The celebrity push for Asian eSports: The star power rises

More and more celebrities are coming forward to take part in esports events, another sign of the industry’s popularity in India.

We recognise the signs of success in an industry when its advertising pumps up with star power. The signs are becoming more and more visible in Indian esports and gaming, as the industry is growing exponentially at a CAGR of 40%. India is among the top five mobile gaming markets in the world.

Harbhajan Singh, Inzamam-ul-Haq & Manisha Koirala

Recently, cricket legends from India and Pakistan, Harbhajan Singh and Inzamam-ul-Haq and Bollywood star Manisha Koirala graced the gala virtual awards ceremony of Southeast Asia’s premier tri-nation esports tournament, World Esports Cup (WEC). The WEC virtual award ceremony will be streamed live today at 1 PM on the YouTube channel of ITG.

The tournament witnessed top esports talents from India, Pakistan and Nepal fight it out in a three-month-long keenly-contested WEC, which kickstarted on November 25.

The inaugural edition of this tri-nation cup was held completely online and the three month long tournament registered a total viewership of 130 million+ video views across the social channels of India Today Gaming (ITG).

For us it’s a new thing…we used to play for the sake of entertainment. But people are making a career out of it now

“For us it’s a new thing…we used to play for the sake of entertainment. But people are making a career out of it now. There are analysts for them, there are discussions around it and even coaching is provided to make them understand the nuances of the game. Not only the players but many people are now associating with it in order to be something. It is relatively easy for me to understand the demands and effort. I would suggest to these players that if you love esports then put in your hard work and become so strong that no one can beat you.” said Harbhajan Singh, former India cricketer.

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“The best part is everyone can participate in these games…like how for India and Pakistan matches we had the pressure to win, the same pressure was on these (esports) players…the traditional rivalry of India vs Pakistan matches like in cricket, hockey or kabaddi is high so the competition will be high, and it will continue in esports also.” stated Inzamam-ul-Haq, former Pakistan cricket captain.

The best part is everyone can participate in these games…like how for India and Pakistan matches we had the pressure to win, the same pressure was on these (esports) players

The World Esports Cup had Infinix Smartphone as the presenting sponsor and was played under the aegis of gamer-centric campaign #GameHaiToFameHai with Tiger Shroff as the inimitable brand ambassador that encouraged players to showcase their top game and get recognised by the gaming industry.

Sharukh Khan

Meanwhile, as many view fantasy sports as harmful entertainment akin to gambling, A23, an online Rummy space, has launched a campaign with Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan, a surround-campaign that urges gamers to play responsibly. The campaign was conceived and created by Vector Brand Solutions.

Joseph George, Founder, and CEO, Vector Brand Solutions, said, “When a brand commits itself to be gamer first, the constant endeavour is then to not just provide the gamer community with opportunities for social fulfilment, unmatched experience, excitement, and rewards, but also to constantly nudge them to be socially and personally responsible. From a brand-building perspective, it is thrilling for us to embark on a journey to build a brand that is both exciting and responsible. Chalo Saath Khelein.”

Seedhe Maut & Sez On The Beat

NODWIN Gaming, along with Riot Games, developer and publisher of the popular PC game Valorant, has roped in contemporary hip-hop artist Seedhe Maut and music producer Sez On The Beat to create an epic, celebratory and inspiring anthem for the entire Valorant community in South Asia.

The track is titled NHK, which stands for “Nahi Hora Kya”.

This video features some of the most popular Valorant players from the South Asian region battling their way to the VCC title, such as Ganesh Gangadhar (Skrossi) from the Indian team Global Esports; Shakir Razak (Hikka) from the Indian team Enigma Gaming; Abdul Haseeb (HSB) from the Pakistan team Team Exploit and Sami Ar Rahman (SSSami) from the Bangladeshi team Exceeli Esports.

The lyrics and visual elements of the anthem beautifully capture the emotions and spirit of every professional player who strives to reach the top despite all odds with an aim to become a hero through sheer hard work, determination, and talent. The anthem captures the entire journey in the life of a Valorant player from Nahi Hora Kya to Ab Aisa Kuch Bhi Nahi Jo Mujhse Nahi Hora Yaha.

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“Being big fans of the game, it was great to be able to work on the official track for Valorant with our guy Sez on the Beat. Music and gaming are converging nowadays like never before, shoutout to NODWIN VCC for supporting gaming and the culture like they do,” said Seedhe Maut.