E-sports in India has been in the spotlight for some time now. We've seen large prize money[1], the influx of several brands, and some interesting acquisitions[2] in the space. With every e-sports firm clamouring to be the first in their respective niches such as Ucypher claiming to be the first in broadcasting e-sports in India (which is far from the case[3]) and Cobx claiming to be India's first international e-sports tournament (which it isn't[4]), we dispel the myths surrounding e-sports in India on this episode of Talk About Games[5] - Gadgets 360's weekly gaming show.
Aside from talking about Indian e-sports' obvious fake news problem, host and Games Editor Rishi Alwani is joined by Aditya Shah, a veteran pro gamer and Product Head of the ESL India Premiership to discuss the origins of e-sports. From the days of the World Cyber Games along with Reliance and Microsoft's attempts at making Halo[6] on PC popular in India, to the rise of MOBAs like Dota 2, we explain what e-sports in India was.
In addition to this we talk about the possibility of e-sports going mobile with the advent of Clash Royale[7] and Vainglory, as well as the actual popularity of e-sports in India. With the likes of PUBG[8] and FIFA[9], can e-sports in India go beyond the established confines of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive[10] and Dota 2[11]?And can playing games professionally be a sustainable career?
All this and more in Talk About Games - Gadgets 360's weekly gaming show. Join us every week, Friday night at 9pm IST for a brand new episode of Talk About Games....