eSports
Women Breaking Stereotypes In Gaming Ecosystem
For a long time, gaming has been considered a male-dominated field. Women who are passionate about gaming have often faced gender-based discrimination and stereotypes that hindered their progress in the gaming ecosystem. However, in recent years, women have been breaking down barriers and changing the narrative around female gamers. They have been actively pursuing their passion for gaming and making their mark in the industry, pushing back against the stereotypes and biases they have faced.
According to the “Gaming India Report 2022 – For The Game” by Dentsu, 46% of the gamers in India are females. Payal Dhare a.k.a “Payal Gaming”, a well-renowned creator of 8Bit Creatives believes that women bring unique perspectives, ideas, and creativity to the industry which helps to drive innovation and progress. Women’s contribution to the gaming industry has been proven to be instrumental in bringing in a new audience and increasing revenue., she says.
Concurring with Payal’s point of view, Krutika Ojha a.k.a “Krutika Plays”, another creator of 8Bit Creatives says, “Embracing diversity and inclusion in the gaming industry is a goal that we are constantly striving towards. The gaming industry can tap into a wider pool of talent, ideas, and perspectives, and create games that appeal to a more diverse audience. This not only helps to drive the growth of the industry, but it also helps to break down barriers and stereotypes associated with gaming. The push for greater diversity and inclusion in the gaming industry is not only important for women, but for the industry as a whole.”
Making great strides in the industry as video game designers, programmers, animators, video game testers, game writers, and audio engineers, women are chasing their dreams by taking up a career in this exciting industry. There are also a few notable gaming creators like Kaashvi Hiranandani a.k.a “Kaash Plays” who have left their financially secure jobs to pursue a career in gaming. Working as a finance consultant, she started streaming video games on Youtube at the age of 25 but later left her job to become a full-time streamer.
“It was a tough choice for sure, especially being a woman getting into a male-dominated industry, but I followed my passion and have never regretted it. When I started, there were hardly any women players but glad that things have changed in a really short span of time. It’s encouraging to see that perceptions are changing and that women are becoming more confident in taking risks and pursuing their passions,” she says.
Kaashvi further adds that there is a lot of scope for youngsters to get into the business of Esports like as a video game writer who pens down the stories and dialogues, a video game producer who manages the development of video games from concept to completion while virtual reality is another space anyone can explore and benefit out of.
The prominence of women in gaming is not just limited to Esports athletes or streamers as they are also making their presence felt in the sector by establishing their own startups. Richa Singh, the co-founder, and CEO of FanClash, Asia’s largest fantasy Esports platform has debunked the widespread stereotypical notions and proved that women can lead in the business of gaming and become among the key industry players.
“In recent years, there has been a huge shift in the gaming industry, with a remarkable stride towards gender equality as women showed their ability to compete with male gamers on an equal footing. Women are an active part of the gaming community, working to bridge the gap between themselves and their male counterparts. The priority should be crafting safe spaces for leadership identity where women should be able to focus on the job, not overthink regarding invisible barriers, and to create jobs for those women who are passionate about gaming and want to make a career out of it, from game designers and developers to content creators and influencers,” says Richa.
Not only are women breaking stereotypes in the gaming ecosystem but they are proving that they belong in the industry and changing the narrative. It is vital to continue pushing for inclusivity and diversity in gaming to ensure that everyone feels welcome and represented in this rapidly growing industry.
eSports
Red Bull Media House Announces Global Premiere of Counter-Strike Documentary ‘Memories of CS:GO – The Final Years’
- Emmy Award-winning Red Bull Media House-produced Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) documentary is set to premiere on 4 December
- ‘Memories of CS:GO – The Final Years’ features personal insights from legendary talent, including Casper “cadiaN” Møller, Nicolai “dev1ce” Reedtz, Alexandre “gAuLeS” Borba and more
- Fans can tune in via Red Bull Gaming’s YouTube channel
Red Bull’s deep dive into the glory years of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) continues with the announcement of ‘Memories of CS:GO – The Final Years’, a brand new documentary set to premiere globally on 4 December 2024.
Produced by Emmy Award-winning Red Bull Media House, the new feature-length film closely follows 2024’s ‘Memories of CS:GO – The Early Years’, which charted the origins of one of the world’s most influential games from its grassroots beginnings to its evolution as a global esports phenomenon. Continuing the saga, ‘Memories of CS:GO – The Final Years’ chronicles an emotional journey from the perspective of its key protagonists, recalling the thrilling rise of Team Liquid as Team Astralis’ reign falls, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, all the way to Team Vitality’s victory at the last-ever CS:GO Major.
Hosted by Freya “Freya” Spiers, the brand new 90-minute film features personal accounts from iconic figures including Astralis’ trio of Nicolai “dev1ce” Reedtz, Casper “cadiaN” Møller, Peter “dupreeh” Rasmussen, as well as Team Liquid’s Jonathan “Elige” Jablonowski and Jordan “n0thing” Gilbert. As it explores fierce rivalries, pivotal roster changes that changed the course of CS:GO history, and the perseverance, teamwork and passion that forged the game’s legends, ‘Memories of CS:GO – The Final Years’ also delves into the fierce dedication of the Brazilian community with Alexandre “gAuLeS” Borba and Wilton “zews” Prado, looking back at Brazil’s first-ever Major.
