues and streamed live, allowing audiences to watch professional players battle for dominance. One of the most ambitious publisher-led efforts in esports comes from Los Angeles-based game developer Riot Games, the creator of League of Legends and Valorant, which operates leagues around the world.
Riot executives and tournament organizers see India as the next frontier in esports, targeting young people who want to pursue a career as professional gamers. It works in two ways: game publishers who host events get the opportunity to promote their games, and brands who engage with them for a large-scale esports tournament get the attention. “For every dollar you spend in India, the premium you can get is far higher than in any other market we have experienced, not just in developed markets but also in some emerging markets across APAC says Pegu. “We are not only seeing growth in the number of players playing the game, but also in the way they interact with our esports products,” he adds.
Prize money and fame have also contributed to acceptance among younger audiences. However, esports is still heavily concentrated in larger cities and towns, which prevents it from gaining a national spotlight.
“Access is something that I don’t think we as a publisher can solve on our own. It needs the infrastructure and support of the market and the country in which we operate,” agrees Pegu. “We recognize that many of our athletes and even people interested in the PC esports scene come mainly from major cities, but not necessarily from villages or tier 3 cities,” he continues. But Pegu hopes that will change in the future and more athletes from smaller parts of India will be drawn into the lucrative world of professional video game competitions.
In countries like South Korea, there is the concept of “PC Bangs”, which has played a key role in the development of the local gaming ecosystem in the country. With this in mind, there could be similar gaming cafes in India that can not only host esports leagues and regional tournaments at the local level but also lead to an increase in esports viewership.
“We are interested, but we will not be able to invest in building these infrastructures ourselves. However, we plan to enter into a partnership. Suppose a chain of experiences is built. In this case, we're happy to support you not only with our IPs, but also make a targeted investment to ensure that the traffic is there and people who visit these cafes and spaces can experience our game in a way that yours can't “It’s possible to play at home,” he says.
While creating infrastructure at the local level is crucial to promoting esports in India, policy changes also need to be made to support a young, growing industry. Pegu calls on the government to make it “easier” to bring major events to India, which will not only boost sports tourism but also accelerate infrastructure development in Indian cities, especially emerging cities. “Policies are needed to provide young Indians with a safe and meaningful platform for conversation and engagement through esports,” adds Pegu.
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First published on: 15-12-2023 at 11:30 IST
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