5 Trends That Will Impact The Future Of Esports In India

Due to its increased accessibility through smartphones, more esports cafes, informed influencers, good internet connection, and the Covid-19 restrictions are the factors helping India's gaming market.

Now, let's dive into key trends that will characterise the industry in the future. 

Higher tournament prize money 

There are more and more Indians participating in esports tournaments yearly, which initiates a steady surge in cash prizes and rewards. The Covid lockdown has motivated more people to join online-only multiplayer esports tournaments. 

An increased interest in esports betting has also been recorded. Due to prolonged Covid-19 restrictions, the average gaming time rose from 2.5 hours to around 3.6 hours a day.

Esports as a course in universities and colleges

Gamers are now opting for full-time courses on esports, similar to western countries where collegiate esports are widely existent. 

Including esports courses and subjects in educational institutions would prepare aspiring gamers to land career opportunities and eke out their livelihood.

By 2027, India might have 667 million gamers, and the inevitable growth will be attributed to the rise in the percentage of professional gamers. 

Real-time esports broadcast

The gaming and esports industries will adhere to watching live content, which will naturally attract viewership and money. These tournaments will be accessible due to the availability of high-speed internet in India. 

There was an 8% rise in the percentage of weekly mobile gamers between the pre-covid era and the lockdown phase. The gaming time also changed from 151 minutes pre-lockout to 218 minutes post-lockout.

Deep-tech in iGaming

There is in-depth information on esports tournaments and athlete performances, thanks to the implementation of Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Big Data. 

These features use even audience interactions. Besides Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality, the data is used to touch new heights by making it more stimulating, interactive and engaging.

Esports sponsorship and brand involvement

As the young crowd of India is taking an interest in esports, brands are also gravitating towards using esports tournament viewership to increase audience engagement, estimated to reach $6.5 billion by 2025. 

The increasing popularity of esports has given brands countless opportunities to reach out to their target audience. As of now, investors are comparing esports tournaments to the reception witnessed in huge sports events like the Indian Premier League (IPL), Indian Super League (ISL), Pro Kabaddi League (PKL), etc. 

Brands are jumping into India's esports industry with a view of reaping the benefits of the industry to the fullest extent. Even casual gaming is a promising area of investment.