Introduction to ESports In India not a lot of industries have had the Privilege to observe things run smoothly for them on the financial front in the last 14 months Especially the sports industry where losses have been immediately huge but there has still been a part that has been seen light in these times The eSports industry has rather done Spectacularly well in the pandemic on all verticals Future of ESports in India 2021
But on this thread we start with how it’s going for the ESports Market in the Indian Context we will get to the progress the industry has made in the last year and the future of ESports in India but First we take a small look at how it has done over the last few years Both globally and in India
The Current Net Worth of the industry stands at INR 43.8 billion according to the IFSG-KPMG Survey which is expected to hit INR 118.8 billion by FY23
In the soon to be USD 1.5 billion ESports Market India Currently ranks 17th globally The Indian ESports Market is estimated to be worth $818 million And is expanding rapidly despite the lack of structure
Globally the Number of Video players has risen from 20 million in 2010 to 250 million in 2018 while the number of game development firms has expanded from 25 in 2010 to 250 in 2018
Nazara Technologies become India’s first Gaming company to File for an IPO In Early 2021
How it’s going in 2021 in India
The country has always been viewed as a huge potential market for almost all kinds of industries The Consumerism. Keeps going up despite what the nation economic graphs show And fortunately for ESports the target market revolves around the Gen-Z Gen-Z are the younger class the technologically advanced group and the citizens of the future they hold the power to make it a culture and take it ahead
The Consumer mindset has Shifted From Casual games to Competitive video gaming as well as multiplayer gaming The Expanded Preference and Widespread popularity of game’s like PUBG Found space in everyone Smartphone and gaming Consoles since the last year
The industry has observed a good upwards tally of investments in India According to the Investment intelligence survey venture capital funds have invested $438 Million in Indian Gaming Startups since April 2020 in the Financial year 2020 the total size of ESports Startups in India was $68 million The industry is projected to expand at a CAGR of 36% over the next three years The growth of the young population increasing usage of smartphone convenient availability and connectivity of technology and the internet increasing economic spending and an adequate delivery network are all Factors that have contributed and will keep contributing to this rapid growth Big dog publishers such as Garena Riot and Krafton among others are aggressively investing in ESports in India
The Future of ESports in India
According to industry estimates India has over 300 million gamers light of the Current situation the industry is evolving and increasing The Following are some of the main factors that will drive the sector growth in the coming years
Live Streaming And Increased Viewers Ship: gaming and the ESports Market will embrace live Streaming increasing attendance Real-time streaming of gaming Content Combined with regional Streaming will help gain momentum and Create a solid large and diverse fan base The gaming industry which is dominated by the Younger generation provides Consumers with fun and Frolic opportunities While also extending their Spare time, As a result, their Preference and Viewership will increase with different demographical areas India has the best youth and related Communities As a result of its Content and tech-savvy Characteristics it is one of the booming markets for ESports and video gaming
Increase in Prize Pool And Career Prospects Tournament Awards and cash prizes are rising and will continue to rise inter-regional and inter-city eSports Competition, as well as brand Sponsorship, are on the rise The Prize Pool is attracting young people to try ESports and online gaming as a full-time profession is vast Aspiring games would be more likely to be created and developed as a result of this
ESports in Education the pandemic accelerate digital pandemic and business expansion it also fuelled the growth of India eSports market eSports is projected to be included in the curriculum and taught to Students as a full-fledged course The education sector would soon offer eSports degrees and Credential programs Recruiting the best Trainers athletes and gamers will increase jobs and the seekers this will contribute in establishing a large network of gamer’s eSports clubs and societies
Financial growth and Non-Endemic Brand Collaboration
Sponsorship and ads from non-endemic brands can now be used in the market Although they are not specifically related to ESports they would be drawn to such alliances since this partnership will aid their entry into the ESports group
They will also assist them in gaining momentum and exposure they will be able to diversity their brand value as a result of this
The marketers are looking to gain exposure viewer interaction in a live environment contact with millennials and awareness in the ESports Market by running paid advertisements on well known ESports Channel advertising goods and services through game plugin promotions brand innovative as well as more freedom for brands they ll be able to share their stories narratively but with a twist thanks to the ESports and gaming industries
The ESports business has since attracted the interest of several angel investors and venture capitalists it will continue to gain funding from investors and advertiser’s and eSports monetization will soon be at its peak
Increased Mobile Usage
According to a Barc & Nielsen Survey the number of mobile gaming users each week rose from 60% in pre-covid periods to 68% during the lockdown phase Additionally after the lockout users spent 218 minutes a week on mobile games up from 151 minutes before the lockdown
This number is predicted to rise as Smartphones become more widely used across the globe The high-speed broadband has also become more widely available ESports and online gaming can grow in tandem with the Growth in Smartphone use
It will play a significant role in the industry growth in India Starting from the Ground up the Indian gaming industry especially ESports has grown into a multi-billion dollar ecosystem Though it has its share of setbacks the sector is brimming with energy innovation and opportunities
The rise of ESports in India is fuelled by increased capitalists funding brand partnership and increased cell phone use
The time is right for the stakeholders to step up and expect more from this vertical of sports Technology is one of the few things that add value to all kinds of businesses and the bar will only rise higher with time as we move on to a more technologically run world
The growth of the ESports Market will create more career opportunities for passionate individuals the year 2021 is set to be a year of growth and engagement for the ESports industry and the future looks seemingly bright
