Esports Firms Must Have Multiple Rosters: Here’s How They Can Help The Sector Thrive

Having multiple rosters has helped organizations manage their players in a better way, provide more opportunities for players to grow, and ultimately lead to the overall development of the sector.

Organizations can use their multiple rosters to participate in different tournaments and leagues.

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Esports has emerged as one of the fastest-growing industries in India and has gained significant traction in recent years since the pandemic. With millions of fans tuning in to watch Esports tournaments, livestreams of their adored creators, gaming content, and other events, the sector has seen a meteoric surge in investment and attention from businesses and media outlets alike.

According to the 2022 India Games Market Report by Niko Partners, India is the fastest growing market in Asia-10 for both revenue and gamers and it is also the second largest games market in the world by gamers, behind China. The report also states that Indian gamers spend an average of 14.1 hours per week on mobile games and the rising number of gamers in the country is expected to reach 630 million by 2026.

In spite of these impressive numbers that highlight the industry’s rapid revenue growth as well as community enlargement, the sector has faced its fair share of highs and lows during its remarkable rise. The most prominent of these was the government’s ban on Chinese apps for national security and privacy concerns which included BGMI and Freefire, two of the most popular Esports titles. 

Since the titles heavily dominated the Esports landscape of India, the ban had adverse effects on the organizations and players that had built their careers around those specific titles in terms of revenue generation, investment opportunities and disruption of tournaments. However, the entire situation did have a silver lining to it as it presented the community with a valuable lesson that banking on a single Esports title is not sustainable for the industry in the long run.

Thus started the growing trend of Esports organizations in the country adopting the multiple rosters approach to maintain their presence in numerous titles. Having multiple rosters has helped organizations manage their players in a better way, provide more opportunities for players to grow, and ultimately lead to the overall development of the sector.

Increased Opportunities For Players

Esports is a fast-paced industry, and players often need to be moved between teams or games as the industry evolves. With multiple rosters, organizations can shuffle their players around as needed, ensuring that they have the right players in the right places at the right time.

This allows organizations to maximize their resources and gives players the chance to develop their skills in different areas as well as participate in various games, tournaments, and leagues. Consequently, newer opportunities open up for players where they can showcase their skills and gain more exposure. 

Organizations are also able to provide a platform for up-and-coming talent to prove themselves through different rosters. This leads to the development of these players, which not only benefits the players but also the organizations and the industry as a whole.

Sponsorship And Investment Prospects

In addition to the benefits for players, having multiple rosters can also be beneficial for organizations. Organizations can use their multiple rosters to participate in different tournaments and leagues, which helps them increase their brand visibility and reach a wider audience to tap into new markets.

The success that an organization achieves across different Esports titles also reflects their prominence within the industry, thereby making them an appealing prospect for brands to invest into. Additionally, an organization being deeply rooted in various titles provides an additional sense of credibility and trust to companies for their investments.

Participating in numerous tournaments for a number of titles guarantees an organization additional revenue streams in the form of tournament winnings, sponsorship deals and merchandise sales. Hence maintaining multiple rosters helps an organization attract new sponsors and investors which is essential for the continued growth and sustainability of the industry.

Growth Of Numerous Esports Titles

India — being a mobile-dominated gaming nation with cheap data, high Internet penetration, and affordable smartphones — has always been a market that favours mobile games compared to PC or consoles. However post the BGMI ban the country witnessed a remarkable paradigm shift where due to organizations branching into other games, Valorant, a PC title emerged as the leading Esports title in the country.

Similar to Valorant, DOTA 2 and CS:GO are other PC titles which have also been experiencing significant engagement in recent times with the majority of tournaments in India being centred around them. Along with these, newer titles such as Pokemon Unite and PUBG New State are cementing their position as the country’s principal titles. 

In this way, the multi-roster approach has not only supported the development of new games across all platforms but is also driving innovation and prosperity within the industry.

To conclude, having multiple rosters is an important aspect of the growth and success of the esports industry. By providing better player management, increased opportunities for players, and improved organizational sustainability, this approach helps organizations and players alike to thrive in this rapidly growing industry. As the esports industry continues to grow and evolve, organizations that prioritize the development and management of multiple rosters will be best positioned to succeed in the long term.

(The author is Founder and CEO, Revenant Esports)

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