Mumbai, April 13, 2024: In a bid to drive forward the development of India’s burgeoning Esports industry, the country’s notable gaming personalities convened in a groundbreaking dialogue with honorable Prime Minister Modi and discussed the growth of the nation’s video gaming sector.
Prine minister Modi played Beat Saber (a virtual reality game), Razi (a PC game), and Stumble Guys (a mobile game) with the gamers.
The Prime Minister emphasized a desire for gaming to positively impact the youth, foster creativity, empower Indian participation in the global gaming industry, and contribute to the nation’s standing in the global ecosystem.
Key pointers from the roundtable conversation:
– The discussion began with PM asking about the gaming schedule of the players and their contributions to the content space.
– There was an acknowledgement of how subsidized internet rates in India have facilitated gamers in pursuing their career aspirations within the industry
– Addressing preconceived notions about gaming, particularly its perception as a mere pastime activity and its negative portrayal by some parents, was a focal point of the conversation.
– The Prime Minister expressed skepticism about the feasibility of establishing a regulatory body for gaming, emphasizing the industry’s rapid growth and the necessity of allowing it to flourish without undue restriction.
– Discussion topics covered included:
Recognizing Esports as a mainstream sport distinct from gambling and real-money gaming
Offering advice to young gamers
Encouraging the development of “Make-in-India” games that draw inspiration from Indian mythology, culture, and traditions
Advocating for the use of games as a platform for raising awareness about environmental and social issues
Promoting the creation of open-source games to ensure their enduring availability
The roundtable discussion featured Animesh Agarwal (8Bit_Thug), Naman Mathur (Mortal) and Payal Dhare (PayalGaming) of 8BitCreatives, India’s leading gaming influencer management agency alongside Ganesh Gangadhar (SKRossi), Anshu Bisht (GamerFleet), Mithilesh Patankar (MythPat) and Tirth Mehta.
Esports in India has grown from a pastime activity to a new-age ‘multi-sport’ event, officially recognized by the government. The latest FICCI-EY report titled ‘#Reinvent: India’s media & entertainment sector is innovating for the future’, states that participation in Esports tournaments surged to 1.8 million in 2023, across various prominent titles and competitive levels, with an estimated increase to 2.5 million in 2024. Additionally, game streamers witnessed a notable rise in viewership of 20% to 25%, particularly in Tier-II cities.
Sharing his perspective on discussing the exponential growth of Esports in India with the honorable prime minister, Animesh Agarwal, Founder & CEO of 8Bit Creatives and Co-Founder of S8UL, stated, “It was truly an honor to discuss the rapid rise of Esports in India with our honorable Prime Minister Modi and share our vision about revolutionizing the future. I was personally awed at the PM’s understanding of the nuances of the industry, especially when he mentioned that the industry right now needs to grow with support, and not regulation from the government. We also discussed ease of business around gaming and literally voiced our aspirations at the highest possible forum. Gaming is now a mainstream sport and with the government’s support we will be able to take it to the next level.”
Naman ‘Mortal’ Mathur, Co-founder & CMO of 8Bit Creatives and co-founder of S8UL called the experience surreal and said “Being in the presence of the PM, discussing the topic closest to my heart, was indeed surreal. Who thought I would be playing with the PM & personally walking him through the nuances of one of the games around the theme of Indian mythology. I hope this moment is an inflection point for gaming & esports in India.”
Payal Dhare looked back at the interaction and mentioned “Discussing prospects for female gamers in India with the PM made my journey so much more worthwhile. I realized that he is a great listener, and perfectly paraphrased the difference between esports & gaming content creation, something we now hope everyone will be able to understand. His vision for game development in India around Indian culture, environmental issues, etc is something I felt very strongly about, and I hope it helps take Indian games to the global stage. Thanks to sir for gifting us a lifetime memory.”
Lokesh ‘Goldy’ Jain, Co-founder of 8Bit Creatives expressed his pride and said, “This is bound to have outcomes for the industry which I look forward to, but as of now I am focussing on the happiness I am feeling. Having three of my own sit with the PM and discuss gaming & esports, reminds me of why I do what I do. I am completely aligned with the PM’s vision, and hope to work towards it with my team, to the extent we can.”
During the discussion, the gamers delved into various aspects of gaming, including esports, game development, impact on youth, the global presence of India in the industry, and more. The gamers also shared their individual journeys, struggles & wins.
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