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The now-postponed 2022 Asian Games is set to have a significant impact on the Indian and South Asian esports scene as it stands today. While the industry has rocketed in terms of revenue and community participation over the last couple of years, taking it up as a profession is still looked down upon, and esports is not seen in the same light as some of the other traditional sporting events.
With it finally being added as a medal event in the upcoming ASIAD, the perceptions surrounding esports are bound to change in the region.
In an interview with Abhishek Mallick of Sportskeeda Esports, Vijay Venkateswaran, co-founder of Wings Lifestyle, talks about the impact the Games will have on the region's esports market, the importance of reliable gaming peripherals, the partnership with NODWIN Gaming, and more.
Here is an excerpt of the conversation.
Vijay Venkateswaran on the 2022 Asian Games and the Indian esports market
Q. Tell our readers a bit about your journey in the video games and esports scene, what your early career has been like, and what led to the foundation of Wings Lifestyle?
Vijay: Both of us [Vijay Venkateswaran and co-founder Nishit Sharma] were gamers in college playing CS: GO and loved the entertainment aspect of it, even though we didn’t pursue it professionally. With Wings, we have noticed an explosion in the mobile space and felt the time was right to create a gaming brand focused on mobile gamers – the cause of the explosion in this market.
Q. Talk to us about the growing demand for quality and reliable peripherals in the video games and esports industry. Whether gaming headsets, mice, or mechanical keyboards, what value do these hold when it comes to helping gamers make the most of their skill and the title that they are investing their time in?
Vijay: The peripherals market in India is clearly divided into two buckets – the first being premium international brands that have inflated pricing and are way too expensive for an aspiring Indian gamer from a middle-class family, or for players from Tier II/III towns.
The second bucket [includes] poor quality unbranded white labels which simply cannot provide even a basic gaming experience. Wings aims to provide premium yet affordable peripherals with a style quotient to match the aspirations of the modern Indian millennial gamer. We will also be coming out with a Pro series soon to cater to the professional gamer.
Q. What are your thoughts on the Indian video games and esports scene as it stands today? Where do you see it in the next five years?
Vijay: The clear reason for this explosion of the esports sector has been the advent of mobile gaming. It has democratized gaming to a grassroots level such that anyone, with even a basic mobile smartphone, can aspire to start gaming – much like gully cricket and street football.
It is from these areas that our top cricketers or global footballing superstars emerge, and I see esports being no different. This penetration of mobile adoption, coupled with a burgeoning digital-first Gen Z population makes us strong believers that over the next five years, esports can become bigger than cricket in India.
Q. With the 2022 Asian Games adding esports as a medal event, what impact do you think the competition will have on the Indian video games market? Will it finally be considered as important as any other traditional sporting event?
Vijay: Yes. Very much so, and that is one of the fundamental values that Wings stands for, which is, we are supporting and motivating the youth to take up esports as a career without worrying about societal prejudice. With the 2022 Asian Games and the government’s backing, we are confident that India can be a global esports giant much like we are for cricket
Q. NODWIN Gaming recently became a partner as well as one of the investors in Wings Lifestyle. Talk to us a bit about the vision that went behind this move, and some of the expectations that both parties will have going into this.
Vijay: Frankly, looking back, this was a no-brainer. Visions of both NODWIN and Wings have always been aligned as far as our core beliefs are concerned. We both believe esports is not a niche and deserves a wider audience.
Gamers are not geeks; rather, they are exactly like athletes with the same marketability as cricketers and footballers. Gaming and streaming are real career options and we want to support the youth to take it up.
With these core beliefs aligned, the coming together of content (NODWIN) and D2C Commerce (Wings), this partnership is going to greatly benefit both the stakeholders as well as the gaming community at large.
Q. What are the future plans with this partnership? What can users look forward to in the coming months?
Vijay: Wings will be blending gaming accessories with pop culture – be it through limited-edition designer headphones or collaborations with athletes under the NODWIN umbrella. With our pro range also set to launch later this year, our products will be integrated into NODWIN’s tournaments.
We will also be part of offline events like the NH7 weekender with interesting gamification activities that have never been done before at such events.
Q. Tell us a bit about the plan to roll out custom series of gaming headphones themed around popular Indian tropes as well as titles that are popular in the region?
Vijay: We feel fans connect with esports teams and want to be part of the experience. What better way to make that connection than to own a piece of merchandise? While currently, esports teams do have jerseys, gaming headphones, on the other hand, are something much dearer to their hearts. We aim to create customized designs for members of esports teams as well as for their fans.
Q. In terms of product diversity, how is Wings Lifestyle looking to expand its inventory, and not just for the domestic market, but internationally as well?
Vijay: Firstly, we will be an all-encompassing gaming peripherals brand with products across mobile and PC gaming. This will include earbuds and neckbands for mobiles, and headphones, keyboards, mouse, and gamepads for PCs.
From a distribution point of view, we will be India-focused for the next 12 months at least, because the opportunity is just way too big here. So, we want to capitalize on this first. International expansions are definitely part of the plan but other global markets will require a different product and pricing strategy.
