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Recently, HP invited me to the launch of HP India Gaming Landscape Study 2023 at Monkey Bar in Delhi. After a quick flight and cab ride from the airport, I was at the event to learn about the Indian gaming market and how it is projected to grow in the future.
At the event, I met with Vickram Bedi, the Senior Director of Personal Systems at HP India, and had the opportunity to discuss not only the aforementioned study but the Indian gaming community, the growth of PC and mobile gaming, and HP as a brand appealing to gamers.
Vickram Bedi, Senior Director at HP, discusses the growth of gaming in India on the sidelines of India Gaming Landscape Study 2023
Q: Beyond the massive growth of the market globally, what do you feel were the key highlights of the study, and what does it tell us about the future, both in national and international capacity?
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Vickram: The esports industry in India has been witnessing massive growth, and it can be attributed to the rise in the gaming communities. Another factor driving this growth is the increasing number of esports tournaments happening at national and international levels. For the first time, esports was included in the Asian Games 2023. This milestone serves as a clear indication of the rapid and widespread acceptance of esports in India and across the globe.
In our HP India Gaming Landscape Study 2023, the prime objective was to understand the trends in the gaming industry from the gamers directly. We surveyed a total of 3000 gamers from 15 cities across India. We interviewed 500 parents to understand their perspectives and challenges with their child's gaming.
We also segregated casual and hyper-casual gamers with less than 12 hours/ week of gameplay and serious and professional gamers with more than 12 hours/ week of gameplay.
Some key findings from the study include:
Gaming goes pan-India:
75% of GenZ and 67% of Millennials are serious gamers
- 58% of women respondents are identified as serious gamers
- 78% of gamers from metros are serious gamers, and 59% of gamers from non-metros are serious gamers
Income from gaming on the rise:
- 40% of gamers are earning between 6-12 lakhs annually in 2023, as compared to 16% in 2022
- 39% of gamers are earning from sponsorships, along with 27% of gamers earning from esports tournaments
Roles gamers are eyeing in the future:
- 52% of serious gamers see gaming as a main/ part-time career
- 61% of gamers want to become an influencer, and 60% of them want to become a streamer
Parents’ perspective on gaming turning positive:
- Perceptions of 40% of parents have turned positive towards gaming
- 56% of parents attribute the positive perception to growth in gaming industry & esports tournaments
- 42% of parents view gaming as a hobby
Need for learning and development infrastructure for gaming:
- 61% of gamers are not aware of gaming courses in India
- 55% of gamers depend on YouTube and game buddies to enhance skills
PC is the most preferred device for gaming:
- 67% of gamers prefer gaming on PCs over mobiles
- Reasons for choosing PCs: Better FPS & Display (64%); Access to more games (60%); Better graphics (53%)
Q: As you mentioned and the study highlighted, India has witnessed remarkable growth in the gaming industry and highlights the potential for the future. It also highlights how gamers are eyeing video games as more than entertainment, as a career opportunity. What do you think has been a key contributing factor to this, and how could they impact the future?
Vickram: Gaming in India has moved its role as a form of relaxation and entertainment, now emerging as a viable career opportunity. An interesting reveal from our study is that 1 in 3 gamers are gaming for money or recognition. The surge in esports tournaments has played a pivotal role in transforming gaming into a viable profession.
Beyond gaming, opportunities have grown in areas such as content creation, streaming, and esports event organization. This varied landscape provides gamers with the chance to explore different roles within the gaming industry.
According to our study, gamers are earning the most from sponsorships. This trend highlights the growing recognition of gamers as influential figures with the ability to reach and engage with large and diverse audiences.
Moreover, the rise of gaming influencers, streamers, and esports organizers is indicative of the industry's expanding prospects. Gamers can now make a career by not only excelling in gameplay but also by cultivating a personal brand and creating engaging content.
Q: Let’s shift gears a bit and talk about HP as a brand in this market. How is HP or Omen catering to the different market segments and aiming to reach out to the corners of India, beyond the metropolitan area to Tier 2 or Tier 3 cities, and cater to the gamers in those areas?
Vickram: We are focused on making gaming mainstream and creating an ecosystem that appeals to all types of gamers. Our vision is to democratize gaming, and we have introduced a range of gaming products for each audience segment, keeping this in mind.
