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The Indian esports scenario is growing, and games like BGMI, Free Fire, and Valorant are helping to make the gaming industry even more thriving. When it comes to competitive tournaments, casters play a crucial role in hyping up the audience and keeping them engaged throughout the matches.
One such esports caster, Zishan "Mazy" Alam, recently joined the BGMI roster of Revenant Esports as their Analyst. In conversation with Sportskeeda Esports’s Debolina Banerjee, Mazy talks about his career as a caster, the role of BGMI in the gaming world, and more.
Mazy on the role of casters in the Indian esports scenario
Q. You have been a caster for over three years. What inspired you to take up this unconventional profession and make a career out of it? How rewarding has it been over the years?
Mazy: I started my YouTube journey in 2015 with Clash of Clans. I used to stream the game and started delivering commentary for it. The audience liked my work, hence I felt motivated and started doing it more frequently on my YouTube channel.
Slowly and steadily, Clash of Clans died down and PUBG Mobile came into the market. PUBG Mobile's player-base was huge, so I felt inspired and started streaming and delivering commentary for the battle royale game. I have gained immense love and support from the audience, which made me think there is no stopping here!
Q. The demographics of gaming in India are gradually changing. What is your take on the rise of esports in the country?
Mazy: Esports is growing in India like never before. The audience think that it is all about just one game, but let me tell you, there are “n” number of games that fall under this category and one needs to be more aware about it in depth.
There is no doubt that the rise of professional gaming is attracting non-gaming companies and hence gaining more opportunities for individuals, teams, and audiences as well.
Q. Do you feel that gaming in India took a step back when PUBG Mobile was banned? Did BGMI really live up to the hype that it created?
Mazy: Yes, PUBG Mobile has a major market share in India. Hence, the ban on PUBG Mobile led to demotivation for so many people. Gradually, BGMI came into the picture and the hype became real. It created more opportunities for the younger generation and different organizations that came into existence. BGMI made sure to keep up to our expectations at every point.
Q. Much like history repeating itself, Free Fire, another popular battle royale mobile game, was also recently banned in India. Do you feel the decision to ban the game is detrimental for professional gamers, considering the Garena title has a thriving gaming scene in the country?
Mazy: Yes, the decision to ban games is detrimental to professional gamers. Talking about Free Fire, the official events were too frequent and the prize pools were really high. The game created more opportunities for Indian teams to represent the country on an international level.
Q. You have been the caster of both BGIS 2021 and BMOC 2022 The Grind. What are some of the most memorable moments from these two matches that you can share with us?
Mazy: BGIS 2021: On the last day, there was a battle between Team XO, Skylightz Gaming and TSM for the first position. The match was the most thrilling and exciting game of the whole tournament.
BMOC 2022 The Grind: The fight between Team SouL & R Esports is the most memorable one. Both teams struggled to qualify for the Finals, which was quite similar to what happened when they were both struggling to qualify for BGIS. I remember team R Esports had qualified back then and history was being repeated here. Luckily, they both qualified this time.
Q. You were recently signed as an Analyst for the BGMI roster of Revenant Esports. Can you tell us more about your role and how you will guide the team?
Mazy: I have joined as an Analyst for Revenant Esports and I will be keeping my team aware of important information like rotation, gameplay and player positioning of other teams. The other details are a secret! You shall find out soon!
Q. There has been a tremendous rise in the number of professional gaming organizations in the last two years. What made you choose Revenant Esports over the others? How will this collaboration benefit you as well as the organization?
Mazy: I have seen potential in the players of Revenant Esports. They lack certain small things that will be taken care of. I also know a few players of this roster and they have good gameplay overall.
Q. There has been an unnecessary controversy about you and GodLike Esports in the current days, which you clarified later. Do you feel that casters are not able to voice their real opinion sometimes due to the reception from the audience?
Mazy: Basically, I would not say it is their fault because audiences tend to support their favorite teams or players. They do not realize that as a caster, it is our responsibility to analyze the ups and downs of the teams over a period of time. Despite the fact that a particular team has been on top in the past, they might go down in the future because of certain mistakes. This is a game and the position of teams is unpredictable.
Nowadays, casters are given a tagline of either hating a particular team or for supporting a particular team. It is important for the audience to realize that we casters are not known by the team but through our hard work of casting events.
Q. Are there any esports caster (international or domestic) that you look up to?
Mazy: I look up to John Allen and Blank. Their casting style and synergy is at the next level. They know how to entertain an audience.
Q. What would you say to youngsters who wish to become casters but are too shy to give it a go?
Mazy: Aspiring casters must focus on their pitch and vocabulary. Most importantly, they must make sure to use kind words. Be expressive in a good way and have clarity of the situation. Lastly, be confident. As you must know already, the flow matters!
