Chennai: While some may still perceive esports as a leisure activity for young people playing on their mobile devices, it has quietly transformed into a multi-million rupee industry in Chennai. The city is now home to professional e-gamers who represent India at global competitions, earning monthly incomes ranging from 10 to 20 lakhs. Recognizing this growing trend, the Tamil Nadu government has embraced esports by incorporating it into the CM Trophy competition.
Sudin Dinesh, a resident of Chennai, who initially played online games with friends at local gaming centers equipped with basic PlayStation consoles and personal computers, never anticipated competing on an international platform. What started as a casual pastime soon became a serious pursuit for him. Dedicating himself to a professional career, he practiced for 10 hours each day, clinching victories in tournaments across the country.
With his reputation on the rise, Dinesh secured a contract with a gaming organization based in Delhi that organized FIFA competitions in major Indian cities. This opportunity led to his participation in the 2015 Esports World Championship, where he established himself as one of the top 32 players globally. Dinesh, who has since retired from professional gaming, now holds a high-paying position as the Head of Production at an Esports Club in Bengaluru. He emphasizes that, like traditional sports, e-gamers have a limited career span, and he foresees an influx of young individuals pursuing this profession, evident from the increasing viewership of esports content on social media.
In Chennai, gamers typically attract between 3 to 4 lakh views when livestreaming, with top performers achieving up to 17 lakh views. Most of these viewers are newcomers seeking insights on how professionals tackle in-game challenges. In addition to revenue from streaming, gamers receive rewards from tournament organizers and partnerships with brands interested in collaborating with winning teams.
The scale of esports has grown significantly. For instance, the prize pool for a FIFA tournament in Chennai was ₹5 lakh in 2010. By comparison, a recent Battlegrounds tournament (India's version of PUBG) in Kochi featured a prize pool of ₹2 crores. Game publishers from countries such as South Korea and the US are increasingly organizing tournaments in India.Indian cities are aiming to promote esports with Chennai set to host a major event in late November, featuring the country's top e-gamers. Not all participants are professionals, with individuals like Kirubakaran Sundar Rajan, a doctor from Georgia, joining friends in Chennai to play for their love of the game. Rajan values the interaction with the global gaming community and live streaming feedback. Some professionals, such as doctors and engineers aged 20 to 40, use gaming to enhance their concentration, but concerns around addiction are growing. Dr. D Sidharth notes that excessive gaming post-work hours, ranging from 4 to 6 hours, can impact sleep, posture, and eyesight, with cases of back pain and stress arising monthly. To address health concerns, certain game publishers have instated self-regulatory measures like limiting daily gaming to six hours and issuing alerts every two hours. Sriram Vishaal, Head of esports at Skyesports, mentions that skill-based esports are not typically monitored by the Tamil Nadu Online Gaming Authority, unlike games involving chance or betting such as rummy or poker.
