How can one pursue games as a career? When we streamline gaming with business, a huge array of avenues to earn revenues have opened up in recent times. Every gamers dream is to earn by just playing their favourite video game. Becoming an esports athlete is one such career choice where one can earn revenue by just playing their favourite video game. 20-year-old Mohammed Owais Lakhani is one of the best examples who has earned his name in the gaming and esports industry in India in the past five years.
Being a renowned name, Owais has been a part of the Indian Esports space since 2018, and has played for renowned international organizations like Fnatic. He is currently the in-game leader of a BR team created by him under the Team Forever banner. Speaking with AnimationXpress, Owais shared, “My journey in esports began in 2018. I used to play football with my friends, and after football, we would generally chill together and play mini militia. A friend recommended me to try PUBG once. Initially, I was not a big fan of it, but the more I played the game with my friends, my love increased. Then I started taking it seriously with a rank push, and my journey started from there.”
He started playing PUBG/BGMI regularly and he felt an exclusive passion for the game “something that I had never experienced before. I was good at it and got the option to make a career. I took that decision and never looked back,” he added.
Besides BGMI, he also plays Valorant, GTA, Minecraft, Fifa, and some hyper-casual games. Speaking about his team Team Forever, he shared that the one aspect that he liked most about playing for the team is that they do not have to worry about anything other than focusing on their game. They can play with a free mindset, which is why he has created the team and the experience has been phenomenal.
He usually practices for about nine to 10 hours per day and holds discussions with his teammates to strategise and analyse their gameplay so that they can perform better the next day. They also watch gameplays of international teams to learn new things. For him personal and the team’s growth are aligned. His goal will always be to work hard, win trophies and represent India globally and for that he and his team are ready to give their 100 per cent to achieve their goals. He thinks time management is crucial. Living life of an esports athlete and an influencer have their own set of challenges. Owais believes that planning in advance and by giving equal attention to both is the way ahead to manage the roles.
“If it is tournament day, I practice for a couple of hours before the matches start. Then the tournament goes on for six to seven hours. After that, I stream on YouTube or Loco. After streaming, if I am not too tired, I spend time with my friends and family,” he added.
He believes that the game’s existence certainly plays an important role. Today the Indian esports industry is also heading in the direction where influencers/athletes are not dependent completely on a single game. Thus there are several opportunities for everyone now.
Speaking of the growth of the Indian esports ecosystem, Owais shared, “The esports growth in India has been immaculate. The standard of playing of teams and players has reached the next level. The industry has been heading in the right direction. The opportunities provided to everyone have also increased, and the government’s involvement has made a significant impact as well.”
The content creator market has grown exponentially and the quality of content that creators have produced in India has been phenomenal. The views, engagement rate and more reflect on the content. The content is humorous and relatable for the audience and will become better in future.
To inspire the fans, he said, “Believe in yourself. The only route to success is working hard. One should not enter the esports industry with the mindset of only earning money. If you work towards something with passion and ambition, you reach the highest level of success.”