Wrap-Up 2024: The Year Gaming Transformed India By the end of 2028, the Indian online gaming market is estimated to touch INR 66,000 crore, growing at a CAGR of 14.5 per cent between 2023–2028, according to PwC.
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In April 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held an unconventional and non-political discussion. Meeting top Indian gamers such as Animesh Agarwal (8Bit_Thug), Naman Mathur (Mortal), Payal Dhare (PayalGaming), Ganesh Gangadhar (SKRossi), Anshu Bisht (GamerFleet), Mithilesh Patankar (MythPat) and Tirth Mehta, the PM discussed the issues faced by the esports and gaming industry.
This wasn't a mere moment for the industry. It solidified the esports and gaming industry's importance in the macroeconomics of India. According to a PwC report, the Indian online gaming market stood at INR 33,000 crore in 2023.
Lumikai's recent report stated that India boasted 591 million active gamers with 23 million new users added in FY24 alone.
Recognition on the global stage
Long gone are the days when gaming was considered a hobby, something which could not be made a career. Cut to 2024, esports and gaming have become potential career choices for youngsters.
In June, the Executive Board (EB) of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) was notified of proposing the creation of "Olympic Esports Games" to the 142nd IOC Session. The IOC Session officially decided to create the Olympic Esports Games set to take place in 2025 in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. "(With OEG) we are keeping up with the pace of the digital revolution," noted Thomas Bach, president, IOC.
India became one of the 18 countries among Argentina, Brazil, Spain, and Portugal to be invited to participate in eFootball at the FIFAe World Cup. The nation has also been consistently competing in the title at the Global Esports Games. India bagged a silver medal in Tekken 8 at the BRICS Esports Championship and a bronze medal in eFootball at the Asian Esports Games 2024.
Mortal emerged as the 'Esports Content Creator of the Year' at the 2024 Esports Awards while PayalGaming became the first Indian female to win 'Streamer of the Year,' at the 2024 Mobies Awards.
"The distinction between competitive esports and gaming became clearer, helping audiences and stakeholders better understand the ecosystem. At the same time, esports, traditional sports, and influencer-driven content began working more cohesively, creating synergies that enhanced fan experiences and industry growth," said Animesh Agarwal aka 8Bit Thug, co-founder, S8UL Esports while reflecting on the year.
National, State and local involvement
Notably, eFootball is also set to be featured in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting's upcoming inaugural WAVES Esports Championship 2025 (WESC). The Union Cabinet also announced the establishment of the National Centre of Excellence for Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics, and Extended Reality (AVGC-XR) in Mumbai.
In October, Priyank Kharge, Minister of Information Technology and Biotechnology, Government of Karnataka noted his keenness on hosting India's first government-sponsored eSports Olympics.
Among states, Bihar has aggressively been pushing on the esports front since December 2023. The Bihar State Esports Open Championship made its debut at the Patliputra Sports Complex, Patna. The state is seeking a structured approach to cultivate aspiring esports talent for inclusion in the state program. It announced the commencement of the first-ever Bihar Inter-School Esports Championship 2024 starting October 2024. The Bihar State Sports Authority (BSSA) integrated esports events & tournaments into its events calendar for the fiscal year 2024-25, unveiling the 'BIHAR ESPORTS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM'. The idea is to introduce esports in schools, colleges, and universities, with a focus on talent identification, training, tournaments, and the establishment of a ranking system.
Representing the seven sisters, Meghalaya became the first Indian state to sponsor an esports team- Jubilant Divine Esports while Nagaland joined the momentum by hosting its first esports tournament during the 25th Hornbill Festival at IG Stadium, Kohima. "Our goal is to prepare for medal events in the Olympics and to compete in esports titles globally," said Wanshankupar Suchiang, CEO, Jubilant Divine Esports in the media.
Growing interest
Owing to the increasing demand for streaming and viewership, homegrown esports tournaments have been pushed for small screens. For instance, Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) Masters Series Season 3 partnered with Star Sports for the third consecutive time. According to ES Charts, the tournament reached 318.7K peak viewers during round 12 of the finals on day three. Other key figures included 4.9M hours watched and 96.6K average viewers over 51 hours of airtime.
Domestically, NODWIN Gaming is betting big on youth entertainment by acquiring Trinity Gaming and Comic Con India and collaborating with JSW Sports. AkshatRathee, co-founder and managing director, NODWIN Gaming firmly believes that in 2024, games will become an integral part of the cultural zeitgeist, with creators and influencers amplifying their appeal among youth.
Youngsters are now actively looking at this space as a profession. According to the HP India Gaming Landscape Study 2023, almost 52 per cent of Indian gamers are considering gaming as a viable career path in the backdrop of an increase in player earnings compared to 2022. "The rapid growth of gaming and esports has transformed them into viable career paths. Awareness has increased, not just about being a gamer or creator but also about the wide array of roles in the industry," said Milind D. Shinde, founder & CEO, 88 Games.
By the end of 2028, the Indian online gaming market is estimated to touch INR 66,000 crore, growing at a CAGR of 14.5 per cent between 2023–2028, according to PwC.
