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Aside from battle royale titles, FIFA is one of the few games that has a good competitive scenario in India. For the first time ever, esports is considered a medal event in the 2022 Asian Games. Sadly, the tournament has now been delayed to 2023 due to the current COVID situation in China.
In 2018, PES was one of the games that was played competitively as part of the esports demonstration event in the Asian Games. However, this time, it has been replaced by FIFA.
Charanjot Singh is one of the best FIFA players in India who has represented the country both nationally and internationally. In conversation with Sportskeeda Esports’s Debolina Banerjee, he talks about the 2022 Asian Games, the competitive scenario of the game, and more.
Charanjot's take on FIFA and the 2022 Asian Games
Q. Congratulations on qualifying for the anticipated 2022 Asian Games! Tell us more about your journey in the competitive world.
Charanjot: I got into the competitive scene of the game in 2018. Since then, I have participated in many national as well as international tournaments.
Q. Which FIFA game was the first one you played? Which one is your favorite and why?
Charanjot: My first version of the game was FIFA 11. FIFA 15 is my favorite version of all time. The gameplay, the music and everything about it in general was amazing.
Q. Esports Federation of India (ESFI) has always played an intrinsic role in developing a thriving esports scene in the country. How was the experience of taking part in the tournament that led you to represent India at an international level?
Charanjot: The tournament was organized perfectly and there were no technical issues. ESFI helped a lot throughout and also rescheduled the matches based on the availability of the players.
4. How was the experience of going head-to-head against a few of the best Indian players in the National Esports Championship Series 2022? What were your key takeaways from the tournament?
Charanjot: The experience was amazing as well as challenging. It is never easy to beat the top players in one's nation. Plus, all of us have played against each other numerous times, so it becomes very hard to come out on top.
Q. Since you are also gearing up for the FIFA Global Series 2022, how different do you feel it will be from the 2022 Asian Games?
Charanjot: The FIFA Global Series is very different from the Asian Games, as in the Global Series, one has to play against players from around the world. However, in the 2022 Asian Games, we will only play against Asian countries. This does not mean that the competition is easier; the competition at this level is always high, no matter the stage.
Q. Do you feel that the inclusion of FIFA in the Esports event of the 2022 Asian Games is the right step towards strengthening the competitive scene of the game in India? How else do you feel it could be more popularized?
Charanjot: Yes, I do feel that the inclusion of the game at the 2022 Asian Games is the right step in strengthening the game's competitive scene in India. I believe more players will start to get into a competitive environment.
Support from the government and other esports organizations will also help in popularizing the game even more.
Q. Since there is still time to properly practice for the 2022 Asian Games, which gamers will you play practice matches with to gear up? What is your go-to formation when it comes to playing competitively?
Charanjot: I am looking forward to playing against other players from South Asia and India to practice for the 2022 Asian Games. My go-to formation is 4-2-3-1.
Q. Whom do you look up to when it comes to gameplay and strategy?
Charanjot: I usually look up to myself when it comes to gameplay and strategy, but sometimes I look up to the European players as well.
