Budget 2022-23: Will the rollout of 5G services boost the esports industry?

by  Komal Darji Industry Watch | February 2, 2022 | Feature

Harsh Jain Dream11 Vishwalok Nath World Esports Cup Lokesh Suji

The Union Budget for 2022-23 was presented on 01 February 2022 by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, with a focus on accelerating the economy, expanding business opportunities, and potentially creating 6 million new jobs. Agriculture, healthcare, small businesses and infrastructure were all heavily represented in the proposals.

During the presentation Sitharaman stated that Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, and Comic (AVGC) has potential for youth employment. "An AVGC promotion task force will be formed with all stakeholders to recommend ways to achieve this and build domestic capacity for serving out markets and global demand," said Sitharam.

With the government promoting digitalization through the budget, here is how Esports Industry Stalwart recognizes it as an opportunity to grow.

“Rollout of 5G services will accelerate the adoption of online sports engagement platforms”
-Harsh Jain, CEO and Co-Founder, Dream11 and Dream Sports

We welcome the budget's focus on promoting start-ups and giving impetus to the Digital Economy. Our aim at Dream Sports is to keep growing India’s digital sports tech ecosystem to become the largest in the world, just like the Indian Fantasy Sports industry has become the world’s largest with 12 Crore users.

The task force for promoting the Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comic (AVGC) sector will provide the much needed clarity and certainty for the Fantasy Sports and Esports sectors by providing more upskilling and career opportunities for the youth to be a part of India's sunshine sectors.

The rollout of 5G services will further accelerate the adoption of online sports engagement platforms and promote investments, innovation and wealth creation, while contributing to the Hon'ble Prime Minister's vision of making India a sporting superpower both in the real and digital worlds.

“Esports has a huge scope for professional gamers as well as other jobs”
- Vishwalok Nath, Director, World Esports Cup

We welcome the steps that the finance minister of India as part of Budget 2022-2023 including the creation of the Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, and Comic (AVGC) task force. We hope that this task force can help promote the creation of a robust infrastructure for game development with gradual benefits to the esports community. We are also looking forward to the 5G spectrum auction this year. 5G can further promote the latest innovations and mass adoption of technologies like cloud gaming in the country.

There is a huge scope of employment for the youth in the gaming industry, Esports/Video Games is a versatile industry and there is a huge scope for professional gamers as well as other jobs like casters, commentators, and other support staff appointed by the esports tournaments like producers, editors, analysts, product managers, game testers, referees, production crew members, event managers, social media managers, etc.

“5G can disrupt the industry by enhancing the live streaming of games and cloud gaming”
-Lokesh Suji, Director, Esports Federation of India and Vice President, Asian Esports Federation (AESF)

It is encouraging to finally see the seriousness from our Government towards this sector which has been long neglected. This will definitely help in setting up the policies which would encourage and build our capacities and capabilities to export to the rest of the world; leading to more domestic video game development studios and more investments in the AVGC sector. Spectrum auctions for 5G is a welcome move for the gaming industry as well. 5G can disrupt the industry by enhancing the live streaming of games and cloud gaming as well.

The task force should consist largely of people who have been part of the "Video Game" industry and are playing an active role in shaping up the Indian video game industry. 

“Esports companies will help build domestic capacity for serving out markets and the global demand”
-Sagar Nair, Co-Founder & CEO, Qlan, The Gamer's Social Network

It is this continued acceptance that will lead to the progress of the Indian gaming and esports industry. First was esports’ entry in the Asian Games as an official event followed by a government dedicated task force to work with the AVGC sector. I have no doubt that these initiatives as part of the national budget policy highlight the true potential of the Indian gaming and esports segment not only in India but also on the global circuit.

The statement clearly indicates the backing of homegrown game developers, tournament organizers, and esports companies and recommendations from the appointed task force will help build domestic capacity for serving out markets and the global demand as well.