eSports
National Video Games Day: Indian Esports evolving from a pastime hobby to eyeing Asian Games medal for the country
Since its modest beginnings in the 1950s, when basic games and simulations were played on minicomputers and mainframes, the video game industry has undergone tremendous growth. Today, the Indian Esports industry flourishes as a multi-billion-dollar sector, thanks to advancements in high-speed internet, improved technology, the increasing popularity of gaming among the younger generation, and official recognition as a multi-sport event from the government of India.
According to the recent “Windows of Opportunity” report on India’s Media and Entertainment industry by FICCI-EY, the number of Esports players across all competitive level games in India increased from 600,000 in 2021 to 1 million in 2022, and is expected to reach 2.5 million in 2023.
From winning the bronze in Hearthstone at the 2018 Asian Games to clinching bronze in DOTA 2 at the inaugural Commonwealth Games in Birmingham last year, the prowess of Indian Esports has been highlighted multiple times in major international tournaments.
Now, India is not only sending its first-ever female contingent in CS:GO at the World Esports Championships but is also set to participate in the upcoming Asian Games 2022 where Esports is debuting as an official medal sport. As per the FICCI-EY report, the number of international Esports teams in India grew from 6 in 2021 to 7 in 2022 and is expected to rise to 10 in 2023.
Mr. Lokesh Suji, Director of Esports Federation of India (ESFI) & Vice President of the Asian Esports Federation (AESF) is confident that by supporting and nurturing the Esports ecosystem, India will continue to make its mark on the global Esports stage. “What started with competitive gaming that was only visible in college fests or local tournaments in the late 2000s is now a Rs 250-crore industry. While we have witnessed significant growth and improvement in recent years, winning medals at prestigious events has demonstrated our potential to compete at the highest level and is a testament to the rise of India as a video-gaming powerhouse,” he says.
The rise of gamers and gaming content creators in the country has transformed the entertainment landscape. Many gamers have built large fan bases and have become influential figures within the gaming community through live streaming, video content creation, and social media platforms.
Recognizing the potential of these content creators, brands have started to forge partnerships with them through brand deals and sponsorships which has not only opened up new revenue streams for creators but has also contributed to the entry of non-endemic brands in the sector. This is further supported by the findings of the FICCI-EY report, which states that the number of brands investing in Esports rose from 72 in 2021 to 80 in 2022, and it is projected to reach 100 by 2023.
Animesh Agarwal better known as Thug, Founder, and CEO of 8bit Creatives and S8ul esports says, “In recent years, the perception of gaming has undergone a remarkable shift, with individuals and brands both recognizing its immense potential as a lucrative revenue stream. At 8Bit Creatives, our creators have successfully curated numerous campaigns with brands from diverse sectors. This allows me to assert that both endemic and non-endemic brands are actively seeking ways to engage with gamers today.“
The recent return of the game as Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) has revitalized the Esports community and is expected to accelerate the growth of competitive gaming. According to the estimates from app intelligence firm Sensor Tower, the game clocked about $33 million in in-app spending from July 2021 to July 2022 and also made history by becoming the first Esports event to be broadcasted on mainstream television (Star Sports).
ParvSingh aka soul_regaltos is a professional gamer as well as gaming content creator with over 2.3 million subscribers on YouTube. Speaking on the importance of BGMI he says, “BGMI has played a pivotal role in contributing to the rise of in-game spending within the Indian gaming community. By also causing an upsurge of Esports tournaments in the country, the game has attracted brands through numerous lucrative mediums such as in-game advertisement, sponsorships, and content creation opportunities. It has single-handedly elevated the competitive landscape, giving emerging players the opportunity to showcase their skill and become stars within the community.”
The evolution of Esports in India has been further accelerated by the emergence of new technology and platforms catering specifically to the gaming community. New-age technology such as Web3, AR and VR, gesture-controlled gaming as well as exclusive gamers’ social network platforms are all enabling a technological revolution to radically transform the Esports industry in India.
Qlan, an exclusive social networking app designed for gamers and esports enthusiasts, recently secured pre-seed funding to fuel its expansion and enhance gamer networking, discovery, and content creation capabilities. Sagar Nair, Co-founder, and CEO of Qlan commented, “The burgeoning global Esports industry is witnessing an influx of technologies poised to revolutionize the sector. Our own app QLAN has successfully been able to elevate gamers’ social networking to new horizons and empower the ever-expanding community of gamers. We firmly believe that India will adopt further next-gen tech in video gaming to not only relish its immersive experience but to change how gaming is perceived in the coming years, allowing the industry to scale bigger heights.”
All in all, the video game industry in India has experienced remarkable growth, diversification, and recognition. It has become a significant cultural and economic force, offering entertainment, job opportunities, and a platform for creative expression.
eSports
GIANTX unveils its team for the Spanish Superliga of League of Legends
The global esports organization GIANTX has officially presented the roster for its League of Legends Superliga team, the most prestigious esports competition in Spain, organized by the LVP. The roster includes Feisty (midlaner) and Aetinoth (ADC), who continue for another year after establishing themselves as key players for the organization, and newcomers Badlulu (toplaner), Ferret (jungler), and Lospa (support).
The team, known as GIANTX Pride, will be led by Fearless, a veteran coach who has already won three Superliga titles with GIANTX. After previous stints with teams like Guasones and Rebels, Fearless returns to lead this young and promising roster as they pursue the organization’s long-awaited eighth Superliga trophy, with the season set to begin in January 2025.
The roster was revealed during an event at the Home of GIANTX in Málaga, attended by over 150 fans and supported by Opel, the team’s main partner in the Superliga. The event featured activities, giveaways, and a showmatch against Barça Esports, where fans got a first glimpse of the team in action.
