The Indian Esports scene has come a long way since its inception in the early 2000s, rapidly gaining popularity among youngers in the latter half of the last decade. After being recognized as a multi-sport event by the Indian government in December 2022, Esports has cemented itself as a strong source of revenue to fuel the giant that the Indian gaming industry is evolving into.
At the heart of India’s Esports scene are the Tournaments, acting as a platform for gamers to showcase their abilities and earn recognition on a national scale. If you are looking to stay updated on all the latest developments in Indian Esports, here are some of the most-watched tournaments you need to keep an eye on!
The Most Watched Esports Tournaments in India!
Battlegrounds Mobile India Series
The Battlegrounds Mobile India Series (BGIS) tournament marked the return of BGMI to Indian mobile gamers after getting banned earlier in July 2022. Considering this, Krafton, the maker of the game, decided to host the first-ever LAN tournament for the game, offering a colossal prize pool of 2 Crore INR. This event occurred from August to October last year, with Gladiator Esports bagging the first prize worth 75 Lakh INR. BGIS boasted a massive peak view count of 233,610.
Valorant Convergence
The convergence tournament for Valorant, Riot game’s 5v5 tactical shooter was one of the most celebrated events in India due to the significance of the teams that competed against each other. This official tournament was conducted by The Esports Club and Riot Games where 2 major teams within the country competed with 4 other notable teams from around the world for a prize pool of 41.68 Lakh INR (approx). Valorant Convergence reeled in around 40,000 viewers at its peak.
Dew Arena
As the name suggests, this tournament is organized by Mountain Dew for all Indian gamers who are attempting to enter the professional Esports scene in the country. It is arguably one of the biggest Esports events in India, raking in thousands of viewers who eagerly watch games like Dota 2 and Counter-Strike Global Offensive (CS: GO).
Valorant India Invitational
The Valorant India Invitational tournament was organized by Galaxy Racer India and brought in numerous well-known teams from across the globe to compete with some of the best Valorant players in India. The event had a massive prize pool of 83.38 Lakh INR (approx) and raked in over 9 million views, with a peak view count of 50,289.
Skyesports Grand Slam
Similar to their Championship tournament, Skyesports’ Grand Slam is an illustrious event that allows Esports teams from across the country to compete from massive prize pools. This event will feature the most popular titles such as PUBG, Counter-Strike 2 (CS2), and more. The recent event in March showcased one Indian team and 3 other teams from across the globe, competing for a prize pool of $50,000 USD or 41.68 Lakh INR (approx). It reached a peak view count of 6,384.