Indian Gamers Aspire To Turn Hobby Into Profession: HP Study
Indians are showing a strong interest towards a career in gaming and the personal computer (PC) is still the most preferred device for gaming, according to a report by HP. The gaming landscape study 2022 revealed that 68 per cent of gamers voted for PC as their preferred choice of device as it offers better processors, design and graphics with immersive displays. The study also showed that a majority of gamers feel gaming offers good earnings prospects along with multiple career choices.
BW Businessworld spoke to Vickram Bedi, Senior Director, Personal Systems, HP India about the rising demand for good and affordable gaming systems. Bedi claimed that the case of India having an overwhelming majority of mobile gamers is a boon. “The fact that there is so much mobile gaming in India is the best thing ever,” said Bedi.
He emphasised the aspirational perspective of gaming and that people are always looking towards upgrading and that is what is driving this growth. According to him, mobile and PC gaming can not only co-exist but also be each other’s companions.
“As the gaming industry in India evolves, it is promising to see gaming being considered as a career option. The PC gaming landscape in India offers a tremendous opportunity for the youth,” added Bedi.
According to the study, around two-thirds of serious gamers want to explore gaming as a full-time or part-time career. A key reason for this is the possibility of their hobby becoming a source of earning. Gaming is also considered a source of entertainment & relaxation by 92 per cent of the respondents, as a means to improve mental agility by 58 per cent of the respondents and as a way to improve social skills by 52 per cent of the respondents.
The growth of the gaming industry in India is also helping Indian gamers to try their hand at various career options. While becoming a gamer remains the most preferred, other options like becoming an influencer or a gaming software developer also interest them.
“The strong preference for PC gaming represents a massive business opportunity for us. We remain focused to engineer the best experiences based on user insights to enable a holistic and advanced gaming ecosystem in India," added Bedi.
The study also highlighted the gradually diminishing gender barriers in the gaming and esports industry. As per the study, women gamers are on the rise in India and are eyeing a career in gaming. 50 per cent of the respondents are aiming to turn their hobby into a profession.
Abhishek Issar, founding member of the Federation of Esports Association of India spoke to BW Businessworld about the National Education Policy and its efforts to introduce a curriculum based on gaming.
“The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 will help esports in a tremendous fashion.”, said Abhishek Issar. “We used to talk back in the day about how we would perform better in sports if it was included in our curriculum. E-sports sits on a similar ambit," added Issar.
Issar also said that the Prime Minister is taking an official stand to induct the NEP 2020 in educational institutions with gaming as a subset of the policy. He emphasised the fact that a proper esports curriculum where a gamer can be ranked during his early teens would be greatly beneficial for the Indian esports ecosystem.
Meanwhile, Moin Ejaz who recently led the Indian Dota 2 contingent to a bronze medal victory at the Commonwealth Esports Championships 2022 said he's looking forward to winning more medals for the country and building a stronger team for future competitions.
