Demystifying the Indian Gaming Industry: A Conversation with Online Gaming Influencers
Key Takeaways
- India is a rising giant in the global gaming industry, with potential for growth paralleling countries like China and Brazil.
- Mobile gaming reigns supreme in India, both in terms of popularity and profitability.
- The gaming industry offers diverse income streams, including salaries for professional gamers, tournament prize pools, sponsorships, and streaming contracts.
The Rise of Gaming in India
In recent years, India has emerged onto the global gaming stage as a rising giant. With an increasingly tech-savvy youth population and widespread mobile accessibility, the gaming industry in India is poised for significant growth. Contrastingly, in other parts of the world (like the US, Europe, China, etc.) gaming is viewed more traditionally, revolving around PCs and consoles.
Unlike other countries, mobile gaming reigns supreme in India, primarily due to the disparity in accessibility to high-end gaming hardware and the internet. The proliferation of affordable smartphones and the growing 4G network has led to a boom in mobile gaming, with games like PUBG Mobile, Garena Free Fire, and Clash Royale becoming immensely popular. Companies have recognized this potential, leading to a surge in investment in the country's gaming industry.
But becoming a professional gamer in India isn't a cakewalk and entails a significant amount of time commitment, practice, and facing cut-throat competition. The top 16 teams that make it to the grand finals of tournaments represent a mere fraction of the over 1.5 lakh teams that sign-up for tournaments.
Making a Living as a Gamer
Creating a sustainable and profitable career in gaming is achievable with perseverance and strategic planning. The gaming industry has opened up diverse income streams, ranging from salaries for professional gamers, prize money from tournaments, revenues from streaming and creating content, sponsorships, and brand collaborations. Reportedly, the basic salary for a start-up gamer in India can range between INR 50,000 and INR 1 lakh, with the potential to scale much higher with international exposure, sponsorships, and brand endorsements.
But it's not all roses. The gaming industry underwent a major setback when PUBG Mobile, one of the most popular games in India, got banned amidst geopolitical tensions. This sent shockwaves through the industry and has signified the need for consistent government support and recognition of the sector.
In such a competitive and evolving ecosystem, it is crucial to stay relevant, keep honing skills, and adapt to new trends and games. Gamers have to be open to learning and picking up cues from others to better their gameplay and strategy, making it a continual cycle of learning.
Looking Ahead: The Future of Gaming
Considering the massive potential and exponential growth of the gaming industry in India, it's an exciting space to watch. Innovations like metaverse, cloud gaming, virtual, and augmented reality will further fuel growth and open up new avenues.
However, it's essential to remember that the gaming industry is still evolving, and there can be fluctuations and unpredictability. Having a backup plan or another skill set apart from gaming is advisable. Shaping a career in gaming goes beyond passion; it requires dedication, continuous learning, adaptation, and a deep understanding of the industry's workings, technological advancements, and market trends.
With gaming slowly but surely being recognized as a legitimate career choice in India, the future is incredibly promising. The rise of local game developers, continued investment from international gaming companies, better government support, and increasing acceptance of gaming as a professional sport is likely to fuel this upward trajectory even further.