The gaming and esports industry in India has made strides in decreasing the gender gap ratio and welcoming more women into the space. Despite the progress, there remains a significant underrepresentation of women in leadership roles, which needs to be addressed to ensure true inclusivity and diversity. In an interview with Storyboard18, Richa Singh, founder and CEO of FanClash, discusses this issue and shares her personal experiences of facing gender bias while approaching investors. She also discusses the need for industry-wide changes, such as government regulations and initiatives to support and encourage women in pursuing careers in gaming and esports.
Edited excerpts.
Despite improvements in the men-women ratio in the gaming space, what factors contribute to the underrepresentation of women in leadership positions within the gaming industry?
The fact that the esports industry is dominated by men, makes it difficult for women to build courage to step into an industry where systems are already placed with set rules defined by men.
Women are also discouraged much to pursue career paths in this newly built industry as it still struggles to own a status as a mainstream career option. Lack of women representation, proper support and stereotype mindset tend to discourage them.
My data-driven insights, logical arguments, and other strategies that demonstrate my ability as an entrepreneur helped me overcome the biases.
Although the difference in the ratio of men and women is diminishing, it is important to actively combat the existing gender disparities and unconscious biases that can impede the progress of women in the industry. Women holding managerial positions are a source of great inspiration for others wanting to make their name in this male-dominated sector and also helps the company to reach out to a wide array of markets and larger demographics.
Thankfully the gaming sector is inclusive in nature and encourages women ownership and women will remain committed to overcome this barrier and take leadership roles. I am certain the progress of this move is steady and a bold new number of women leaders in this space in near future is surely coming our way.
Tell us about your journey so far? What motivated you to start FanClash? Did you face any gender bias in your entrepreneurial journey?
The journey so far has been exciting, it all started when I got involved in the gaming community as a player and later my passion for gaming grew and I realized how diverse the gaming landscape is which is rapidly expanding. Twitch and YouTube were becoming the key platforms making it possible for gamers to generate revenue. It is not just a hobby anymore, growing trends in esports and its inclusion in major events such as the Asian Games and Olympics, both of which have further fueled the popularity of esports in the mainstream. But somewhere we realized there was a gap in the market for organized data in the gaming industry. It was still struggling to formulate a defined structure which could help it to attain significant growth, and this led my co-founder Rishabh and me to identify a white space in the market for building digital products in the gaming industry, specifically in the realm of data and fan engagement.
I have faced stereotypes and biases related to gender on multiple occasions. They assumed that as a woman I would be incapable of understanding the business intricacies, would tend to be less competent, and might lose the determination necessary to run a business as a leader. I had to put extra effort while approaching investors and ensure they understand my competency and the value of my business idea. With my data-driven insights, logical arguments, and other strategies that demonstrate my ability as an entrepreneur helped me overcome the biases.
The change is a work in progress, we will see many more women taking up leadership roles shattering the traditional belief that esports and gaming can be led by men only.
Help us understand the audience profiles on FanClash. What is the male-female ratio, what are their preferences and where are they from?
FanClash has 3M+ users with 25+ daily tournaments featured on the platform. Being a host to offer fantasy content in some of the leading tournaments around the globe including CSGO, League of Legends, and Valorant to name a few, the platform has garnered immense popularity amongst gamers from all around the world which includes a fair share of women gamers.
While the numbers with respect to gamers are mostly male-dominated, there has been a steady growth in female participation. This is evident from the current male-female ratio of our app. We are excited to see these numbers continue to increase as more women take up gaming and use our app for their gaming needs. FanClash is a welcoming and encouraging inclusive environment for all female players and fans alike. The platform’s fantasy system is designed to allow female players to leverage their talent and compete against other male and female players from pan India.
How can the gaming/esports industry encourage and inspire more women to pursue leadership roles?
We definitely need to increase the visibility of women in senior positions in gaming and esports companies. Proper guidance and encouragement is much needed for them to participate in speaking engagements, panels, and other public forums. Providing networking opportunities with industry bests to connect, inspire and build relationships. Host mentorship programs which are also a great way to support the women who wish to establish their name in the industry. And most importantly we need to offer an environment that is supportive of female leaders and invests in their growth and development.
A blueprint for growth and revenue generation for the Indian esports industry has been outlined following the government’s official recognition of esports.
At FanClash, we are committed to offer and encourage the future generation of women to success and most of the senior positions are led by women. The progressing Indian gaming industry is witnessing more women taking up senior roles with the mindset to establish their hold in the gaming industry. The change is a work in progress, we will see many more women taking up leadership roles shattering the traditional belief that esports and gaming can be led by men only.
Coming to the industry, everybody is celebrating the government announcements of acknowledging gaming and esports as sports and the upcoming regulations. Help us understand the direct impact of these developments on the industry.
The acknowledgement of gaming and esports as a sport is a big step in the development of this industry as it will provide necessary infrastructural support which would ensure the industry thrives in the coming years. This has validated the strengths of the sector leading to encouraging more investments from both public and private sectors. This would also be instrumental in implementing the necessary protections and regulations for gamers to ensure there is no foul play and a regulated gaming environment is built. It will also accelerate the industry’s potential to organize more tournaments and create more job opportunities for the coming generations. A blueprint for growth and revenue generation for the Indian esports industry has been outlined following the government’s official recognition of esports.
What are the biggest trends to look out for in the gaming and esports ecosystem in 2023?
After the government’s announcement of acknowledging gaming and esports as sports a phenomenal rise in professional esports athletes, teams and tournaments in our country is witnessed. Digital platforms are popping up hosting gaming tournaments and leagues these days which is helping to create a vibrant and competitive gaming community inspiring more casual gamers to take it up as a profession like gamers, content creators and streamers from tier-2 and tier-3 regions making the industry more diverse and local. With some popular titles making a comeback, 2023 looks stronger with a high rise in the total addressable market of esports. Which in turn shall give rise to even more exciting and engaging experiences for gamers in our country. Increased popularity comes in direct relation to more companies investing in the gaming industry in India, which could further accelerate its growth. It is ever evolving and technological advancements and the inclusive nature of the gaming industry makes it a huge market to explore.