Aim is to bridge the gap in opportunities between bigger cities and smaller towns: Abhishek Madhavan, Growth & Marketing VP, MPL

Mobile Premier League (MPL) is an online gaming platform that focuses on mobile gaming and offers titles like Free Fire, Rummy, Poker, Chess, 8-ball 3D Pool, and more.

The mobile gaming industry in India is transforming, with gamers emerging not only from metro cities but increasingly from Tier 2 towns and cities. MPL has noticed this rise and growth in gaming, with small-town gamers playing top global titles.

Sportskeeda spoke exclusively to MPL's Growth & Marketing VP, Abhishek Madhavan, to discuss gaming trends being observed in Tier 2 and 3 cities and towns of India, along with the company's plans for the mobile gaming community. Here are excerpts from the conversation:

Q. MPL has shown exponential growth in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. Can you highlight the areas where you have seen the highest growth?

Esports and gaming have already established a foothold beyond the metros. To give you an example, we recently launched Rogue Heist, India's first home-made battle royale shooter game exclusively on MPL. Off the total number of users, 83% were from Tier 2 cities, Tier 3 cities, and beyond. A large chunk of our overall users also come from such regions, and even smaller cities and towns from around India.

Q. As we know, mobile gaming is way ahead in comparison to PC gaming in India. Do you have any plans regarding the PC gaming community?

Ans. We have no plans for PC games right now.

Q. What are your plans and strategies regarding the players that engage with MPL? Have you set up any scouting network for them so that they can enter the professional scene afterwards?

Ans. We award digital sports scholarships for now. Our app also offers tournaments and contests with prize money, so users who are good at these games can potentially start monetising their gaming skills from Day 1.

Q. Normally, everyone has their focus on the competitive scene. Have you got anything in the pipeline for casual gamers?

Ans. We are a gaming platform, and we currently have over 50 games across categories. Our casual game collection is exhaustive, and we have titles like Carrom, Pool, Fruit Chop, Runner No 1, Can Jump, and many more, which are very popular with our users. We also onboard three to five new games on average every month.

6. How will you be connecting the gaming scene of Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities with the Tier 1 cities to ensure better opportunities for players?

Ans. We are looking at online gaming as a way to bridge the gap between the opportunities in bigger cities and smaller towns. To give you an example, we conducted Chess Mahayudh, an online speed chess tournament, on MPL in July 2019.

Of the 90,000+ players who participated, the runner-up was Ankit Rajpara from Mehsana, Gujarat, and the winner was VS Rathanvel from Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. Rathanvel is our first digital sports scholar.

7. Since you have sponsored KKR's jersey, are there any plans of sponsoring an eSports team?

Ans. We are definitely open to such opportunities.