The esports sector has expanded significantly in the last several years as compared to its earlier days. It’s natural to think that esports culture has come to be on par with traditional sports, but it has evolved into its own kind of community and industry.
Esports represent the intersection of technology and sports entertainment. Hence, with these technological leaps, esports have become more popular in the current day and age. Moreover, several schools and universities have started considering esports as a part of their education system.
The Varanasi-based Dalimss Sunbeam Group of Schools became the first school in India to introduce esports as a part of their official curriculum. It will be considered as an extracurricular activity in order to improve the overall performance and well-being of the students.
The director of Dalimss Sunbeam Group of Schools, Pooja Modak, explained, “Dalimss Sunbeam Group of Schools has strived to harness the limitless energy and creativity of children through a holistic education that encompasses academics, co-curricular activities, sports, and life skills. It is critical to equip children with the ability and skills to cope in a rapidly changing world. The objective behind including e-sports in our extracurricular activities is to introduce healthy competition among students and help improve their overall performance and well-being.”
The Indian online skill gaming industry is poised for tremendous growth. With the right support and the right progressive policy structures, gaming can spur yet another software revolution in India, along with a major enhancement in online education. As of today, the esports industry offers direct employment to almost 50,000 people.
This sector has multiplied benefits for several other domains, including fintech, banking, semiconductors, animation, and other aspects of information technology. The gaming industry has witnessed significant investments from marquee international investors, including several Unicorns. With the proper encouragement and support, India can emerge as a global pioneer in gaming technology.
As long as the gaming industry is constantly evolving, its popularity will only continue to rise. In the last three years, the sector welcomed 500 million new gamers across the globe. New technological breakthroughs such as virtual reality (VR) have provided new innovations and dimensions. For many young people, the industry has also become a viable career option. Here are some of the big developments that have caused esports to grow rapidly over the last few years.
Technology and Esports
Esports represent the intersection of technology and sports entertainment.
The increasing commercialization of esports has attracted numerous ventures and firms to the industry. Through technological advancements, esports fans witnessed technologies such as AI, 8K, VR, AR, and more.
Developments in technology, such as the rise of streaming and improved connections, have been a critical element in the growth of the sector. Investment from firms is another reason behind the proliferation of competitive gaming. Many of the online casino platforms and sports teams have partnered with esports teams. They added their matches to the sportsbooks, allowing gaming fans to play alongside their favorite teams.
Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence has become an important technology in the esports industry. Dota 2 is one of the most popular and complicated online games. It famously pits pro teams against a computer-controlled opponent called OpenAI.
The AI was able to beat several pro teams while losing to others, showcasing that AI can actually compete with the most skilled gamers in complicated settings. FalconAI offers AI-powered solutions to esports participants so as to help them improve their performance (for example, League of Legends).
Many esports teams, including Team Liquid, utilise machine learning to construct better practise regiments to achieve new goals and milestones. Due to its observation and analytical aspects, AI technology plays a powerful role in the growth of the esports industry.
Sports Marketing
Esports are where the millennial and Gen Z audience are, and that’s exactly what marketers are after nowadays. This is the audience group that no longer watches cable TV or reads the physical newspapers. They are online, playing games and watching e-sports tournaments. Apart from that, esports as a category is driven by a certain set of communities, which makes targeting all that much easier for modern-age marketers.
It is estimated that by 2025, there will be approximately 85 million viewers of esports events on 20 different platforms, making India one of the fastest growing markets for esports viewership. In a certain sense, it is starting to gain popularity on mainstream OTT platforms such as Voot, SonyLiv, JioTV, MX Player, and Hotstar, streaming some of the biggest esports tournaments. More platforms mean more content and ad space.
No wonder esports is now a huge part of the sports marketing landscape in India. Brands such as Pepsi, Red Bull, Airtel, Mercedes-Benz, Flipkart, BookMyShow, Yes Bank, and many others are already collaborating with esports platforms and tournaments to make the most of this growing space and to stay relevant in the industry.
Faster Internet
The availability of faster internet connections means more access to esports games. Another aspect of a faster internet is that it helps the esports sector develop faster. Fast connections have made competitive multiplayer games like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive work better and improve the overall user experience.
An esports-related advancement in internet connection is currently ongoing with the arrival of 5G networks. New internet standards will also mean improvements in mobile gaming, which could possibly lead to mobile esports competing against consoles and their PC counterparts.
Technology will continue to improve esports throughout time, whether through new services, improved game design, graphics, artificial intelligence, educational reforms, and more. Undoubtedly, India and Indian gamers have massive potential in the esports sector.