National Esports Championships 2022 announced in India to select Asian Games contingent for 5 titles including League of Legends, DOTA 2, and FIFA 22

National Esports Championships 2022 opens up the opportunity to become the Indian contingent for the upcoming 2022 Asian Games (Image via Sportskeeda)

Over the last decade, esports has grown to become a mainstream competitive event. National Esports Championships 2022 (NESC ’22) kicked off yesterday with the aim of selecting the Indian contingent for the upcoming 2022 Asian Games. The contingents will be representing the country across five esports titles: DOTA 2, Hearthstone, FIFA22, Street Fighter V, and League of Legends.

Esports has also been incorporated into major international sporting events, encouraging participants to represent their country and display their talent. After being included as a showcase event during the 2018 Asian Games at Jakarta-Palembang, Indonesia, esports has become a medal event at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.

The National Esports Championships 2022, organized by the Esports Federation of India (ESFI), will be hosting tournaments that will provide an opportunity for esports players to represent the country at the 2022 Asian Games.

National Esports Championships 2022 opens up the opportunity to become the Indian contingent for the upcoming 2022 Asian Games

The 2022 Asian Games have included medal events for esports. The games included are Arena of Valor, Dota 2, Dream of the Three Kingdoms 2, FIFA, Hearthstone, League of Legends, PUBG Mobile, and Street Fighter V. The National Esports Championships 2022, which is being organized by Esports Federation of India under the ’AESF Road to Asian Games’ program, will be conducted for five popular esports titles: DOTA 2, Hearthstone, FIFA22, Street Fighter V, and League of Legends.

Mr. Vinod Tiwari, President, Esports Federation of India & Director, Olympic Council of Asia – NOC & International Relations, said:

The overwhelming response and the excitement we see among our esports players to be part of the Asian Games gives us the confidence that they are aiming for something really big. They want to take national pride, give a tough challenge to the world, and make the country proud. With their unmatched skills, Indian esports is expected to reach new heights. I wish the best for all the players for the upcoming tournament.

Over 200 esports athletes across India have already registered for the National Esports Championships 2022 (NESC ’22). DOTA 2 and League of Legends will see the participation of 13 teams and four teams, respectively. Single-player titles Hearthstone, FIFA22, and Street Fighter V will witness the participation of 13, 60, and 16 athletes, respectively.

Tirth Mehta, who clinched the bronze medal at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta-Palembang, Indonesia, where esports was played as a demonstration event, said:

I am really excited about the NESC ’22. I know all of us have been practicing and preparing at our best, and I am sure that whoever goes on to represent India at the Asian Games will aim for a podium finish this time.

One of the country's most well-known FIFA athletes, Lokmanyu, shared his thoughts:

It's a great opportunity provided by ESFI to all athletes to give their best and earn a chance to represent India at Asian Games 2022. Being a professional FIFA player myself, it’s my dream, like many others, to win a medal for the country and I’m looking forward to NESC ’22.

Aditya Mehta, aka TheDarklord, one of the country’s established Street Fighter V athletes, shared his excitement and said:

This is the biggest and the most important qualifier in the history of the Indian Fighting Game Community for SFV. It's about time to give it all! Shout out to ESFI for giving us this incredible opportunity.

While the National Esports Championships 2022 (NESC ’22) does open up an opportunity for players to participate in five esports events, questions remain regarding PUBG Mobile and Arena of Valor, both of which are banned in the country. While Krafton, the developer of PUBG Mobile, has seen massive success with Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) in the country, there is no immediate alternative to Arena of Valor in the country.