In a recent episode of Nikhil Kamath’s podcast series, “WTF is with Nikhil Kamath,” gaming industry stalwart Animesh “Thug” Agarwal, CEO of 8bit Creatives and co-founder of S8UL Esports, revealed the lucrative and skewed nature of the gaming and esports industry. With a highly experienced panel featuring CEO of Krafton India Sean Hyunil Sohn, CEO of Lila Games Joseph Kim, and CEO of Nazara Technology Nitish Mittersain, the discussion shed light on the financial landscape of professional gaming and streaming in India.
Thug Reveals Top Gaming Creators Earn Millions Annually
In a section of the podcast, Nikhil Kamath asked Thug how much do successful Indian streamers and esports players make in India and how viable it is as a profession. Responding to this, Thug painted a nuanced picture of the earning potential in the Indian gaming scene, highlighting a significant disparity between the top earners and those struggling to even monetize their passion. “It is very skewed,” Thug stated. “The top steamers and the top gamers make a lot of money, and if you go to the bottom of the chart, people are not making money at all.”
Nikhil Kamath also asked Thug how much does the top Indian gaming content creators make and who is the top creator. Responding to this, Thug confidently said, “Million dollars comfortably in a year.” Talking about the top Indian gaming creators, he named MortaL, Scout, MythPat, and Payal, along with Techno Gamerz.
Thug Reveals Income of Top Esports Players
Following this, Nikhil Kamath curiously asked Thug what are the earning sources for these creators and where does this money come from. Responding to this, Thug revealed that the two major earning sources for gaming content creators are brand endorsement and their content, but emphasized that brand endorsement makes up a bigger chunk.
Transitioning from streamers to professional esports players, Nikhil Kamath asked how much they earn. Responding to this, Thug estimated that top esports players participating in official tournaments under registered teams could earn a respectable sum, ranging from 30 to 35 lakhs annually.
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