The growth of the esports industry has resulted in diverse career opportunities and increased earnings for the Indian gamer community, HP India Gaming Landscape Study 2023 said. The study, covering 3,000 gamers across 15 Indian cities, highlighted that along with fun, gamers are now drawn to gaming to earn money and recognition. The study also covered 500 parents highlighting a positive shift in parents’ attitudes towards gaming in the last few years.
“As India emerges as one of the top three PC gaming countries globally, we are committed to empowering and enabling gamers through constant innovation and cutting-edge tools. This study allows us to develop a deeper understanding of the gaming landscape and provides colour on the passion and aspirations of the gaming community,” said Ipsita Dasgupta, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, HP India market.
Earnings from gaming are growing in India as compared with 2022, with more than 45 pc of serious gamers earning between 6 and 12 lakh per annum in 2023. Sponsorships and esports tournaments have emerged as significant income sources and the gaming industry in India is also helping gamers try their hands at various career options. Apart from being a gamer, respondents indicated having eyes on being influencers or exploring esports management in the future.
Vickram Bedi, Senior Director, Personal Systems, HP India, said, “It is encouraging to see the esports industry growing and providing diverse career opportunities to gamers. We believe that Indian youth has the potential to not only make it big at global esports arena but also to tap on entrepreneurial opportunities in the industry. We, at HP, are introducing initiatives like HP Gaming Garage to help them grow and inspire the budding gamers.”
The study revealed a positive shift in parent’s perspective towards gaming, with 42 pc of the respondents approving of it as a hobby. 40 pc parents participating in the study admitted that their perception of gaming had turned positive over the last few years, mainly due to the growth of the industry.
However, concerns about the stability of a gaming career and the potential for social isolation persist. The study shows parents have inadequate information about gaming prospects in India, with 49 pc depending on friends and family for information.
Gaming is no longer restricted to metros. The study shows a strong surge in serious gamers in non-metro cities. 75 pc of GenZ and 67 pc of Millennials are serious gamers. 58 pc of women respondents are identified as serious gamers, underlining the inclusive nature of gaming. Additionally, one in three gamers participates either for monetary gains or recognition.
The study revealed 61 pc of respondents were not aware of gaming courses in India, with more than half relying on YouTube and game buddies to enhance their skills. 57 pc of the respondents want gameplay training to get better at gaming.
When it comes to gaming devices, PCs were the preferred choice, with 67 pc favouring them over mobile phones. The study also reveals that gamers are willing to invest over INR 1 lakh on average for a gaming PC.
HP has announced its Gaming Garage where gamers can get free online professional certificate programme on esports management and game development. Hosted on edX, the programme is available in 12 languages.
A total of 3,500 respondents participated in the study from 15 Tier-1 and Tier-2 cities. A total of 3000 gamers and 500 parents were interviewed.
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