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Esports (especially BGMI) is devoid of the love and attention that traditional sports enjoy. In a country where professional gaming is becoming more popular by the day, Nishaant “Willy” Williams, a professional cricketer with a keen interest in Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), shares his take on the issue.
Willy is enjoying life as a content creator and his YouTube channel, WILLY GAMING, has a subscriber count of over 113K. In conversation with Sportskeeda Esports’ Debolina Banerjee, Willy talks about his take on what stimulant esports needs to be considered as a real sport, his love for BGMI, and more.
Sportskeeda Q&A with BGMI creator Nishaant "Willy" Williams
Q. Hello Nishaant! Tell us about your journey as a content creator. Did you face criticism during your initial days as a gamer?
Hey! It is not a long emotional boring story (laughs). I have always been fond of gaming ever since I was a kid. I was into Game Boy, Nintendo DS, PlayStation, and even early PC games like Contra, Prince of Persia, and more. Gaming has always been more of a recreation.
I started playing PUBG Mobile ever since it launched. A lot of fellow creators and gamers suggested that I should make a YouTube channel as they thought I am good at gaming and entertainment.
No criticism. Everyone loves me!
Q. What is the story behind naming your YouTube channel, “WILLY GAMING”?
All of us, professional cricketers, have on-field names. Mine was kept Willy by Prithvi Shaw and Sarfaraz Khan as Williams is my surname.
Q. It has not even been six months since BGMI was released. Do you think the game matched up to its expectations?
Of course, India loves this game! They have an emotional attachment to the battle royale title. In recent times the hype has been a little down because a lot of people have to go to work/school/college, as India has finally relaxed lockdown restrictions.
Q. Many players have been requesting Krafton for the release of BGMI Lite. Should the developers release a lighter version of the game?
Yes, they definitely should as many players do not have expensive phones that support the game. BGMI Lite is a really good option for people with low-end devices.
Q. From Jonathan to Sc0ut, many professional BGMI players have complained about the number of hackers in matches. Have you come across hackers? What should Krafton do to prevent them?
Of course I have! Everyone has. It ruins the whole experience for not only us content creators, but also for people who play the game for fun! Krafton has been putting in a lot of effort to eradicate the cheaters and I am sure they will find a solution to it very soon.
Q. The Battlegrounds Mobile India Series 2021 is fast approaching. Do you have plans to take part in the biggest BGMI tournament?
Not really as I am happy being a content creator and streamer. However, my supporters really want me to play as they feel I can do really well. Let’s see, I might do it for them!
Q. BGMI has its fair share of professional players. Which team/player do you look up to and why?
I really like the BGMI roster of GodLike Esports and Team X Spark. I am not being biased just because they are great friends of mine. The feeling is completely genuine as they are extremely skilled and talented and have proven time and again why they are so good.
Q. You are one of the many streamers associated with Alpha Zegus. What is the best aspect of the association and how has it helped you in your journey as a content creator?
For any professional creator, freedom is very important. Alpha Zegus gives me that freedom to let me express my true self. The team is my family now and I am privileged to be working with them.
Q. Aside from gaming, you are also a professional cricketer. Do you feel that esports should be treated with the same respect and seriousness that regular sports enjoy? Who is your favorite cricketer and why?
People forget why cricket was taken seriously. India won a World Cup in an era where India as a country was not taken seriously. The World Cup puts us on the world map. People started respecting us for our sports. It was the proudest moment for all Indians post-independence.
Similarly, gaming will get there eventually and it is the start of a revolution in India. I hope all parents and elders understand how big the gaming scene is and the future prospects are. The day India wins a global tournament in a major game, it will be taken seriously.
Q. Your YouTube channel, WILLY GAMING, has over 100K subscribers. What kind of videos do you like posting the most? How do you plan on making the channel grow?
I absolutely love streaming and creating content around BGMI.
I would like to start vlogging, and playing different games like GTA, Valorant, etc., to make my channel grow.
