Indian Esports: Gamers Seek Fame, Riches in World’s Next Esports Hub
Next to a primary school and a shabby playground in India's financial capital Mumbai stands a plush four-story building that's home to the world's newest breed of athlete.
More than 20 young “streamers” in residence spend their day playing video games, training hard for televised esports tournaments that draw in millions of viewers. Equipped with bunkbeds, cubicles and a kitchen with a full-time chef, the gaming house is one of many popping up around the country -- testament to the explosive growth of an industry that's attracting investment from around the world.
“We eat, sleep and play under the same roof,” said Animesh Agarwal, founder of Mumbai-based content creator and gaming talent management company S8UL. “When we play big ticket tournaments, it's all about the mental play. We need to bring teams together to build trust.”
While still in its infancy compared to the US, China and Japan, investors are betting on huge growth in Indian esports -- powered by one of the world's youngest populations and cheap mobile data. Tournaments are attracting huge prime-time television audiences, while thousands pack into arenas to watch teams play shooter games on their mobile phones, with the action beamed onto giant screens.
Dubai-based esports firm Galaxy Racer is joining up with one of Asia's largest music festivals Sunburn to host a three-day tournament from Nov. 18 in the city of Hyderabad, where players of the first-person hero shooter game Valorant will compete for a prize pool of $100,000.
“India's growing middle class will have more disposable income, which they will spend on entertainment of their choice,” said Akshat Rathee, managing director of Nodwin Gaming, which organized the three-week Battlegrounds Mobile India
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