Olympic Esports Games and Made-In-India games to drive Indian video gaming and esports in 2025
Mumbai: The Indian video gaming and esports industry experienced unprecedented growth in 2024, and this momentum is expected to continue into 2025. According to the India Market Model Report by Niko Partners, the Indian video games market is set to surpass $1 billion in 2025, with a forecasted value of $1.4 billion by 2028, growing at a five-year CAGR of 11.1%.
Arguably, the biggest highlight of the upcoming year will be the Olympic Esports Games, set to take place in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Following India’s impressive performance at the Paris Olympics in 2024, where the nation secured six medals, Indian gamers now have an exciting opportunity to add to the country’s medal tally in the rapidly growing esports arena. This landmark event will not only boost the recognition of esports in India but also position the nation as an emerging powerhouse in global competitive gaming.
Recently, chess was announced as one of the titles at the Esports World Cup, boasting a substantial USD 1.5 million prize pool. India has been making waves in chess on the global stage, with grandmaster Gukesh Dommaraju making history as the youngest World Champion. Now, the nation’s chess players have the opportunity to make even more history at the Esports World Cup which will be taking place in Saudi Arabia from July 31 to August 3, 2025.
Parallel to the Olympic Esports Games and Esports World Cup, the WAVES Esports Championships (WESC), officially supported by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, will be another key event to watch in 2025. The finals for three titles including Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), World Cricket Championship (WCC), and eFootball will take place at the inaugural WAVES Summit in February 2025. This event promises to kick off the year on a high note, setting the tone for an exciting year ahead, as more government-backed tournaments and initiatives are expected to further shape the Indian esports landscape.
While cricket and football continue to merge with esports through virtual titles like WCC and eFootball, 2024 also saw cricket outfits like Mumbai Indians partnering with BGMI, Gujarat Titans organizing an esports tournament, and Kolkata Knight Riders collaborating with India’s leading esports and gaming content organization, S8UL Esports. The connection between cricket and esports is likely to grow even stronger, further expanding the appeal of gaming in India.
Akshat Rathee, Co-founder and MD, NODWIN Gaming says, “In 2025, we anticipate a growing overlap between mainstream sports and esports. Cricket will become more involved with the esports industry, whether through cricket esports titles or collaborations with IPL teams and cricketers. Similarly, Bollywood stars and musicians are expected to engage more actively with gaming and esports to connect with younger audiences, creating a fusion of entertainment and competitive gaming. Gaming will continue to be a strong pillar of youth entertainment with even deeper collaborations between gaming and elements like music, anime, and other youth-focused interests. NODWIN Gaming’s successful hosting of DreamHack India alongside Hyderabad Comic Con this year is a testament to this trend, and this fusion of gaming with pop culture, including music and sports, will continue to thrive.”
The rise of gamification will continue to reshape various sectors, as social media platforms, streaming services, and e-commerce giants increasingly adopt gaming features to engage users. Facebook led the charge, and now platforms like Netflix, Amazon, and even LinkedIn are embracing gamification. This trend is expected to intensify in 2025.
“The rise of gamification across sectors, will bring gaming elements into everyday life, further embedding gaming into our cultural fabric. It won’t be surprising if dating apps follow suit in the near future, incorporating gaming elements to create more engaging and interactive experiences,” further adds Akshat Rathee.
This year, there was a surge in high-profile brand collaborations within India’s gaming and esports ecosystem, with non-endemic brands taking note of the sector’s growing influence. A standout example was 8Bit Creatives, the nation’s premier esports & gaming talent management agency which secured the largest naming rights sponsorship deal in Indian gaming history with leading smartphone brand iQOO. This partnership, where 8Bit Creatives represented three teams including 8bit Esports, Reckoning Esports, and Revenant Xspark, highlights the increasing interest from mainstream brands in India’s esports scene.
