Esports in India: The Fastest Growing Sport Among Youngsters
Imagine earning ₹12 lakh per annum just by sitting in front of your computer or smartphone and shooting virtual characters.
By Swayanjeet Das
Courtesy: iStock
India is witnessing the dawn of esports, it is no more merely a group of people playing games together on their computers. Rather gaming has developed into a separate community in recent years. Youngsters see it as a viable career option.
The proliferation of internet and easy access to smartphones have made it possible for the youngsters to turn their intrest into a potential career. The scope of esports is not limited to professional gaming but it offers more.
Career Opportunities in Esports A report by AFK Gaming suggest, the esports and gaming sector will be witnessing a growth of 10-25% in 2025 driven by the growing player base.
PC gaming had a small but dedicated fanbase, with games like Counter-Strike 1.6, Dota 2, and Call of Duty being popular in cyber cafes. Events like the World Cyber Games (WCG) and ESL India Premiership introduced competitive gaming to a niche audience. Despite interest, gaming was not seen as a viable career due to high hardware costs and slow internet speeds.
Currently top-tier BGMI players in India are earning monthly salaries ranging from ₹1,00,000 to ₹2,00,000. Prominent players may receive up to ₹4,00,000 per month. While BGMI coaches have been reported to earn ₹50,000 and more per month.
Valorant is the second most popular game title in India and valorant pros have been reported to earn between ₹1,00,000 and ₹1,50,000 per month. Players participating in international leagues have been offered minimum annual salaries of $50,000 (approximately ₹41,34,734).
Esports boom in India started with the launch of PUBG Mobile, soon it became very popular among the youth. Soon after that Krafton along with Tencent, the parent company of the computer version, announced PUBG Mobile India Series. The tournament gave India its esports idols like Mortal, Scout and Jonathan. Along with the advent of organisations like Soul Esports, 8-Bit, Global Esports, GodLike and Entity Gaming, which later on made a dent on the global stage.
Courtesy: The Bridge
In December 2022, the Indian government officially recognized eSports as part of “multi-sports events,” giving it legitimacy. The introduction of esports in events like the Asian Games 2022 (held in 2023) and possible inclusion in Olympics boosts its credibility. With this the career possibility in esports is endless.
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