PM Modi bets big on e-sports, encourages creators to build games for the world

New Delhi: From building games for the world to spreading awareness regarding environmental and social issues, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday -- in a free-wheeling chat with some of the top Indian creators -- gave the esports industry a much-needed boost, saying it should be kept regulation-free and let grow under an organised and legal framework to create millions of jobs.

PM Modi met Payal Dhare (the only woman gamer present at the roundtable) along with Mithilesh Patankar, Animesh Agarwal, Naman Mathur, Anshu Bisht and others, at his official residence in the capital and had fruitful discussions around a myriad of key topics, while spending some light and cheerful moments.

After an introductory discussion on how much time gamers play and their contribution to the content space as subsidised internet rates have enabled gamers to pursue their dream careers, PM Modi delved deeper into some of the key issues around the esports industry.

“Regulation won’t help for the esports industry which can create multiple career options for our youth. It must grow under an organised, legal structure. The time is to understand the world of gaming, and mould it to our country’s needs,” the Prime Minister noted.

PM Modi discussed how e-sports should be recognised as a mainstream sport, separate from gambling and Real Money Gaming (RMG) apps.

In FY23, the Indian gaming industry generated $3.1 billion in revenue. The country has a gaming audience of more than 500 million players.

PM Modi, addressed as the ‘biggest influencer’ and coolest Prime Minister in the country by the creators, also encouraged them to build games which address global issues like climate change and cleanliness.

The Prime Minister said that he wants the youth to benefit from gaming and the country should have an impact on the global ecosystem.

“World leaders talk about global warming and climate change and are trying various methods to deal with those. Envision a game aimed at addressing the global climate crisis, where the gamer must explore various methods and solutions to identify the most sustainable approach,” PM Modi told them.

“Create games for change which will not only solve local problems but also address global issues.”

The creators also gave PM Modi a new name in the world of livestream gaming - 'NaMo OP', where OP stands for "overpowered".

They hailed PM Modi’s vision of recognising creativity in skill-based gaming, saying it is time to take gaming ahead and inspire others.