In Chennai, the perception of esports as a mere hobby for young people playing on their phones is changing, as it has evolved into a multi-million rupee industry. The city now boasts professional e-gamers who compete in international events, earning between 10 to 20 lakh monthly. Recognizing this trend, the Tamil Nadu government has embraced esports by incorporating it into the CM Trophy competition.
Sudin Dinesh from Chennai, who once played online games with friends at local gaming centers using basic PlayStation kits and personal computers, never imagined he would compete on a global level. Initially, gaming was a form of relaxation, but he soon took it seriously. Devoting himself to a professional career, he practiced for 10 hours daily and achieved victories in tournaments across India.
His growing reputation landed him a contract with a gaming organization in Delhi that organized FIFA tournaments in major cities across India. This opportunity led to his participation in the 2015 Esports World Championship, where he was recognized as one of the top 32 players globally. Dinesh, now retired, holds a lucrative position as the Head of Production at the Esports Club in Bengaluru, reflecting on the fact that like traditional sports, e-gamers have a limited career span.
In Chennai, gamers typically attract between 3 to 4 lakh viewers when they livestream, with top performers reaching up to 17 lakh views. Many of these viewers are newcomers, observing how professionals handle in-game challenges. Alongside streaming revenue, gamers receive rewards from tournament organizers and collaborate with brands looking to partner with successful teams.
The scale of esports has expanded significantly over the years. For instance, in 2010, the prize pool for a FIFA tournament in Chennai was ₹5 lakh, whereas recently, a Battlegrounds (India's version of PUBG) tournament in Kochi featured a prize pool of ₹2 crore. Game publishers from countries such as South Korea and the US are increasingly hosting tournaments in the region.Indian cities are taking steps to promote esports, with Chennai set to host a major event involving the nation's top e-gamers by the end of November. Not all players at this event are professionals, as individuals like Kirubakaran Sundar Rajan, a doctor from Georgia, join friends in Chennai to play out of passion. Sundar Rajan values the opportunity to receive feedback from streams and connect with gamers worldwide. While some professionals, such as doctors and engineers aged 20 to 40, see gaming as a way to enhance concentration, concerns about addiction are on the rise. Dr. D Sidharth reports treating three to four cases of back pain or stress monthly due to excessive gaming, noting that many players spend 4-6 hours playing straight after work, impacting their sleep, posture, and eyesight. Game publishers have introduced self-regulatory measures such as limiting daily gaming to six hours and sending alerts every two hours to help prevent health issues. Sriram Vishaal, Head of esports at Skyesports, a tournament organizer, mentions that skill-based esports is not likely to face scrutiny from the Tamil Nadu Online Gaming Authority, which focuses on games of chance and betting rather than skill-based esports like rummy or poker.
