Global Esports has announced that they are suspending its BGMI esports team operations as they are concerned about the sustainability of the current BGMI ecosystem in India.
Global Esports, a major name in the Indian esports scene, has recently announced that it will be suspending its Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) team operations. The decision, made public on October 8, 2024, has raised concerns within the esports community, particularly regarding the sustainability of the current BGMI ecosystem.
Why Did Global Esports Suspend Its BGMI Team Operations?
The main reason Global Esports decided to halt its BGMI operations is due to the immature and unstable nature of the BGMI esports environment in India. Despite their success, including a runner-up finish in the BGIS 2024, the organization faced challenges in maintaining financial stability. This issue is not unique to Global Esports, as other teams and organizations in India have also struggled to survive in the current system.
Global Esports posted the news on their official Twitter account, clarifying that while they are stepping back from competitive play for now, they are not exiting the scene entirely. They plan to focus on grassroots development by organizing events, scrims, and tournaments. Their hope is that by building the scene from the ground up, they can create a more stable and sustainable environment for competitive gaming in the future.
This suspension only affects their BGMI team. Other teams, like their VALORANT squad, will continue to compete in international tournaments, including the VCT Pacific League.
AnnouncementGlobal Esports is suspending BGMI Esports Team Operations in India due to an immature and unstable ecosystem. We are by no means exiting the scene, we will be actively working at the grassroots level to build the ecosystem up to where it needs to be but it will...
— Global Esports (@GlobalEsportsIn) October 8, 2024
This highlights a broader issue in the Indian esports industry, where financial sustainability remains a challenge despite the growing popularity of games like BGMI. Global Esports' decision has sparked conversations about the state of Indian esports and the obstacles teams face in trying to remain competitive.
The current state of BGMI esports in India makes it hard for teams to survive. One major issue is the lack of international opportunities for Indian teams. For instance, although PUBG Mobile and BGMI are the same game, Indian teams don’t get to compete in global championships like the PUBG Mobile Global Championship (PMGC). In international tournaments like PMGC, even teams finishing in the bottom ranks can make more money than Indian teams earn all year. In 2023, the bottom five teams at PMGC earned $20,000 each, which is far more than most Indian teams make annually.
Another major issue is cheating. Many online qualifiers in Indian tournaments have faced accusations of cheating, with some players using banned accounts to qualify for events under fake names. This has made it hard for legitimate teams to progress, and the lack of strict enforcement by organizers adds to the instability of the ecosystem.
During the BMPS 2024, there were several allegations of cheating, but by the time action was taken, the damage was already done. Fans and players alike are calling for stricter rules and better monitoring to prevent such issues in the future.
When the undeniable best team in the country after winning 2 official LAN events back to back with over $200k in prize pool can't sustain financially and has to partner with another team to do so... how can any other org even think about profitability? https://t.co/nYyNbOKT07
— Dr Rushindra Sinha (@RushindraSinha) October 8, 2024
The challenges don’t end with finances and cheating. According to some industry leaders, player salaries in India have also become unsustainable. High demands and inflated egos among players have put further pressure on organizations already struggling to make ends meet. Lokesh Jain, a co-founder of S8UL Esports, pointed out that Global Esports’ decision marks the 18th Tier 1 team to shut down operations in the last year. He called this a wake-up call for the Indian esports community, urging action before the situation worsens.
With so many organizations pulling out, the future of BGMI esports in India looks uncertain. Some fear that if the ecosystem doesn’t improve soon, more teams will leave, leaving only casual players and streamers behind.