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In a society that still frowns upon women gamers, let alone esports as a profession, GodLike Esports took a step in the right direction by unveiling its female BGMI roster. With six women ranging from 15 to 28 years old, the roster has already started performing well in BGMI tournaments.
From winning the Battlegrounds India Girls Championship to becoming champions of the Rooter Underdog 3.0, the BGMI roster is proving its worth in the competitive scenario of mobile gaming. In conversation with Sportskeeda Esports’ Debolina Banerjee, GodLike’s all-women BGMI roster talked about how sexism is an everyday issue for female gamers, their take on GodLike’s endeavor to break this stereotype, and more.
Excerpts from chat with GodLike Esports’s all-female BGMI roster
Q. An all-girls BGMI roster is an excellent effort from GodLike. How does it feel to be an all-girls team in a profession where men mainly dominate the gaming scenario?
Yes, it is a great effort, and we are lucky and grateful to Kronten and everyone in GodLike Esports to entrust us with this opportunity. Moreover, being represented by an agency like Cornerstone serves as great motivation.
We are honestly nervous, and we feel the pressure. There is no room for error, and we use this as our motivation. It will not be smooth sailing, but we are mentally prepared for it. “Girl gamers” — the term itself is coined as a joke in this profession. We are here to change that.
Girls have played competitively for a long time within the shadows, and it is time we start contributing to the gaming scenario from the front line.
Q. Indian society still frowns upon gaming as a profession, even more so in the case of female gamers. Have any of you ever faced criticism when taking up professional gaming?
Yes, we have undoubtedly faced criticism. Eyebrows are always raised by Indian society when a female chooses an unconventional profession and follows her passion.
Being born and raised in this society has prepared us to face it naturally as our basic instinct. We are still in the process of convincing our parents to trust us in this journey and let us take gaming as our ‘only’ career choice.
A mental shift is needed in society when it comes to professional gaming. It will be a long process, but we will let the results of our hard work convince them.
Q. Every roster is unique and combines every player’s skills. Tell us about the role that each of you plays in GodLike’s BGMI roster.
Here are our respective roles:
- Alphaqueen - IGL and Support
- Evil - Sniper
- Clutchy - Front Assaulter
- Rebel - Front Assaulter
- Scar - Support Assaulter
- Antra - Support Assaulter
Q. BGMI created a lot of hype before its release. Do you think it lived up to its expectations?
PUBG Mobile was banned for nine months, and every mobile gamer was desperately awaiting its return. Yes, BGMI has lived up to its expectations, and the Battlegrounds Mobile India Series (BGIS) will definitely increase the number of casual and esports players.
Q. PUBG New State is the latest battle royale mobile game winning fans worldwide. Do you think BGMI players will shift to the futuristic title?
Gamers have been grinding and playing PUBG Mobile/BGMI for more than three years. We do not think they will make a shift and let their grind go to waste. We know people and friends who shifted to PUBG New State but ultimately returned to BGMI.
Q. What is your take on the lighter version of BGMI? Should Krafton release it?
We do not know much about BGMI Lite. However, Krafton should do something for its fan base as they are ardently waiting for the lighter version.
Q. Female players often face sexism in the esports and gaming world. How do you all deal with it? What motivates you to carry on with what you love?
Not a single day goes by when we do not face sexism in 3sports. Even while talking to you right now, someone will be giving us hate just for being “girl gamers” and following our passion in our DMs or comment sections.
“Ladki se nahi marna tha” or “kaise khel rahe ho bhai, ladkiyo se pit gaye”, such statements are just causally thrown around as if girls don’t know how to play BGMI seriously or even hold a gun.
However, we do have a positive mindset. We use all that hate and convert it into motivation. We have been playing competitively from the shadows for almost three years now despite the hatred.
Some days the hate hits us hard, but we still get up and deal with it. Gaming is our passion, and no matter what, we will not get derailed just because someone cannot accept us as esports players.
Despite the hostility, some people support us non-stop. We look at the bright side and work hard not to disappoint those people.
Q. Females, be they influencers, YouTubers, or gamers, have their fair share of simps online. Do you all ever feel the insecurity that your talent as gamers is overshadowed just because you all are girls? Has anyone ever undermined your abilities as a professional gamer due to your gender?
Yes, we do feel that. Yet again, we are used to it and ignore it. We believe in ourselves and each other as a team. We have people who motivate us like Kronten, Ghatak, and everyone else in our GodLike family. That is all that matters to us.
Q. Are you looking forward to any upcoming BGMI tournaments? How are you preparing for them?
Yes, there are a couple of tournaments lined up for us. We play small-scale events and scrims for twelve hours a day to prepare. We analyze our mistakes and work together as a team.
Q. What is your message to the handful of female gaming enthusiasts who want to take up gaming professionally?
Don’t give up. Don’t give in to hate and pressure. Feel proud to be girl gamers. Even though fewer opportunities exist, you can use them and prove yourself. We need to stand united and create a path for females in professional gaming.
