Esports events and festivals are on the rise all over India. What was once nothing more than just a college fest event, has now become a behemoth of a platform for all the gaming companies to advertise and showcase their masterpieces. Indian culture is getting a taste of global gaming nuances and it is certainly taking over the country.
Here we take a look at some of the biggest gaming events in the country in recent times.
#1 ESL Gaming
ESL is easily one of the most established gaming events in India. Introduced back in 2000, it was India’s first ever major event of Dota 2. ESL is exceptionally well-known, and their website boasts with pride of having 19+ years in esports. If you take a look at the numbers in their About Us section, you will certainly be astounded by their sheer vastness.
Over 200 million fans from all over the world join around 8.5 million players, who are collectively competing in more than 100,000 tournaments. The Mumbai edition in 2019 saw some of the finest cosplay entries on an Indian stage.
The quality of the event was of international standard and was of super high class. Sameer Bundela, one of the judges of the Cosplay Contest at ESL, mentioned, “This was one of the best cosplay competitions conducted in India. Both foreign and local judges were present, who had good experience and knowledge of cosplay. I’ve judged a few cosplay competitions before, but I’ve never had a chance to judge a competition of this scale. I enjoyed it thoroughly. We got to see how the cosplayers overcame different obstacles, which was amazing. Even though I was judging this competition, being a cosplayer myself, these stories gave me a lot of insights into the process of cosplaying.”
#2 DreamHack
A glimpse of last year’s Dreamhack event
The Dreamhack event is unique in its own way. Instead of booths scattered across the location like other events, it had just a couple or so booths. The location was covered in PCs and cables, with specific spots for you to bring your machine and settle down for a fun time.
Their target group was not just professional gamers, but amateur gamers as well. The event saw a lot of casual gamers show up, bringing their friends who may not be into gaming that much. The ultimate motive was to showcase what an actual LAN party is like. Similar to college days, giving it a nostalgic feel.
#3 IGX – Indian Gaming Expo
IGX is home to blockbuster gaming, cutting-edge tech and hardware experience, intense competitions, an enticing atmosphere, the brightest Indian gaming talents, and India’s largest gaming cosplay celebration.
IGX is defined by the people it hosts. It has been running for more than 3 years and is visited by nearly 100,000 people. The event boasts more than a hundred different brand associations.
Arguably, the Indian Gaming Expo hosts the biggest gaming cosplay event and provides a platform for prospective students to meet representatives from universities and colleges, making it a very sought-after event. Both gamers, as well as aspiring students in the field of computer games, are seen at this event.
There are several more Esports festivals in India, namely, GeForce Esports Festival, College Premier League, and more.