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On Tuesday, 28 December 2022, as the news of esports receiving official recognition in India broke, the gaming community was quick to react, including BGMI star Jonathan "Jonathan" Amaral.
During a recent livestream, the professional gamer was playing Battlegrounds Mobile India when a viewer asked for his opinion on the news of the Government of India recognizing esports as part of multi-sports events. The BGMI athlete responded in a positive manner as he said:
"That's really a big thing. Earlier, no one, including the government, knew about esports. Now, it is recognized by the government, which is a big thing. It will be really fun now."
Like Jonathan, gamers across the country have expressed their happiness on social media by hailing the sudden yet crucial decision as a major step in the right direction.
Fans of BGMI and other games commend the Government of India's decision to recognize esports as a part of multi-sports events
Following the groundbreaking decision from the Indian government, every esports tournament, be it for BGMI, Valorant, CS: GO, Clash Royale, FIFA 23, or any other video game, will fall under the authority of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and the Department of Sports, like any other sporting event.
At the same time, gaming has also come under the authorization of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). The decision from GOI will further help the re-establishment and development of the esports ecosystem within India. While this may not lead to the unbanning of some games like Free Fire, PUBG Mobile, BGMI, and others, one can expect more transparency in such decisions.
The notification from GOI's side has also been lauded by many netizens, with one writing:
"Finally, eSPORTS is recognized as a multi-sports event by the President of India in a circular release. Hope it pushes the Indian scene ahead and competes with the west."
Another user stated that this decision was a "huge step" from the Government of India:
Villager Esports founder Kuldeep Lather also shared his views on the new development as he wrote:
"Exciting news for the esports industry in India! The government has recognized esports as a Multi Sports event. This is a huge step forward in legitimizing esports and helping it gain mainstream acceptance. Let's continue to support and grow the esports industry!"
Similarly, numerous other reactions from the community were positive in nature, with some of them being listed below:
For the unversed, BGMI and PUBG Mobile played a crucial role in bringing esports to the mainstream audience in South Asia. Both games fast-tracked the growth of numerous esports enthusiasts in India while also contributing to the building of a good competitive ecosystem. Hence, such a significant development for gaming and esports in India has brought joy to many Battlegrounds Mobile India fans.