‘Memories of CS:GO – The Final Years’ is a sweeping tale of toil, triumph, and teamwork that offers an insightful look into the remarkable trajectory of CS:GO and the unwavering support and dedication of its community. It’s scheduled to premiere December 4, 2024 via Red Bull Gaming’s YouTube channel.
Event Details:
- What: Premiere of “Memories of CS:GO – The Final Years”
- When: December 4th, 2024
- Where to watch: Red Bull Gaming’s YouTube Channel
eSports
Guilhoto to lead GIANTX in the LEC
The Portuguese head coach signs a two-year deal to guide GIANTX in Europe’s top esports league and aim for the Worlds. Guilhoto embarks on his third tenure with the organization and returns to the LEC after reaching two finals.
Nico Perez and Emi complete the coaching staff
André Guilhoto will be the head coach of GIANTX in the League of Legends EMEA Championship (LEC), Europe’s premier esports league. Guilhoto returns to the organization to replace Christophe ‘Kaas’ van Oudheusden and lead its League of Legends international project. His goal is to qualify the team for the Worlds. He has signed a two-year contract for the 2025 and 2026 seasons.
Guilhoto (Portugal, 1994) returns to both GIANTX and the LEC. Between 2018 and 2020, he coached several teams in the European league, including reaching two finals with Schalke 04 and Origen. He entered the European scene after winning the Spanish league with GIANTX, then known as Giants Gaming.
After his time in the LEC, he coached in North America with Immortals and Team Liquid. In 2023, he returned to Málaga to work with Giants, which later merged with British club Excel to form GIANTX. In 2024, he coached in the Superliga with CASE Esports and Team Heretics, where he won the Spanish championship.
Guilhoto is one of the most experienced head coaches in the scene and a well-known figure within the Spanish-speaking League of Legends community. GIANTX announced his return with a video confirming his new role as head coach.
GIANTX looks to Guilhoto to improve its results in the LEC. The team finished eighth in the winter and spring splits and reached the summer season finals, but missed out on qualifying for the Worlds. The organization aims to achieve this goal with Guilhoto leading the coaching staff.
Joining Guilhoto in Berlin, the home of the LEC, are assistant coach Nico Perez (France, 1998) and strategic coach Emanuel Ursachi ‘Emi’ (Romania, 1995). Nico spent the last year with GIANTX, first as head coach in the Superliga and then as assistant coach in the LEC. Emi, now in his second tenure with the company, will serve as the strategic coach.
The LEC season begins on January 18, 2025. GIANTX will announce the roster under Guilhoto’s leadership in the coming days.
Asia
AMD Announces GameOn 2024: Nationwide Counter-Strike 2 Tournament Offers ₹300,000 Prize, Culminates in Hyderabad
AMD, a leader in semiconductor manufacturing, has unveiled the AMD GameOn 2024, an open-for-all esports tournament for Counter-Strike 2 with a total prize pool of INR 300,000. The Main Event of the AMD GameOne 2024 is set to take place at IndiaJoy 2024 Asia’s premier media and entertainment congregation, in the HICC, Novotel, Hyderabad on Nov. 16 and 17.
Commenting on the tournament, Pramit Khanna, Channel Marketing Manager DIY and Gaming, AMD India said, “As one of the leaders in the computing space, we have been supporting India’s esports ecosystem since day 1, and the AMD GameOn 2024 is another such IP for esports enthusiasts. The open-for-all format ensures every gamer has a chance to compete in the pan-India tournament and make it to the LAN in Hyderabad. I wish the best of luck to all participants and can’t wait to welcome the four finalists in Hyderabad.”
The AMD GameOn 2024 began with the open qualifiers, where the registered teams competed for slots to the Closed Qualifiers. The Closed Qualifier, with 8 total teams, has wrapped up, confirming the four finalists for the AMD GameOn 2024 Main Event at IndiaJoy 2024 on Nov. 16 and 17 in Hyderabad. Skyesports is set to be the esports partner for the event.
The four teams are listed below. They will compete in a single-elimination bracket to determine the champions of India. Matches from the AMD GameOn 2024 Main Event will be livestreamed on the Skyesports YouTube channel.
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True Rippers
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Carnival Gaming
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Gods Reign
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Victores Sumus
Besides the esports action at the AMD booth in the IndiaJoy 2024, players will also be able to experience gaming on AMD Advantage systems, which deliver a supreme and optimized performance by combining AMD Ryzen™ CPUs, AMD Radeon™ GPUs, smart technologies, and AMD software. Therefore, AMD’s experiential zone at the IndiaJoy 2024 will be the one-stop immersive place for gamers, combining esports action and providing a hands-on gaming experience.
Shiva Nandy, the Founder and CEO of Skyesports, said, “We are thrilled to be the esports partner for AMD GameOn 2024, working once again with our anchor brand, AMD. With open qualifiers to give every gamer a chance and invited teams to ensure top-notch esports action, this tournament is a delight for all gamers. AMD has been one of the biggest supporters of esports in India over the years, and this tournament aligns with our vision of bringing Counter-Strike 2 into the spotlight ahead of Skyesports’ $1.7 million prize pool roadmap for 2025, where we will host four on-ground events across the country.”
India currently has about 500 million gamers, a number expected to grow to 730 million by 2028, with a 5-year CAGR of 10 percent, making the country the largest market by the number of gamers. Additionally, 65 percent of gamers either watch esports or compete in tournaments, per Niko Partners, with IPs like the AMD GameOn at the forefront of attracting their attention.
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