A majority of gamers in India have dealt with criticism from their parents or relatives at some point in their lives. “Gaming is a waste of time”, “You will ruin your future”, “It is uncultured and violent”, are some of the phrases that I have personally received.
But look how far we have come. The year 2018 saw the gaming industry rise to a whopping $137.9 billion and it is predicted to hit $180.1 billion by 2021, according to market researcher Newzoo. At the same time, we are also witnessing a shift in the mobile gaming industry, especially with the arrival of recent titles like PUBG Mobile and Fortnite. Last year, the industry rose to $70.3 billion and will continue to grow to $106.4 billion by 2021. This means that currently, more than 50 percent of games are already on the mobile platform. The research also says that there are close to 2.3 billion gamers across the globe.
One of the biggest contributors to mobile gaming today is India. The reason for that is pretty simple- owning a mobile phone is more viable than a gaming PC or console. Not to mention, the mobile phone is something that is with you every day.
I haven’t been a hardcore mobile gamer, but in the past two years, I have spent more hours on mobile games than my PC, which is collecting dust in my bedroom. The highly popular battle royale game PUBG Mobile is what gives me a kick. It brings back the Counter-Strike days when I used to play endlessly with my friends.
The game has seen meteoric fame and just celebrated its first anniversary. In just one year, the game has taken over the world by storm with tournaments raking in huge amounts of money. Game publisher Tencent recently organized one of the biggest mobile gaming championships in India called the ‘India Series 2019’ with a prize pool of Rs 1 crore. The tournament saw India’s best PUBG Mobile players battling it out for the prestigious title and the handsome rewards.
One of the qualifying pro-PUBG Mobile players in the tournament was Angad Singh Chahal, AKA TheExper1ment. Angad is a part of team ‘The Dreamers’ which managed to reach the top 20 finalists during the India Series 2019. Now let's get to the interesting bit. Angad has been a gamer for a while, but that is not his profession. The 29-year-old studied at the Government Medical College and Hospital in Chandigarh and is an MBBS graduate currently doing his internship.
Angad’s journey with PUBG Mobile began in July 2018 during the end of season 2. Having played PC games for the past 10-12 years, PUBG Mobile was a different experience altogether and he ended up gravitating towards it.
I managed to have a quick chat with ‘TheExper1ment’ and here’s how the conversation went...
Q. Can you tell about a regular day in your life?
A. I have a pretty much routine day. I wake up, visit clinics as part of my internship. I get back and study for a while and that is an important part of a doctor’s journey. I make it a point to hit the gym every day, no matter how packed my schedule is. And finally, I stream PUBG Mobile for some time.
Q. Have you ever been caught playing the game at work?
A. No. I take my professional discipline very seriously and I don’t play while I am at work. However, when I do have a break or some time off, I do play for a bit.
Q. What draws you to PUBG?
A. I have always been a huge fan of shooting games and that genre has always interested me. The battle royale format was the cherry on the cake which completely floored me. It is an experience like no other.
Q. How do you find the time to polish your PUBG skills in the middle of your medical practice?
A. Not just with practicing as a doctor, but any profession or activity (studies, sports etc.) needs to take place for a set period of time. Too much of anything is bad and I have been able to strike the right balance between my work and PUBG Mobile. It is pivotal to prioritize things in your life.
Q. There have been numerous reports about the game having a negative effect on its users, what is your opinion on it?
A. As I mentioned earlier, prioritizing your time and limiting your time on various things is essential. Anything in excess is bad for you and hence, moderation is key. Studies/work etc. are all important to sustain a good life. However, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. In the day and age we are in, it is very easy to get carried away with anything, from phones to studies or even work.
Q. What does your family have to say about this?
A. Well like most parents, mine are skeptical about gaming and eSports in India and as a viable career option. This is purely due to the fact that eSports is not recognized in India and is only now seeing some legitimate form of growth. From what I've learned over the years, it's a give and take situation. As long as you are doing good and managing work and play, they begin to see the sense in it and eventually come around.
Q. Tell us a little about the PUBG Mobile India Series. How did you enroll yourself and did it impact your practice?
A. eSports is making a big impact in India and 2019 has really been the year when it has made its presence felt. The PUBG Mobile Campus Championship and India Series have really been the yardsticks of this growth. It's the biggest PUBG Mobile tournament in India, period! Enrolling myself in the tournament was pretty straightforward, it was everywhere, in game, people talking about it and the occasional newsletter! If that wasn't enough the cash incentive surely drew me in. As for interference with my practice (internship), it's all about balance and prioritizing time! For a casual player, it should make no difference whether one's a doctor or an engineer.
Q. Which is your favorite gun, supply, vehicle, map, mode?
A. Gun: AWM or any other bolt action rifle like the M24 or the Kar98. There is something beautiful about getting a headshot with a sniper.
Supply: if you are referring to the supply drop then I'd have to say the AWM again
Vehicle: Buggy
Map: Sanhok, but I like to cycle through all the maps. Each one has something different to offer
Mode: FPP (first person) all day, every day.
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