The Indian mobile esports scene is indeed in for a treat this year, as both Valorant Mobile and Battlegrounds Mobile India are finally scheduled to have their official launches.
Akshat Gupta of ArmPowerGaming is one of those rising Indian content creators looking forward to both these titles. And though fans might catch him clicking heads on Valorant PC most of the time, his enthusiasm for mobile games is always high.
In an exclusive interview with Abhishek Mallick of Sportskeeda Esports, the YouTuber opened up about his expectations for both Valorant Mobile and Battlegrounds Mobile India and which of the two he is more excited to create content on.
Here is an excerpt of the conversation.
Q. Akshat, let’s start by having you tell our readers a bit about yourself. What’s life like when you are not busy creating content for your audience?
Akshat: Life has been good to me on the other side. I spend a good deal of my time helping my father with his business and then watching some shows and movies during the break.
And the rest of the time that I have, I put all my energy into making content, which I am very serious about.
Q. Is there any interesting anecdote behind naming your channel ArmPower Gaming?
Akshat: There is not much of a story behind it, to be honest, I was just asking my friends what would be a good name for the channel. Someone came up with ArmPower, which sounded cool to me, and I have stuck to it ever since.
Q. When you started your channel two years ago, you did a lot of content around PUBG Mobile, CS: GO, and Apex Legends. However, the subscriptions and viewership never took off immediately, so what inspired you to keep grinding till the channel started getting recognized?
Akshat: When I just started the channel, I tried my hand at many games. However, I never got much recognition for playing those titles.
But I did not give up on my dream, as I believed that I would be able to do anything I set my mind to. Moreover, I wanted to prove my critics wrong and that their negative attitude and demotivation were always a motivation for me.
Q. You were recently brought under the Trinity Gaming banner. How has your experience been with the organization so far?
Akshat: My journey with Trinity Gaming has indeed been remarkable. Everyone here is friendly and supportive, and they help me fulfill my vision in whichever way they can.
Q. Riot Games’ Valorant was perhaps the turning point for your channel, as your number of subscribers grew drastically after you started featuring the title on ArmPower Gaming. Being a veteran CS: GO player, what are some of your takes on Valorant? What are some of its significant features that stand out for you?
Akshat: CS: GO was one of my all-time favorites, and I used to spam the game a lot until Riot launched Valorant. It is pretty similar to CS: GO, but it comes with agents with unique abilities, making the game very exciting to play and watch.
Agent metas are another aspect that helps Valorant stay competitive, while the patches and updates keep it fresh for older and newer players. This is something that CS: GO always lacked.
Q. Valorant or CS: GO, which tactical first-person shooter do you enjoy the most?
Akshat: I definitely enjoy Valorant more than CS: GO. In Valorant, every round brings its own spice, which keeps the games interesting. But that’s not to say that I don’t love CS: GO, both games are some of my absolute favorites, and I enjoy them for different reasons.
While CS: GO is more about mechanics, Valorant, on the other hand, is about mastering ability usage along with gunplay.
Q. With Battlegrounds Mobile India finally getting its official announcement, how much are you looking forward to Krafton’s upcoming title? And how different do you feel it will be from PUBG Mobile?
Akshat: Every PUBG Mobile fan has been eagerly waiting for Krafton to announce Battlegrounds Mobile India finally. There is a considerable hype surrounding the game, and now that it is finally going to arrive this year, I, too, am looking forward to creating content around it.
It will differ from PUBG Mobile as the developers will focus more on catering to the Indian community. Krafton will surely listen to our needs and make necessary changes to the game to cater to us.
Q. Valorant Mobile is also on the horizon, and you have been quite vocal about how excited you are with its upcoming launch. What are some of your personal opinions and expectations from the upcoming title?
Akshat: Valorant Mobile will indeed be huge in India as mobile gaming has always been popular here. PC was never really relevant in the nation’s esports scene, and if Valorant Mobile can provide the same experience as it does on PC, it will indeed be huge.
Q. Valorant Mobile or Battlegrounds Mobile India? For which title are you more excited?
Akshat: Though I am excited about Valoriant Mobile and BGMI, I am looking forward to the former a bit more. I want to see how Riot optimizes a PC tactical shooter for the mobile platform.
Q. What’s the future like for ArmPower Gaming? What can your fans expect from the channel in the coming months?
Akshat: I feel that the future of ArmPower Gaming will be very bright if everything that I have planned for my channel goes accordingly. My fans can expect a lot of fun content in the coming months.
As I am also looking to expand my channel to mobile games, the journey will be quite exciting.