There Is Spurt In Demand For Gaming PCs – Anand Subramanya, Dell Technologies
Q. Define your Indian consumers – demographics and preferences.
PC gaming has been growing at a steady pace in India. Initially, with higher-tech penetration in metropolitans, it saw growth in the big cities. However, with the adoption of online gaming, the industry has made its way to tier II and III cities. Indian gamers cannot be stereotyped as nerdy, asocial, teenage boys or men or a certain age group anymore. Several studies have shown that nowadays gamers are dynamic, social, and successful people, proud to call themselves gamers. These dynamics have driven us to create appealing designs; thinner, lighter, smaller, and more powerful PCs while providing a great gaming experience to customers. We have an expansive suite of gaming PCs to meet the different needs of the customers.
Q. Share with us your gaming range, new enhancements, and line-ups planned for this year and coming.
We have two distinct brands focusing on different needs of the customers i.e., Alienware and Dell G series. For consumers that are new to PC gaming or moving from mobile to PC, the Dell G Series portfolio is a great place to start at. On the other hand, Alienware has been designing premium, high-performance desktops, laptops, and other PC gaming devices for professional gamers.
In line with current trends, we are focusing on bringing devices with breakthrough system-level engineering controls to let gamers play the latest game titles with confidence, visually immersive displays for high-end gaming, advancements in thermal technologies in mobile form factors, cutting-edge designs to power innovation and portability. We are also looking at different combinations of processors and configurations that would benefit our Indian gamers. We have an exciting lineup planned for this year and you will know more soon.
You have an affordable range of gaming laptops as well as Alienware for professional gamers. Which of the two has expanded the base in India? How do you see the professional range and its demand in India?
The gaming community is versatile and has been growing exponentially. Our two brands address the different user needs. The Dell G series has been growing at a rapid pace as more customers are moving from mobile gaming to PC gaming experience for a desirable experience. Keeping up with the evolving needs of gameplay, this range includes features like Alienware Command Center and Game Shift button which enhances the in-game performance at the press of a button.
One example is the Cyrotech technology for thermal management that provides increased power efficiency and higher speeds for a long-sustained period. These powerhouse machines are not only used by gamers but are also used by professionals to meet their content creation needs such as video and photographs editing, rendering animation, etc.
Q. How does Dell look at the gaming opportunity in India which has got a sudden boom during the pandemic in its already rising growth story? Also, speak on the PC gaming market in India in comparison to other countries.
India is a growth market for the gaming industry. There is a growing interest of consumers for adopting gaming either as entertainment or going pro. Besides, demand for technology devices has gained momentum with increased create, learn, and play from anywhere requirements. PCs, at the centre of it, are being used for both content creation, consumption, and gaming. Consumers are finding it convenient to use PCs for a better gaming experience.
As per IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Gaming Devices Tracker, the gaming PC market, which includes desktops and notebooks, and the monitor market in the Asia-Pacific region excluding Japan posted a record 12.3 per cent YoY growth in 2020, reaching 21.7 million units. Gaming is now contributing to more than 10 per cent of the overall notebook market (Gfk). Gaming has played the role of unifier during this time of pandemic and as customers continue to evolve from mobile gaming to PC gaming, we expect this trend to continue.
Q. What are the technological trends in gaming that you are witnessing this year?
The recent year has seen a rapid rate of expansion, resulting in the emergence of numerous trends that will continue to shape the gaming sector moving forward such as the new design thinking and streaming games.
When it comes to the new design thinking, consumers are looking for practical and efficient devices to help them perform their work and get them the best performance during their play. This is where we see a lot of demand growth for the thin and light device as a preferred choice for gamers, who spend extended periods in front of their laptops and do not want to sacrifice comfort.
Then there are streaming games. Cloud-based gaming offers similar immersive experiences on any device like a smartphone, tablet, desktop, laptop, or even a TV. Advantages like one login to access multiple devices offer seamless connection from a browser on the desktop or mobile to enjoy the game at the comfort of their homes or while on the go.
Q. Dell has constantly been vocal about the career opportunities in gaming in India. How are you creating a gaming ecosystem for the industry that goes beyond gamers?
Brands like Dell and Alienware have been frontrunners in educating and increasing awareness on gaming and creating an ecosystem for the industry which goes beyond gamers to include game developers, shout casters, and anyone who wants to pursue a profession in gaming. For the youth in India, who constitute the largest user set in PC gaming, we developed Dell Futurist. It is an online program targeting college-goers who wish to develop careers in the field of gaming. Dell Futurists are young and ambitious minds who aspire to pursue their passions and their careers. They are inspired by leaders or mentors, who can help them nurture their skills. Those who sign up to be a Dell Futurist, get access to subject matter experts.
