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Micro-Star International (MSI) has been a prominent name in the PC industry for its gaming components and content creation SKUs. The multinational corporation was conceptualized in 1986, with its first plant established in 1997. Now with over 35 years of experience under its belt, MSI amasses a revenue of $200 billion every financial year.
MSI's extensive international footprint covers over 120 nations. Its vast lineup of laptops, graphics cards, motherboards, peripheral devices, servers, IPCs, robotic appliances, automotive infotainment, displays, and telematics systems is well-regarded worldwide.
Ashish M. Khokale, Marketing Manager – India, Desktop Platform System (CND & GNP) Department, has been part and parcel of the brand since 2019. He shared some insights about the Indian wing of the brand and how it operates in tandem with the Indian esports industry in an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda's Tathagata Biswas.
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"MSI is dedicated to empowering global gamers, creators, and business elites with the best-in-class solutions" - Ashish M Khokale, Marketing Manager – (CND & GNP) Dept., MSI India, on the core vision of the brand
Q) Tell me something about your early career and how did you end up as the marketing manager for MSI India?
Ashish Khokale: I am and always have been a gamer. I started as a casual gamer in my initial gaming days, and then I got into the community thing to get gamers (including me) the gear they need to get the best gaming experience.
The community is the one without which I would not have been where or who I am today, so it is very close to me, and yeah, the gamers have shown immense love and trust toward me. Their initial trust in me got me the start/push in the computer hardware segment as a service/solution provider.
I started a group called AkExtacY to get like-minded people together and offer them help wherever the group members or I could. Over time, the group has expanded to include various brand representatives, which has helped me be noticed on a wider level. The way my interview happened with MSI is a story in itself (I laugh at it sometimes).
When I got a call from MSI regarding the opportunity in the organization, I was still determining if I was the right person for the job. However, they gave me a chance, and I worked hard not to disappoint them. After three years in the organization, I feel I can accomplish anything my team asks me to do. Thank you MSI for giving me the platform and opportunity to be where I am today.
Q) Over the last few years, we have constantly been seeing a trend from MSI, where we see the brand striving to achieve an ecosystem targeted at gamers and content creators. How is that endeavor working out for the brand?
Ashish Khokale: MSI is dedicated to empowering global gamers, creators, and business elites with the best-in-class solutions engineered to satisfy their every need – this is MSI’s core mission.
Being the world's leading gaming PC company, we produce products that achieve first-class gaming performance and advanced innovation that attain reputable gaming performance, allowing professional gamers and PC enthusiasts to experience TRUE GAMING!
The requirements of content creators and business people differ from those of gamers. We realized their needs and designed special rigs for them long before other companies did. That is why many famous creators and business elites love MSI and use MSI equipment to work on their masterpieces and projects.
MSI is a one-stop solution for all your Gaming and Content Creation/Professional needs.
Q) I have been keeping track of the aftersales of most brands readily available in India and observed that MSI is really putting in some effort to revamp the after-sales support here in India to the point where the brand is offering on-site service for a limited SKU. After-sales services are as important as pre-sales marketing. What is your stance on this?
Ashish Khokale: After-sales services have always been a priority at MSI. We want to offer a seamless experience to our customers, from owning the product to using it and claiming quick service in case they have an issue.
We offer the following customer service options: call center, web ticket, online service, and member center.
Service has become one of the factors affecting the buying decision of the customer. Selling a good product using proper channels of marketing and advertising is achievable. However, if proper after-sales services did not back a product, even the best brands would fail in any market.
MSI strives hard to constantly improve after-sales services to offer a seamless experience to our end users.
We have our own RC (repair center) setup in Delhi with dedicated service personnel. We have over 140+ collection points across India to help customers send in their products for service. We have also started an on-site warranty for select product lines in selected cities. We are constantly working towards expanding the cities where we can offer this service to our ever-so-loyal customers.
Q) For the first time, we see an AIO-based GPU under the “SUPRIM” lineup. Previously, we have seen this product under the “Sea-Hawk” lineup. What led to this switch-up in branding, in your opinion?
Ashish Khokale: The Sea-Hawk series was the AIO lineup of GPUs from MSI till the Nvidia 30 series Graphics card. These premium graphics cards come with their own closed-loop liquid cooling systems to keep the graphic card temperatures in check. This allowed users to push the graphics card's performance even further than the air-cooled variations and keep the temperature inside the cabinet also in check.
The SUPRIM series consists of flagship models designed by MSI. This includes the MSI GeForce RTX 4090 SUPRIM LIQUID X 24G Graphics Card. It’s engineered to push the boundaries of performance further than ever while carrying an elevated style.
The MSI GeForce RTX 4090 SUPRIM LIQUID X 24G is an impressive blend of intelligent thermal design thanks to hybrid liquid-air cooling, robust construction, and the most powerful GeForce GPU on the market. The Ultimate Performance and Design are all under the MSI SUPRIM series.
Q) How is MSI working to make esports a mainstream and an easier-to-access term in the Indian gaming scenario?
