Esports is experiencing rapid growth in India, garnering increasing interest from the younger generation as a viable career path. Mobile gaming prevails as the dominant sector within the Indian esports landscape, with most gamers favouring this platform over PC or console gaming.
As a result, games such as BGMI, COD Mobile, and Free Fire hold greater prominence than Dota 2 or LoL. Furthermore, the best Indian esports teams actively engage in mobile gaming competitions, recognizing this platform as pivotal for engaging the audience. Let us now explore some of the top esports games in India.
BGMI
The battle royale game developed by Krafton is arguably one of India’s most popular esports titles. The game has a turbulent history, as it first replaced Tencent’s battle royale title when PUBG, along with a host of other Chinese applications, was banned from the country in 2022. Later, BGMI was banned from India in 2022 and returned to Android and iOS stores in May 2023.
Since its triumphant return, BGMI has regained its former glory and surpassed it, hosting some of India’s most intense and watched esports competitions in recent months. The game’s revival has been nothing short of a spectacle, with top tournaments like the BGMI Masters Series, BGIS, Skyesports Champions Series, and more drawing in massive audiences.
Valorant
Despite the overwhelming dominance of mobile gaming in India, Valorant has managed to carve a niche among the best esports games in India. The game’s unique 5v5 FPS tactical shooter format, coupled with Riot’s strategic promotional efforts, has piqued the interest of Indian gamers. The introduction of an Indian hero, Harbor, has further bolstered the game’s popularity, promising an exciting future for Valorant in the Indian esports scene.
Valorant is one of the few non-mobile games that has made its mark in the country, and Riot will soon make an effort to make their other premier esports game, League of Legends, one of the top esports games in India. Some Valorant competitions where the best Indian esports teams play include the Valorant Challengers Series, Skyesports League, and more.
Related: Our Guide to the Best Esports Games
Pokemon UNITE
Back to my point of the top esports in India residing in mobile games, Pokemon UNITE is the next game on the list. Pokemon UNITE burst into the Indian esports scene in 2021, and many players jumped onto the free-to-play MOBA Pokemon game. Since then, it has become a favourite at esports competitions in the country. The famous esports tournaments for this game include Pokemon UNITE Pro League, Pokemon UNITE Championship Series and more.
Counter-Strike 2
Counter-Strike has always been a fan favourite in the Indian esports scene, with CS: GO being one of the most popular esports games in the country. Counter-Strike is close to most Indian gamers’ hearts as it is one of the first multiplayer games that most gamers come across, thanks to the country’s cybercafe culture.
However, Counter-Strike 2 is still relatively new, and there have been hardly any esports competitions in India until now. At the same time, Valve’s first-person shooter has much global history in the esports scene, and the game will pick up in India in the coming years. Popular esports CS2 competitions include Skyesports Championship, Skyesports Masters, and more.
COD Mobile
Lastly, we have COD Mobile, Tencent’s popular mobile port for Activision’s flagship first-person shooter. COD Mobile took India by storm when it was released, setting staggering first-week download records. Naturally, the game became a staple in Indian esports tournaments, boasting intense action and top-notch first-person gameplay for mobile gaming titles.
COD Mobile fans have several tournaments to watch in India, including the Call of Duty Mobile India Cup, Call of Duty Mobile India Challenge, Snapdragon Pro Series and more. This diversity makes it one of the top Indian esports.
Honourable Mention
When compiling a list of the top esports games in India, one cannot overlook Garena’s Free Fire, a beloved title in the esports community. Despite its ban, announcing an India-specific version of Free Fire on the horizon has reignited hope and anticipation among fans.
