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Skyesports is renowned for hosting major esports tournaments for games like PUBG and Valorant, along with other titles in the gaming industry. The organization is known to be one of South Asia's leading esports tournament organizers.
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Ever since stepping foot in the industry in 2018, Skyesports has worked to acquire more than ten unique intellectual properties and served millions of gamers in South Asia and beyond. The main goal of the India-based company is to elevate esports from the grassroots level and spread the competitive gaming environment to every corner of India and the world.
After organizing and hosting esports tournaments for games like Valorant and Pokemon UNITE, Skyesports has established its presence throughout the competitive industry and is not stopping any time soon.
Skyesports' Dhrubajyoti “Captain Price” Das shares his thoughts on Valorant and the current competitive gaming industry in India
Captain Price has been a part of the Skyesports family for almost two years. He has helped the organization represent itself on many occasions and gained international fame through Valorant events like VCT 2022: APAC Stage 2 Challengers.
In a conversation with Kushal Bhattacharyya of Sportskeeda Esports, Dhrubajyoti “Captain Price” Das shares his thoughts and opinions on the current condition of the gaming industry in India. Along with that, he also shares his love for Valorant and his insights on franchising.
Q: You are a familiar face among India's Valorant and PUBG communities. How did you start a career in casting?
Captain Price: I have been a gamer for as long as I can remember. Back in 2018, I was hooked to PUBG Mobile like thousands of other Indians. I was really good at the game and even competed professionally.
Another talent I've had since my school days was debating. I was a pro-debater in school. Thus, casting was a no-brainer for me as I got to combine both of my talents.
The first tournament I casted was a PUBG Mobile tournament in 2018 for an Indonesia-based company. I continued doing PUBG Mobile until it was banned, which is when I moved to Valorant. From there, I was hired into Skyesports.
Q: What were some of your favorite video games growing up?
Captain Price: I didn’t stick to one game growing up. I was always ready to try out new video games and get really good at them. In my childhood, I used to play Super Mario and Project IGI.
Later on, when my mom bought a smartphone, I used to steal it to play Candy Crush and Clash of Clans. That was until PUBG Mobile was released in 2018 and me and my friends spent hours on end playing the game. It was worth it in the end, as I have now made a career out of it.
Q: What do you think is the best thing about being a caster?
Captain Price: I don’t think I can choose a single thing. I really love the entire lifestyle of being a caster. The zest I get when casting, traveling to events, and meeting new people – I love every single second of it.
Another thing that I really like is during LAN events when people from the audience come up to you and say that you did a really good job. It makes me happy to hear that my voice was able to entertain people.
Q: How do you manage to stay so energized through such long broadcasts?
Captain Price: I guess part of the job profile of being a caster is that some days you’ll find yourself doing really long broadcasts. Honestly, I stay energized through chips and Mirinda.
Fatigue isn’t an issue for me or the other in-house casters here at Skyesports. If I ever feel that a broadcast may go on for too long, we discuss that internally and even bring on freelancers to rotate the desk. This ensures that the casters get rest while the quality of casting for the audience remains the best.
Q: What goes on in your mind as you're casting an esports tournament? How do you keep up with the action while also casting it?
Captain Price: There’s honestly nothing you need to worry about because the amazing production team has it all set up for you. You just dress up well and do your job. In my case, when I sit on a chair or am at the desk, I just have two things in mind, what’s on my screen and what my co-caster is saying to synergize overall.
Q: Skyesports is known to organize tournaments for multiple games, and you cast most of them. How do you stay updated with all of these games? How do you begin casting a new game when Skyesports enters it for the first time?
Captain Price: That’s right, we are one of the few esports tournament organizers who include such a variety of games in our IPs. Ahead of every tournament, I make sure to sit and research the game and the players while making notes.
A caster's job isn’t just on the desk, as there is a lot of work behind the scenes as well.
When we at Skyesports enter a new game, it’s easy for me because, as I said, I grew up playing a variety of games. So picking up a new game is not very tough for me. Besides just playing the game, I tune into international broadcasts and learn.
Q: How do you feel about the current esports scene in India? Considering BGMI got banned recently, how do you think it has affected the growth of esports in India?
Captain Price: I think everyone in the industry felt the effect of the ban on BGMI and Free Fire this year. Those two were two esports games that had the biggest audiences in the country.
While this has definitely affected the growth of esports, I am 100 percent confident that the industry will bounce back even stronger. We at Skyesports are also working towards growing new games like Pokemon UNITE. We even have a LAN event for the game coming up next month.
Q: As you know, Global Esports secured a Valorant franchise slot for the next few years. You've seen GE live in action several times, being an official commentator for several of those matches. As an Indian and Valorant fan, how excited and proud are you to see GE play against the best teams in the world next year?
Captain Price: I’m a huge Valorant fan and, just like everyone else in the country, completely hyped and ready to both witness and cast what improvements GE’s new roster changes lead to. GE is one of the best that South Asia has to offer, so I am hoping for the best.
I like the approach they are taking with creating a new roster, and I look forward to them competing and winning on the international stage. GE Fighting.
Q: What would you advise someone aiming to become a caster?
Captain Price: To be a caster, you need to have great communication skills and should be very eloquent. If you feel that you have what it takes, then start making videos of yourself casting major tournaments.
This can become the initial portfolio you show to TOs (tournament organizers) to find your first gig. From there, you can work on up.
Big games like Valorant have a lot of competition, so I would advise starting with a lesser-known esports game like Pokemon UNITE.
Also, have a don’t give up attitude and a backup plan as well in case everything goes south.
Q: How do you feel about a new Indian Agent making its way into Valorant's Agent pool?
Captain Price: After GE’s slot in franchising and now the addition of Harbor, it's great to see that Riot Games views India as a big market for it. I am excited about the future of the game.
As an agent, he is definitely a game chance. In my opinion, he will be better suited with another controller like Brimstone or Omen to bring out his true potential. You have to be a team player when playing with him, as flashy solo plays will be hard to do with his lineup of abilities.
Q: What esports titles apart from Valorant and PUBG are you open to casting in the near future?
Captain Price: I guess I’m the only person in the country who can cast 25+ games in the entire country, so if there is a game that has an esports face to it, I am ready to cast it.
We are entering several new games as part of Skyesports’ expansion to SEA, so you can definitely expect to see me behind the desk of a different game’s tournament.
Q: Do you enjoy playing Valorant as much as casting it? What do you like the most about the game?
Captain Price: As I said, I am a huge Valorant fan and love playing the game, perhaps a little too much. On off days, I might be playing Valorant for about eight hours. And on work days, when events are on, I play two or three ranked games per day.
