In a bid to fuel India's gaming passion and catapult budding talents onto the global esports stage, HP has unveiled the HP Gaming Garage. It's a free-of-cost online professional certificate program that offers aspiring gamers specialised online courses in esports management, game design, and programming.
The specially crafted modules, available in different languages like English, Hindi, and Telugu, aim to level up your skills and knowledge of the gaming world. HP has also presented its Gaming Landscape Study 2023 that sheds light on some interesting trends in the gaming realm.
According to the study, 52% of Indian gamers now view gaming as a promising career option, with player earnings on the rise compared to last year. Additionally, approximately 40% of dedicated gamers reported earning between ₹ 600,000-1,200,000 annually in 2023. The study highlighted that sponsorships and esports tournaments have become significant sources of income for gamers. Interestingly, the research noted that 78% of serious gamers are in metros, while non-metros account for 59%. For context, HP categorises a "serious gamer" as someone who spends 12-23 hours gaming every week.
The study further emphasised that personal computers have become the go-to choice for gamers in India, with 67% of them preferring PCs over mobile phones due to better FPS and display quality. Surprisingly, the research revealed that gamers are ready to invest an average of over ₹1 lakh for a gaming PC.
The findings also indicated a positive shift in parental attitudes toward gaming. About 42% of the respondents agreed that gaming is an acceptable hobby, and 40% of parents acknowledged that their perception of gaming has evolved positively in recent years, primarily owing to the industry's growth.