Indian gamers keen in turning professional, see career growth: Report

Jobs seen as influencers, software developers, animators as industry grows in country

Indian gamers are interested in going professional because they feel there is scope for money and career, said a recent report.

Around two-third of "serious gamers" want to have a full- or a part-time career, according to the HP India Gaming Landscape Study 2022 that had more than 2000 respondents in 14 Indian cities. Serious gamers are those who spend more than eight hours a week playing and participating in online competitions.

As many as 33 per cent of respondents saw gaming as a viable main career and the same number looked at it as a good part-time career. As many as 27 per cent believed that gaming could not be a career.

The industry’s growth is prompting Indian gamers to try their hand at various career options, the report said. As many as 20 per cent of respondents wanted to be influencers, 18 per cent preferred to be gaming software developers, 8 per cent chose to be gaming streamers, and 2 per cent chose the role of animator.

“As the gaming industry in India evolves, it is promising to see gaming being considered as a career option. The PC (personal computer) gaming landscape in India offers a tremendous opportunity for the youth,” said Vickram Bedi, Senior Director, Personal Systems, HP India market.

“The strong preference for PC gaming represents a massive business opportunity for us. We remain focused to engineer the best experiences based on user insights to enable a holistic and advanced gaming ecosystem in India,” Bedi said.

As many as 68 per cent of respondents preferred personal computers (PC) for gaming. The report said that 39 per cent of mobile gamers were looking to migrate to a PC for gaming.

The report said that gaming was considered as a source of entertainment and relaxation by 92 per cent of respondents, 58 per cent said it improved their mental agility and 52 per cent believed it improved their socializing skills.

As many as 56 per cent of women gamers see a career in their interest. According to the study, only 2 per cent of respondents have received formal training in gaming. While most gamers rely on personal skill enhancement to upgrade their gaming performance, 32 per cent follow a gaming star to enhance skills.