“I will be more focused on competing professionally in Battlegrounds Mobile India, so content creation will take the second seat”: Aswin “Blind Psycho” Anilkumar, Blind Esports athlete

With Battlegrounds Mobile India finally getting its official launch, many esports organizations are already putting their roster plans in motion. Following months of anticipated and purported content, fans are vying for insights surrounding teams competing in Battlegrounds Mobile India.

Blind Esports is one of the many in the nation who will be looking to fight for the crown of “the very best in India” when the title’s esports scene officially kicks off.

With players and fans awaiting the slightest news on Battlegrounds Mobile India, procuring insight from one of the industry's finest is priceless.

Aswin “Blind Psycho” Anilkumar, Blind Esports’ professional athlete has been quite vocal about some of his expectations from Battlegrounds Mobile India.

And in an interview with Abhishek Mallick of Sportskeeda Esports, the mobile esports star talked about how content creation will take a backseat while he wishes to concentrate on the more competitive side of Battlegrounds Mobile India, at least for the next year.

With an insightful and amicable cadence surrounding Battlegrounds Mobile India, here is an excerpt from the conversation.

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A glimpse into Aswin “Blind Psycho” Anilkumar's plans for Battlegrounds Mobile India

Q. When it came to the pre-ban PUBG Mobile scene, you were one of the most prominent figures in the community, and often recognized for your IGL skills in the title. Can you tell us a bit about how you got started and what life was like for you before PUBG Mobile?

Aswin: I started playing the game right after 12th grade. The game had just been launched, and though the competitive scene hadn't emerged then, I was looking forward to playing against the best since the beginning.

The game certainly gave me much-needed exposure to esports and to the public, compared to my former days.

Q. Apart from creating content for your channel, is there anything else that you are pursuing at the moment?

Aswin: I’m focused on competing in the game right now, and content creation is only second to it at the moment. Moreover, I’d like to be in the scene for a year and then pursue my studies.

Q. What’s the atmosphere like at home? How supportive are your parents with your career as a content creator?

Aswin: Initially, my approach to the game was quite addictive, so consequently, they were not very keen on me playing it.

But the way my viewers admire my streams for the player I am made them change their perspective, and are now super supportive of it!

Q. PUBG Mobile was the title that you created your entire channel around. What were some of the emotions you went through when the ban hit, and what compromises and adjustments did you have to make to hold on to your audience base?

Aswin: I believe the ban was a necessary evil. The esports scene in India must not be limited to mobile games and the ban made sure that at least some of the PC games get exposure in esports in India.

Seeing this, I was kind of relieved, taking a break from the daily gaming hours, and in fact was able to explore more interesting games, both on PC and console, which was a fresh change for the majority of the viewers!

Q. Not too long ago, you were acquired by Blind Esports who has an impressive line-up of both professional esports athletes and content creators. How has the transition been like for you and how has your time in the org been so far?

Aswin: I approached BLIND during its earlier days. Not many from Kerala have entered the esports scene, and I assure you, we’ll be the first to play in an official LAN event of the game as well. I have never felt left alone with this team; BLIND is family.

Q6. Blind Esports recently went into partnership with leading stock and crypto trading platform IQ Option, making them one of the first orgs in the Indian esports industry to do so. What are some of your thoughts on this partnership, and how mergers like these affect the Indian esports scene as a whole?

Aswin: I believe the partnership between such entities in the current two groundbreaking platforms, esports, and cryptocurrency, would make us futureproof. Pretty sure such partnerships will flourish in the future economic development in Indian esports!

Q. When Battlegrounds Mobile India finally got its official announcement, what was your reaction at the time?

Aswin: It was quite expected. I have been quite patient with it to launch, and I feel the excitement to be shown in the game!

Q. With Battleground Mobile India’s early beta access now out, what were some of your expectations from the game, and how much of it would you say has been met?

Aswin: Honestly, I didn’t expect the game to be this similar to the global version. One cannot distinguish between the interface of Battlegrounds Mobile India and PUBGM at a glance. Kudos to the team for keeping it from alienating!

Q. What are some of the major similarities and differences that you notice between Battlegrounds Mobile India and what PUBG Mobile used to be?

Aswin: There aren’t many differences between Battlegrounds Mobile India and PUBG Global. The differences in the Indian version are to meet the standards of the policy, so small alterations, like changing the kill message to a less violent “finished” message are done in Battlegrounds Mobile India.

Major changes are for underaged gamers because many age implied restrictions like reduced game time and in-game purchases are followed in Battlegrounds Mobile India.

Q. What plans does Blind Esports have for Battlegrounds Mobile India? What can fans expect from the org when the game finally gets its official launch?

Aswin: We have already begun our preparations for the game and are just waiting for it to officially launch. We look forward to participating in the upcoming tournaments, and our ultimate goal is to make it to the internationals.

As an organization, we will ensure that our approach to Battlegrounds Mobile India is professional and we will definitely maintain that integrity.