Indian Esports stakeholders reflect on historic year for video-gaming industry

year 2023 has been defined by a multitude of key events and accomplishments for Indian Esports. ‘Leveling up: State of India Gaming FY’23’ report by Lumikai in collaboration with Google states that India was home to 568 Mn gamers in FY23. country’s gaming market hit $3.1 Bn in FY23 and is projected to reach $7.5 Bn by FY28, growing at a CAGR of 20%.

Indian contingent's participation in Asian Games 2022, where Esports debuted as an official medal sport, and remarkable fifth-place finish secured by League of Legends team emerged as year’s crowning achievement that showcased nation’s Esports prowess on international stage. amendments me to Information and Technology (IT) Act by Indian government played a pivotal role in distinguishing Esports from real money gaming (RMG). This recognition provided legitimacy to sector, leing to increased sponsorships and investments.

States like Mhya Presh, Bihar, and Uttar Presh have also taken proactive steps, with initiatives such as country's first esports acemy and tournaments. Educational institutions have also embraced Esports with inclusion of Esports in curriculum.

Sharing his thoughts on se developments, Mr. Lokesh Suji, Director of Esports Federation of India (ESFI) and Vice-President of Asian Esports Federation (AESF) commented, “ future of Esports is exceptionally bright in India. Through consistent efforts of ESFI, Indian government officially recognized Esports as a multi-sport event and categorized it under Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports in December 2022. Beyond official recognition, infrastructure development is a critical factor for sustained growth of Esports industry. initiatives by our government and numerous states have laid groundwork for potential financial backing and infrastructure growth in coming years. Esports now proudly stands alongside tritional sports of country, attracting more players and sponsors to industry.”

S8UL, India's premier Esports organization, ded to country’s list of international triumphs by winning first-ever ‘Global Impact on Mobile Gaming’ at MOBIES Awards as well as ‘Content Creator of Year’ award at global Esports Awards 2023.

Mr. Animesh Agarwal aka 8Bit Thug, Founder and CEO of 8Bit Creatives and S8UL, reflected on se milestones, stating, “ recognition on global stage including our country’s talented contingent competing at Asian Games 2022 and S8UL achieving unprecedented success elevated industry’s status. stigma surrounding gaming as a career choice has dissipated, opening new opportunities for aspiring gamers and legitimizing Esports as a viable and respected profession.”

year also witnessed a transformative influx of brands into Esports ecosystem, with notable examples such as IQOO SOUL's historic title sponsorship with Team SOUL. Mr. Animesh Agarwal highlighted significance, saying, “ increasing involvement of non-endemic brands, ir entry into gaming space, and rise of official tournaments have reshaped industry’s landscape. IQOO SOUL’s title sponsorship with IQOO highlights expanding horizons of Esports sponsorships with brands across all domains. influx of non-endemic brands brings both financial support and broer visibility to gaming creators, organizations, tournaments, and or Esports events.”

After its temporary hiatus, triumphant return of Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) this year was an instrumental factor for Indian Esports industry. Emphasizing resilience and growth, Mr. Rohit Agarwal, Founder & Director, Alpha Zegus noted, “Content solutions have been our top priority in 2023, and it has been an incredible year for us. Titles like BGMI h a comeback that boosted Esports industry by more than 4x factor, while publishers like RIOT took serious efforts and me massive investments into Indian gaming space. In numbers, we generated more than 400 pieces of quality content for our partners and saw a 300% growth in content solutions as compared to 2022. In 2024, our efforts are going to continue towards content solutions and experiential marketing, expanding our base to different regions, and bringing more quality to our work.”

As Esports continues its ascent as a global phenomenon, inaugural Esports World Cup 2024 and entry of streaming giants like Netflix and YouTube into gaming signal a revolutionary shift for Indian esports in upcoming year. convergence of se factors coupled with or trends promises a dynamic and transformative year ahe.