Feisty (South Korea, 2003) and Aetinoth (Turkey, 2005) return for another year, having gained recognition as rising talents with potential for the LEC, Europe’s premier competition in which GIANTX also competes. Badlulu (France, 2002), with prior experience in the Superliga at CASE Esports, joins as the toplaner. Ferret (Turkey, 2001), a promising jungler from the Turkish scene, comes from FUT, while Lospa (South Korea, 2002), a former Iberian Cup champion, joins as support after training in Gen.G Academy.
GIANTX Pride is the most decorated organization in Superliga LVP history, with seven titles to its name. The last victory came in the summer of 2021, and the team is determined to add the elusive eighth trophy to its collection. The Superliga for 2025 will feature ten teams, including Barça Esports, Guasones, Los Heretics, LUA Gaming, Movistar KOI, Ramboot Club, UCAM Esports, VENI VIDI VICI, and ZETA, competing across three splits—winter, spring, and summer.
The LVP, part of Grupo Mediapro, has introduced changes to the Superliga’s format for 2025. The updated calendar will be released soon, setting the stage for another thrilling season.
The post GIANTX unveils its team for the Spanish Superliga of League of Legends appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
eSports
GRID Joins IBIA as an Associate Member, Strengthening Esports Integrity
GRID, an esports data platform, has officially joined the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) as a first esports-focused Associate Member. This collaboration signifies a pivotal moment for esports integrity, aligning GRID with IBIA and its globally recognized integrity-focused members, who monitor over $300bn in sports bets per annum and have a growing focus on esports betting.
With this partnership, GRID and IBIA are committed to collaboratively addressing any integrity issues in esports, fostering trust across stakeholders, and setting a benchmark for excellence in the ecosystem. GRID has been a certified member of IBIA’s Data Standards program since 2022, actively contributing to the development of tailored esports integrity protocols. This membership further underscores GRID’s dedication to transparency and collaboration in combating betting-related corruption within esports.
Since 2018, GRID has operated an internal integrity department pioneering official data-driven solutions for esports. This makes GRID one of the first companies to monitor tournament and data integrity in the competitive sports sector and actively flag and report suspicious behavior, enabling it to collect a large database of integrity reports and insights.
IBIA is a not-for-profit body that protects regulated sports betting markets from match-fixing. It represents over 50 of the world’s leading betting companies which operate over 125 sports betting brands. IBIA’s global monitoring network is a highly effective anti-corruption tool, detecting and reporting suspicious activity in regulated betting markets using transactional activity linked to individual customer accounts.
Under the partnership, GRID and IBIA will share information relating to suspicious esports betting and potential match manipulation from their respective monitoring and intelligence platforms. IBIA members will also benefit from free access to wider integrity-focused resources supplied by GRID.
Moritz Maurer, CEO of GRID, commented: “Integrity is at the heart of GRID’s mission. By joining IBIA as an Associate Member, we are taking a definitive step toward establishing esports as a trusted and credible industry. This partnership enables us to further our efforts in promoting transparency, reducing risks associated with esports betting, and strengthening operational practices across the ecosystem.’’
Khalid Ali, CEO of IBIA, said: “We are delighted to welcome GRID as an Associate Member of IBIA. This partnership is a landmark for the esports sector and reflects our commitment to expanding our integrity initiatives into new markets. GRID’s expertise in esports data monitoring and integrity standards is an invaluable asset in our shared mission to combat betting corruption globally.”
The post GRID Joins IBIA as an Associate Member, Strengthening Esports Integrity appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
eSports
ComeOn Group and Astralis unite to drive esports engagement in the Nordics
ComeOn Group announced a sponsorship partnership between its flagship brand ComeOn! and Denmark based Astralis, one of the most esteemed esports organisations globally. As a global leader in esports, Astralis is providing a vibrant and engaging esports experience that is aligned with ComeOn!’s brand experience and is further enhanced by its focus in providing a leading esports betting destination.
As the official sponsor of Astralis, ComeOn! will be prominently featured across all of their platforms, including social media, team events, and competitive gaming content, boosting their brand exposure in key global markets with a focus on the Nordics. ComeOn! is already known as a vibrant brand in the Nordics and with the increased brand visibility it will be put at the heart of the fast-growing esports scene.
ComeOn Group continues to invest in its Sportsbook product experience that is powered by its proprietary sportsbook platform, where esports holds an important strategic market opportunity with its ever growing demand.
Juergen Reutter, Chief Executive Officer at ComeOn Group, said: “We are very excited to team up with Astralis as this collaboration not only allows us to showcase our innovative Sportsbook platform but also strengthens our ties to the esports community. This partnership is very much in the heart of one of the fastest growing betting markets globally. Esports has seen great demand by our audiences, and we want to provide the best betting experience for our customers. This partnership is also a testament to our localisation and personalisation focus and by working together with Astralis, we can deliver unique experiences that resonate with our players and elevate the entertainment experience around competitive gaming.”
Mads Rasmussen, Commercial Director at Astralis, said: ”We are proud to present ComeOn Group as our new global partner. This partnership holds great significance for Astralis both as an organization and as a business, and we look forward to bringing the agreement to life, benefiting the vast majority of our fanbase – who are adults. We have undergone a long and very positive process with ComeOn, and the fact that they are European-based with licenses in all our key markets, including Denmark, has been a decisive factor in our decision. Astralis fans, both in Denmark and internationally, can look forward to an innovative new digital activation, which promises to deliver an exciting and engaging experience.”
The post ComeOn Group and Astralis unite to drive esports engagement in the Nordics appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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