Indian prime minister Narendra Modi had a gaming interaction with Indian gamers like Tirth Mehta, (gcttirth), Payal Dhare (PayalGaming), Animesh Agarwal (8Bit_Thug), Anshu Bisht (GamerFleet), Naman Mathur (Mortal), Ganesh Gangadhar (SKRossi) and Mithilesh Patankar (MythPat).
They discussed the latest developments in the gaming industry, the creativity of gamers in promoting the industry in India, women’s participation in the gaming industry, gambling vs gaming and more such topics.
Esports in India has grown from a pastime activity to a new-age multi-sport event, officially recognised by the government. The latest FICCI-EY report titled #Reinvent: India’s media & entertainment sector is innovating for the future, states that participation in esports tournaments surged to 1.8 million in 2023, across various prominent titles and competitive levels, with an estimated increase to 2.5 million in 2024. Additionally, game streamers witnessed a notable rise in viewership of 20 per cent to 25 per cent, particularly in Tier-II cities.
8Bit Creatives founder & CEO and S8UL co-founder Agarwal stated, “It was truly an honour to discuss the rapid rise of esports in India with our honourable Prime Minister Modi and share our vision about revolutionising the future. I was personally awed at the PM’s understanding of the nuances of the industry, especially when he mentioned that the industry right now needs to grow with support, and not regulation from the government. We also discussed ease of business around gaming and literally voiced our aspirations at the highest possible forum. Gaming is now a mainstream sport and with the government’s support we will be able to take it to the next level.”
8Bit Creatives co-founder & CMO, and S8UL co-founder Mathur shared his experience, “Being in the presence of the PM, discussing the topic closest to my heart, was indeed surreal. Who thought I would be playing with the PM and personally walking him through the nuances of one of the games around the theme of Indian mythology. I hope this moment is an inflection point for gaming and esports in India.”
Gamer and influencer Dhare mentioned, “Discussing prospects for female gamers in India with the PM made my journey so much more worthwhile. I realised that he is a great listener, and perfectly paraphrased the difference between esports & gaming content creation, something we now hope everyone will be able to understand. His vision for game development in India around Indian culture, environmental issues, etc is something I felt very strongly about, and I hope it helps take Indian games to the global stage.”
During the discussion, the gamers delved into various aspects of gaming, including esports, game development, impact on youth, the global presence of India in the industry, and more. The gamers also shared their individual journeys, struggles and victories.
