From Finding Foothold To Founding Firms: Women Breaking Barriers In Esports

The exceptional rise of women in the ever-growing Indian esports industry has demanded the need for proliferated opportunities for the country’s female gamers.

The future is extremely promising for females seeking their place in the sector and revolutionizing it with their talent.

Source : Getty

For decades, gaming and esports have been male-dominated domains due to the perpetuation of stereotypes and cultural trends that deem the activities as male interests. Marketing strategies also endorsed gaming as a male-centric activity, carrying forward the trend over the years as the industry evolved. But throughout history, women have consistently demonstrated that they can achieve great things in the face of tremendous obstacles. Despite the social and cultural pressures they have had to endure, women have been a powerful force in shaping the world we are currently in, and esports is no different. 

In recent years, women have been heavily involved in various capacities in the esports sector. Despite the challenges, women are shattering traditional beliefs and have outshone in the industry as per the Gaming India Report 2022 - For The Game report by Dentsu which says that 46 percent of the gamers in India are females. Ranging from game development, management, and startups to esports athletes, content creators, and casters, women are making their presence felt in this community and proving that anyone, regardless of their gender, can triumph in this field. 

Taking note of this prominence of women in gaming, even the AVGC (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, and Comic) taskforce put in place by the government mentioned that special incentives should be established for women entrepreneurs in the AVGC sector in its report submitted to Union Minister Anurag Thakur. By putting in substantial efforts and undertaking potential initiatives to make the industry a gender-inclusive space.

As the esports industry in India continues its remarkable surge to emerge as a powerhouse in the global gaming market in terms of revenue generation and success on the international stage, the consistent presence of women is playing a significant role in propelling it to that level. From being almost non-existent to now cementing their place as an integral part of the industry.

Establishing Gaming As A Viable Career Option

In spite of the widespread stigma and tons of obstacles, women have been instrumental in turning gaming into a serious career option. According to the HP India Gaming Landscape Study 2022, 56 percent of women gamers see a career in the gaming industry. May it be as game programmers, developers, content creators, entrepreneurs, or athletes, they have made their mark within the gaming community by flourishing in this unorthodox industry. 

While the success of women in this sector is helping raise awareness about potential opportunities and inspiring others to pursue a career in gaming, it is also promoting a more accepting and welcoming environment. Moreover, with the introduction of courses, and degrees in educational institutions dedicated to gaming, more and more women will be provided with the right exposure to take up gaming as a serious career choice.

Brand Endorsements

Female content creators and streamers have leveraged the growing popularity of esports to reach a wider audience and monetize their content. By building a loyal fanbase that comprises millennials and gen Z who religiously follows their content.

As a result, we have witnessed a monumental interest from brands and big corporates for endorsements with women content creators in the gaming industry which has also resulted in attracting a lot of non-endemic brands into the industry. As per Statista, almost 84 percent of social media influencers are women which highlights their dominance in the digital world. The burgeoning popularity and significance of female gaming creators as well as streamers such as Payal Gaming, Saloni aka Mili kya Mili, Shagufta “Xyaa” Iqbal, Ankkita Chauhan, among others, are driving the growth of the gaming industry.

Startups And Taking Up Higher Management Positions

An old adage states that ‘You don’t have to play masculine to be a strong woman’, and with FanClash I’ve been proving it right every single day. It has not only been a meaningful journey but also gave me a sense of purpose to be that positive force which helps other women climb up the ladder of success by breaking down gender barriers, supporting each other to create an inclusive, diverse community, utilizing the platform to inspire other women to push boundaries in the gaming and esports industry and accomplish the prodigious amount of success.

India has witnessed a steady surge in women forging their own companies in the industry as well as them being elevated to higher management positions. The sixth economic census by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation shows that women comprise 13.76 percent of the total entrepreneurs in India which is 8.05 million out of the total 58.5 million entrepreneurs.

The overall numbers are not very high but it is a positive sign to see women starting to reach the top of the corporate ladder in the male-dominated gaming industry. Female leaders have not only advocated for fair representation and diversity in the community but have also paved the way for other women to take up similar roles by being role models.

With India ushering in its pinnacle of gaming following the official recognition of esports as a multi-sport event, the future is extremely promising for females seeking their place in the sector and revolutionizing it with their talent.

(The author is the co-founder and CEO of fantasy esports platform, FanClash)

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