eSports are here to stay

In the last decade or so, eSports has exploded onto the international scene. The fact that one can play games as a professional and earn from creating and broadcasting digital content about it has perked the interest of many teenagers and young adults. Although it boasts of a little over 250 million players worldwide and is dynamic market worth a billion dollars a year, when an Indian kid says he wants to become a professional gamer it is still frowned upon at home.

“Parents still look at gaming from a stereotypical perspective,” says Jagdish a post-graduate student from Anna University. “They still want their children to lead the same kind of life they did. Get a degree, a job and then settle down. The point is that they didn’t have these games in their day and age. They still feel only studies will lead to a successful career. It is very important to break this kind of thought.”

Thamizh Chelvan, better known as ‘arcangel’ in the Chennai gaming sphere also shares the same opinion.  “This is not only in Chennai, but throughout the country. Gamers attempting to go professional are always criticised and looked down upon. This is because parents in particular are not aware of the scope of opportunities it provides.”

This trend has been changing in the past year. The transition is slow, but Gamers feel that changing parent perception is the key to tapping the vast potential of professional esports athletes that could emerge from India.  “The change of mindset is slow, but it is happening” says 26-yr-old Aditya Hariharan, one of the co-founders of Rumble, a popular gaming café in Adyar. “We are moving in the right direction. What is required is more awareness and exposure of the opportunities that esports provide not only to esport athletes, but also content creators, casters and bloggers”

The League of Extraordinary Gamers, better known as LXG in gaming circles, is a café in Nungambakkam which has been hosting tournaments on a regular basis. In the last two years, a few other cafés have also popped up in the city. Elite Gamer is a gaming cafe on OMR which has been gaining popularity. India’s biggest gaming café dubbed Arknemisis, located in Ishpani Centre,

Nungambakkam was launched in September 2017 and has become a hotspot for both kids, and adults. Recently, Arknemisis added an Overwatch team to their esports division, which is also India’s first Overwatch team. The roster is being sponsored and paid by CORSAIR and ASUS Republic of Gamers.

Becoming an eSport athlete is not easy, says Rohit a.k.a. ‘Time’. Rohit is a Dota2 player and a part of team Resistance. “I have been gaming since 2010. Esports was never taken seriously when I started gaming. But, I am very glad that the scenario in Chennai is changing,” he says with a smile. “In the last two years, they have started understanding. There has been a lot of awareness.”  He believes that after a major number of tournaments conducted by LXG in the city, parents have started believing that you can grow and become a professional in the field.

“Sponsorship is also required after a certain level in esports” he adds. “I am pleased that majors like Nvidea and Optic Gaming are also taking an interest nowadays are willing to fund such tournaments.”

The need of the hour to improve eSports in Chennai is local and International heroes. “There are very few pro gamers in Chennai and India who get contracts which allow them to participate on an international level,” adds Aditya.  “Not a lot has changed, but definitely we are on the path.  We need more publicity and awareness to ensure acceptance.”

“The greater issue here is how parents perceive gaming” says Lokesh Suji, the CEO of Esports Federation of India. “They should not just see it as a past time, and not mere videogames.”

“Even now when I tell my parents, I’m going gaming with my friends, they don’t like it, adds Jagdish. He is of the opinion that parents feel gaming leads to nowhere and that it is still a waste of time. “Even when I try to make them understand how much exposure there is out there about eSports, they are still unable to comprehend the scope of the industry itself,” he adds with a sigh.
We are on the verge of bridging this generation gap. Even now, a large section of gamers are working adults or post graduate students. “Teams should be formed and gamers should compete in local tournaments to increase awareness,” advises Mr Lokesh. “This is the way sponsors will recognise more talented youngster and will also help them getting contracts and compete in International tournaments.”

This is how players become heroes and heroes become legends. Arcangel, who has just finished another Dota2 game, has something to add to this. “This will happen only if we are committed to it. Players in a café should practice and enter tournaments together. In Chennai, we don’t have the kind of dedication players in Bangalore or Mumbai have. Players within a café should engage in greater knowledge sharing and help their teammates improve.”