Ashish Khokale: MSI is committed to building a close relationship with our brand ambassadors from all over the world. In the spirit of gaming, we rolled out the Dragon Squad program aimed at bringing on board those who have a large following on social platforms like YouTube, Twitch, and so on.
By becoming part of our Dragon Squad, MSI will give members access to exclusive content, the latest gaming hardware, and special support! Join Dragon Squad now and share the glory with invited talent!
Along with these membership benefits, we are also looking to make PC gaming a bit more affordable and accessible to the masses. We regularly run offers for gamers to take advantage of. For example, we are running an offer in India where gamers can get up to INR 30K cashback on purchasing their newest gaming PCs.
Q) MSI has been phenomenal in terms of its monitor launches, and we have something for everybody, be it gamers, content creators, or office users. I am sure MSI will have to invest a lot of resources into R&D for such success. What led to this foray into this display space when the brand's main focus was motherboards and graphics cards?
Ashish Khokale: We at MSI have been focusing on a one-stop solution for Gamers and Content Creators. We currently manufacture Motherboards, Graphics Cards, Liquid Coolers, Cabinets, Gaming Chairs, Power Supplies, Gaming Gear, Desktops, Mini PCs, and Monitors for gamers and content creators.
Our Monitor lineup starts with 24inch Professional and Gaming monitors all the way up to 32inch Gaming monitors. Unique features that interest content creators include Anti Flicker technology, low blue light, and color-accurate displays. For professional and casual gamers, we have high refresh rates of up to 360Hz, low latency, and various sync technologies from our partners.
We also have curved gaming monitors for a more immersive experience while gaming and watching one’s favorite content on the big screen. Apart from this, the end-user has an unparalleled sync between the connected devices with the MSI Center software.
Q) India has a huge untapped-potential esports market. How is MSI looking to mobilize this market?
Ashish Khokale: India has seen phenomenal growth in the number of Content Creators and Professional Gamers over the years, and the numbers are only increasing with each passing year. This is aided by the fact that the average gamer/content creator can now afford a decent Gaming/Work PC.
With a vast range of MSI gaming products easily available, we at MSI aim to provide the best solutions for every individual. From budget-friendly gaming PCs to monster PCs, they can handle the toughest of tasks without breaking a sweat.
We are already working with a few esports enthusiasts and streamers in India called the Dragon Squad. Soon we will also be starting partner programs with professional esports teams.
We are also sponsoring and actively participating in many esports tournaments organized in India to help grow the ecosystem so that all amateur and professional gamers have a stage and numerous opportunities to prove their worth.
Q) I have been bugging you for years for white components, and finally, we are seeing more white components released from MSI, starting from the core liquid v2 and the Gungnir 110r white, and my personal favorite, the Force series. Can we expect more white components from the brand?
Ashish Khokale: White is one of the most aesthetically pleasing colors. We heard the need of enthusiasts and builders for a need for an all-white, all-MSI Gaming PC. We are constantly listening and in touch with the community about their preferences and requirements, and we at MSI will push forward to deliver such products to our users and fans.
We introduced a range of white/silver components, including cabinets, motherboards, liquid coolers, and power supplies. The MPG A750GF PSU has 80 Plus Gold certification and is capable of delivering up to 750W power. The A750GF PSU is a solid option for a gaming build.
The MAG Core Liquid 240R V2 is also available in white now. The motherboard lineup introduced the white components under the “Force” models. But moving forward, the gaming edge lineup shall be constructed of white motherboards. The MPG Z690 Force WIFI and the MAG B660M Mortar WIFI.
MPG Z790 EDGE WIFI DDR4 employs a silver-white color scheme to show different personalities and identities. Besides being stylish, it is also quite powerful. This is a continued trend, and we shall continue to bring in new components in white.
Q) We have witnessed a sudden boom in tech content reviewers. Most beginners cannot afford to buy the latest hardware as they come out. How has MSI been able to amass such diversified content creators?
Ashish Khokale: MSI does not discriminate between reviewers and content creators based on the audience they can accumulate. For us, all reviewers are the same, big or small. For us, the quality of content and testing methodology (in the case of reviewers) are the first benchmarks in the process of considering a candidate seeking samples.
If the quality of the content is good enough and we see potential, we send out the requested hardware as and when it is available. In India, most of the samples are returnable, so we assign a healthy timeline for the said hardware, during which time the reviewer works on the product and notifies us once the review is ready. Sometimes, content creators need more time with the product; in such cases, we completely understand and consider an extension of the timeframe.
Q) Where do you envision the Indian esports scenario in five years? What function does MSI hope to fulfill there?
Ashish Khokale: Apart from years of dedication to top-end gaming hardware, MSI has sponsored more than 20 esports teams worldwide and is the proud host of one of the world-renowned gaming tournaments MSI MGA (Masters Gaming Arena). MSI seizes every opportunity for face-to-face interactions with global gamers and fans.
Gaming is the universal language MSI and gamers share together. MSI and gamers have rocked the gaming world with innovative technology and one victory after another.
This trend will continue on a global level, and with esports growing rapidly in India, you can expect a lot of new initiatives and activities from MSI to tap the untapped potential in India.
