12th Nov|5m read
eSports at Commonwealth Games: A Game Changer for the Industry
Discover what eSports inclusion in the Commonwealth Games means for the future of competitive gaming, industry growth, and global recognition in sports.
In the first-ever Esports championship held at the Commonwealth games this month, India scripted history by bagging a bronze medal in Dota 2.
With the Esports industry currently booming in the subcontinent, the stage is now set to have a positive impact on the gaming industry in the country.
The inclusion of the Esports championship at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham is a historic event. Even though the event wasn't an official model at the CEC 2022, there is a possibility that it might be included as an official model for the CEC 2026.
In fact, the inclusion of Esports in globally recognized sporting tournaments might even pave the way for Esports in the Olympics. Emmanuel Macron, the Prime Minister of France, where Olympics 2024 is scheduled to be held, has expressed a desire for including Esports in the France Olympics.
Esports at Commonwealth Games
For the first time ever, a multi-national Esports tournament in partnership with the Commonwealth Games Federation and Global Esports Federation was held in Birmingham.
While only three games were competitively contested—Dota 2, Rocket League, and E-Football (by Konami)—the tournament saw active participation by several countries.
India was one of the many countries that participated in the tournament. Two teams from India had qualified for it after putting up a stellar performance at the South Asian Regional Qualifiers. The teams had qualified for Rocket League and Dota 2.
While the team contesting in Rocket League crashed out of the tournament, the Dota 2 team managed to win the bronze medal match against New Zealand.
Malaysia topped the table after winning three golds in the tournament, followed by England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Australia, India, and Singapore respectively.
Esports as the modern sport
The gaming industry is one of the fastest-growing industries in modern times. With more than 6 lakh players and 1 lakh teams in India itself, Esports is the future. An Ernst and Young report titled: Ready, Set, Game On claims that the industry is expected to grow in India at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 46% and will reach 1,100 crore rupees by the year 2025.
Another mind-boggling fact states that Esports is being consumed through several streaming platforms in 152 countries by over 500 million fans.
More and more youth from around the world are picking gaming as their full-time career. And why shouldn’t they? After all, huge earnings and recognition are a factor that is encouraging to modern-day youth.
The director of the Esports Federation of India (EFI) feels that Esports are not very different from traditional sports. They both have a serious amount of competition, long practice hours, good reflexes, and a pool of fans.
Just like traditional sports, the rise of Esports will also create several career opportunities for Esport journalists, marketing professionals, coaches, and game designers.
Esports in India
The Indian team that had won a bronze medal after defeating New Zealand 2-0 in a best-of-three match at the Commonwealth games was led by Captain Moin Ejaz. The team included: Ketan Goyal, Abhishek Yadav, Shubhnam Goli, and Vishal Vernekar.
“This win symbolizes the amount of hard work the team has put in over the years and we dedicate this win to our country,” said captain Moin Ejaz said. “Winning a medal at the Commonwealth was a dream for us and we're super proud as a team,”
He added: “We hope that this win will encourage more tournaments around Dota 2 and other esports titles, which will help the ecosystem as a whole to grow in our country.”
The gaming industry has been revolutionized in India. What started out from small tournaments at college festivals and student events has now become home to a 250 crore rupees industry with lakhs of players and teams competing across national and international tournaments.
Doing away with the age-old Indian myth about gaming—that it doesn’t pay bills—some tournaments in India now have a prize pool of 2 crore rupees. This is more than what several traditional sports that are played in the country offer.
The growth of Esports in India can also be credited to the support offered by several celebrities such as Tiger Shroff, who was the brand ambassador of F Sports Premier League, and Raftaar, who collaborated with Fortnite for the Bhangra Boogie Cup.
An ABP news report claimed that the number of Esport athletes and teams in India has nearly doubled after the pandemic. This might also be because, while several other sports were unplayable due to restrictions imposed by the pandemic, it was only Esports that was still playable, even at a global level, which gives the sport a unique and distinct characteristic.
Esports and the gaming industry have immense potential. It won't be long until Esports will become like any other sport, with global recognition, sportsperson-like dignity, and streamlined tournaments for all.
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