In a major setback for the esports industry, female esports in India is officially dead. Global Esports, the last organization with a female roster for the game Valorant, recently shut it down. The slowdown in India’s esports ecosystem has significantly impacted female athletes.
The future of female esports in India appears bleak, as female players now lack the salaries and sponsors needed to sustain themselves while at the same time are trying to pursue their passion for gaming and esports. Many female esports athletes have shifted to content creation instead of focusing on competitive skill growth. However, the slowdown has not affected existing male rosters for prominent esports organizations.
Organizations like Global Esports, Orangutan, and Velocity Gaming managed to sustain their female rosters for a longer period. However, due to a lack of tournaments and brand interest, they were forced to shut down these rosters. While these organizations today continue with their male esports rosters.
Female esports officially dead?
Jai Shah, Co-founder of Orangutan, said, “One can easily say that the female esports scene is currently dead in India. We had to shut down our female Valorant roster because the ecosystem is not big in India. We were burning a lot of money without any returns. The publishers and game developers should take the initiative to organize tournaments for female athletes in India.”
He further added, “Comparing it to cricket, the Women’s Premier League (WPL) has become huge with a lot of efforts and investments. The stakeholders from the industry should similarly come forward for female esports in India. Currently, there are a couple of female teams who play casually without any salaries or sponsors.”
Dr. Rushindra Sinha, CEO and Co-founder of Global Esports, confirmed that they have shut down their female roster for Valorant. He said, “Apart from our female roster, we have dropped all other rosters. Currently, we only have our VCT and BGMI rosters in place. It did not make sense for us to have additional rosters. But we are actively looking to have one in place for female esports, considering the current situation and the esports roadmap of Riot Games as a publisher.”
He further said, “There was an artificial push to the gaming and esports ecosystem during and post-COVID. We expected inflation in the market for esports, but that did not happen, and the market corrected itself. This affects not only female esports but male esports as well. Now we have 4-5 events in a quarter, unlike earlier when we used to play 4-5 events every month.”
Elaborating on why female athletes are moving away from esports in India, Sinha said, “I have recently seen female esports athletes choosing content creation as a lucrative opportunity. Esports requires a lot of effort, but in content creation, the chances of success are higher compared to esports in India. Many females are choosing content creation as a sustainable and lucrative career over esports.”
Sharang Naicker, CEO and Founder of Yuvin Esports (Reckoning Esports), said, “Honestly, there are a lot of factors contributing to the lack of tournaments. Majorly, there is no incentive for an esports organization to field a women’s team. Additionally, there is a massive lack of top-tier athletes committing to being the best in the region. Those who are competing are doing it part-time, and they are not wrong because the industry itself is still in its nascent stage.”
He further added, “It might be a few more years until we see a stable esports ecosystem in India for female gamers.”
Devam Vyas, Vice President of Esports at Gods Reign, called the decline very concerning for the esports ecosystem. He said, “After the pandemic, there was a noticeable increase in women-led esports tournaments in India, which was a promising development. This isn’t due to a lack of interest or talent among female gamers but rather a lack of sustained support and investment. We need more consistent efforts to keep the momentum going.”
Are Female Esports Players Afraid?
Skyesports hosted an exclusive all-female esports event, the Skyesports Luna, attended by President Draupadi Murmu last year in Delhi. The event returned this year with the Skyesports Luna taking place in Pune in March 2024.
Shiva Nandy, CEO and Co-founder of Skyesports, said, “Female-led esports tournaments are important for supporting women gamers. Over the past few years, we have seen several all-female esports tournaments pop up, but most of these haven’t become recurring competitions.”
Nandy further said, “The number of participants for these tournaments, as well as our other open-for-all tournaments that have no restrictions on female gamers, remains low. There are many reasons for this, including female gamers being afraid to openly reveal their identity.”
Suggesting a solution to the lack of inclusion of female esports players in India, Nandy said, “Working with popular women gaming personalities and understanding the needs and challenges that female gamers face is crucial. Only then can we develop strategies to overcome these challenges.”
Huge Pay Disparity
Apart from issues such as lack of interest from brands and publisher support, female esports players also face significant pay disparities compared to their male counterparts.
Elaborating on the same, Shah of Orangutan said, “If a male esports player receives around Rs 2-3 Lakhs per month as salary, female counterparts are paid around Rs 30k-40k per month. That’s the harsh reality, but esports organizations are left with no choice as the number of tournaments and brand sponsorships for female athletes are less compared to male counterparts.”
Naicker explained, “There is a pay disparity between male and female esports athletes. We have not seen any female athlete outperforming their counterparts. It will take a lot of time and massive support from all elements in the esports industry for the level to match or even come close.”
Vyas said, “There is a pay disparity between male and female esports players in India. This reflects the broader societal inequities we see in many fields. Male players often get higher compensation due to greater visibility and more sponsorship opportunities. To address this, the industry needs to consciously promote and support female talent, ensuring they have equal opportunities and recognition.”
A senior female esports player, speaking anonymously, said, “After our team was shut, we decided to play tournaments hosted by publishers. We do not get salaries or any amount until we qualify or win the tournament. We have a passion for esports, and this keeps us going. When we talk about pay disparity, it is a huge gap. I believe that female esports was booming post-COVID, but now it has died down.”
She further added, “No esports organization is willing to form female rosters, but we will continue to play the game and hopefully represent India on an international stage and win the coveted title in esports.”
Despite years of dedication towards esports game titles, female esports athletes continue to face uncertain future towards their passion to represent India at an international stage and clutch victory. It is important for the stakeholders to encourage female participation by recognizing their talent which is crucial for building a diverse and inclusive esports ecosystem in the country.