Our Omen Transcend 16 caters to gamers and creators. Omen 16 is focused on serious gamers, and Victus 16 is built for mainstream gamers on an affordable budget.
HP has a strong legacy in India, and as a brand, we are focused on making technology accessible. We are present across India and have our sales and service footprints everywhere, including remote areas such as Leh, Daman, and Nagercoil.
We have 750+ exclusive stores and provide onsite customer support in 1800+ cities. HP has been leading the Indian PC market with a 29.4% share (IDC), and this is a testament to customers’ confidence in us.
Q: How does HP or Omen set themselves apart in a crowded gaming laptop space?
Vickram: We are determined to stand out in the gaming hardware industry, not just as another company, but as a complete gaming solution company for our consumers. Gaming has become more mainstream than ever, and we wanted to be the ones leading the charge in serving this larger audience.
Our new gaming portfolio features the upgraded Omen Gaming Hub. This software is a game-changer. It enables users to optimize their gaming performance, making sure they get the absolute best out of PCs and games. Other features help with performance boosting.
Since gamers are always looking for personalized experiences, the Omen Gaming Hub also allows users to personalize their controls for a tailored setup. We are proud to share that we currently have two million monthly active users with 40 million games boosted on Omen Gaming Hub.
Another stand-out feature is the OMEN Tempest Cooling, which is implemented in our new lineup of Omen laptops and desktops to enhance their thermal performance. It is designed to effectively dissipate heat generated by high-performance components, such as powerful CPUs and GPUs, during intense gaming sessions or resource-intensive tasks.
The OMEN Tempest Cooling system incorporates a thoughtful design that optimizes airflow within the device. It utilizes strategically placed vents, air intakes, and exhausts to facilitate the intake of cool air and the expulsion of hot air, thus improving overall thermal management. Moreover, the cooling system integrates multiple heat pipes, which are responsible for transferring heat away from the critical components.
Plus, in collaboration with HyperX, we are making our products work even better together. We have teamed up to engineer the world's first gaming laptops with an embedded module for seamless audio pairing, which comes with the option of a bundled HyperX Cloud II Core Wireless gaming headset.
Q: Indian PC gaming audiences generally prefer to assemble their gaming PC instead of buying prebuild. Why do you think that is, and what is HP doing to reach out to the audiences and showcase the Omen Desktop PCs?
Vickram: Our study has revealed that gamers are looking for an entire gaming ecosystem to elevate their gaming experiences. They want accessories, such as headsets with microphone, mouse, keyboard, etc. Our range of HyperX accessories offers best-in-class peripherals for gamers of all kinds.
Additionally, our newly launched gaming portfolio is enhanced with the powerful new OMEN Gaming Hub. It offers a range of tools for performance optimization, personalized controls to customize your setup according to your preferences, and the flexibility to play all your favorite games effortlessly.
The Processor Core Affinity Optimization within OMEN Optimizer helps in up to a 10 percent improvement in FPS. ECO Mode yields up to 20 percent longer battery life and up to a 7 dB reduction in fan noise in OMEN and Victus Laptops for quieter gaming sessions.
Q: What is HP doing to strengthen engagement with the gaming community? How has the response been to the 2023 product portfolio?
Vickram: We are constantly investing in the gaming industry in India to connect and support the gaming community.
With the OMEN community initiatives, we are providing a one-stop destination for gamers to upskill, engage and empower. As part of the community initiatives, we provide gaming videos from pro gamers to learn from and an opportunity to join the OMEN Squad. In addition to this, HP has also onboarded renowned Indian gamers, providing regular content to help aspiring Indian gamers.
We introduced HP Gaming Garage, a free-of-cost online professional certificate program on Esports management and Game development. This initiative provides gaming enthusiasts in India with access to curated online modules covering esports management, game design, and game programming, fostering learning and development in these areas.
Our Omen Playground Stores are stores where mobile or first-time gamers can experience the power of PC gaming, and skilled gamers can immerse in the superior technology of HP devices and the Hyper X gaming ecosystem. The stores aim to allow a free-of-cost hub for emerging talent in the Indian gaming industry to engage in the latest technological innovations.
