Key Points

Making the announcement at PlayCom 2025, Founder & CEO Dilsher Singh of Zupee, Dilsher Singh Malhi highlighted the opportunity for India to take a leadership role in the rapidly growing global eSports industry, which is projected to cross 700 million viewers this year with prize pools exceeding $70 million. He said India's 750 million internet users and rich gaming heritage give it the fundamentals to build a thriving and inclusive eSports ecosystem, further strengthened by the Online Gaming Act 2025, which recognized eSports as a competitive sport.

"India doesn't just have to participate in this movement, we can lead it. With our mobile-first user base and gaming heritage, we have the fundamentals to create an eSports ecosystem that is inclusive, innovative, and globally relevant," Malhi said. He added that Zupee's strategy rests on three pillars: reimagining Indian-origin games into competitive formats, scaling access through affordable smartphone-based gaming, and building a world-class team of designers, engineers, storytellers, and community builders.

According to a company statement, Zupee has already reimagined Ludo, a game every Indian knows, into skill-based formats where strategy and focus determine outcomes, bringing millions into competitive play who may never touch a console or PC. Malhi pointed out that while India has fewer than 10 million consoles, it has more than 750 million smartphones, making it imperative for innovation in gaming to be mobile-first and truly inclusive.

The company further stated, Zupee Studio, the company's latest offering, will blend gaming and entertainment through live tournament streaming, player storytelling and localized eSports broadcasting, making competitive play both accessible and engaging for Indian audiences. Malhi emphasized that eSports will not only create new opportunities for players but also generate employment across shoutcasting, content creation, and broadcasting, serve as a testbed for emerging technologies such as AI and AR/VR, and position traditional Indian games as cultural exports on the global stage.

Inviting everyone to co-create India's eSports ecosystem, Malhi said, "We welcome everyone working in the eSports space to together build an ecosystem that is safe, inclusive and proudly Indian. At Zupee, we are not chasing trends. We are building a long-term foundation for India's eSports future. When India plays, we don't just play to win, we play to lead."

- ANI