In the latest special episode of Art of Gaming, Manoj Kashyap, the owner of VLT (Velocity Gaming), shared insights on his gaming journey, the hurdles he faced as an owner, and the challenges faced by the Indian gaming community.
Every week, on the CreatorX YouTube stream, hosts, Mohit (Start Clashing) and Biren (Bullet the Krazy Gamer) welcome a special guest jury. In the fourth week, they had VLT (Velocity) Sentinel, also known as Manoj Kashyap, as their special guest, who shared his gaming journey and insights in the "Art of Gaming" segment.
Manoj Kashyap AKA Anna has been a significant figure in Indian esports, especially in games like BGMI. During his segment, Manoj Kashyap talked about how the idea of VLT originated and what motivated him to start it. He shared his journey and insights to inspire creators, which could be really helpful for them.
About Manoj Kashyap and His Gaming Journey
Manoj Kashyap is a 33-year-old from Hyderabad, and he comes from a lower-middle-class family. Getting into gaming was tough for him, and even buying a PC was a big deal. Manoj's journey began way back in 2008 and 2009 when he was deep into playing CS1.6 Counter-Strike.
He used to load streams, play CS 1.6, and meet other players in the game, and together, they formed teams like Gods Clan, Invictors, and Toxic Muffles.
They participated in the World Cyber Games (WCG), competing against top teams like MakeWay from Chennai, Acit from Delhi, AD from Mumbai, and FATA from Pune. Convincing his parents to let him play games and deal with slow internet, Manoj and his friends played from 10 pm to 5 am when the internet traffic was lower.
Unlike the big gaming organizations, when he took part in tournaments, he found himself doing all the setup work alone – adjusting the mouse, headphones, keyboards, and loading config files. He wished for some support back then. This desire to make things easier for gamers like himself led him to start his own organization in 2019 – Velocity Gaming, often shortened to VLT.
Through VLT, Manoj aimed to give both new and experienced players a platform to shine. He made sure to provide every resource they needed to thrive and express themselves. Today, this gaming attitude has made Manoj a well-known figure in the esports industry. And despite the challenges he faced, it has been a great journey in gaming for him.
About Velocity Gaming
Velocity Gaming is a big name in the world of esports in India. They've been part of many gaming competitions on both computers and mobile devices, playing games like Valorant, BGMI, PUBG New State, and CS:GO. Among their teams, the Valorant male squad stands out for their impressive achievements.
They're known for finding and nurturing talented players, many of whom are now considered the top players in India. In mobile gaming, especially with BGMI, they've made a significant impact, even though their team lineup changed between 2021 and 2023.
Throughout various gaming events, Velocity Gaming has had some really famous esports players representing them, showing their consistency and influence in the gaming scene.
Venture into Different Titles
When Manoj was asked how he decides to get into a specific game, he explained that he first checks the developer’s plan for the game.
He looks at how much the developer is investing in Indian gaming and if they give importance to India as a region. If these factors are good, he then finds talented players (often from the game's leaderboard) to join the game. This is how Manoj got involved in Riot Games' Valorant.
So, for Manoj, it’s all about developer support, player talent, and the resources he has to build a team.
Facing Hurdles as an Owner
He says the main issue he faces is protecting players from external threats. This problem arises because there are only a limited number of players, and dealing with this is the toughest challenge.
The problem exists because, in India, we don't have proper legal rules for esports, and it's not very popular yet, which causes social issues. For example, people might object if they try to set up a boot camp in certain areas. Therefore, the only solution is to protect players legally and financially.
Challenges Faced By the Indian Gaming Community
Manoj was asked why Indian gaming isn't getting much support from international publishers. As an esports owner and player, he shared his thoughts. He believes that publishers can only provide the platform; it's up to the players to prove themselves. To succeed, Indian players must perform well and win on the international stage.
He cited Orange Rock (OREsports), an Indian PUBG Mobile team, as an example. They came in second place at the PUBG Mobile World League 2020, which drew attention to the talent in the region and encouraged support.
Manoj pointed out that India currently has a small esports player base, and if this base grows, promoters will take notice. This limited player base is the main challenge for Indian gaming.
Future Plans With the Valorant Line Up
Discussing Velocity Gaming's lineup, it's mentioned that without GodspeedxD, VLT wouldn't have had the GrayFox lineup.
Talking about the current team, he says that the lineup has great potential, especially with the two young players, Kohliii (Pranav Kohli) and Venka (Venkatesh Sharma), who have excellent skills. Hoax (Aman Yadav) is the new in-game leader and is very talented in his approach to the game. They also have two experienced Indonesian players, Sayoo and adrnking, who are there to support the team.
This combination is very strong and can beat even the best teams on a good day. However, he’s unsure about how they will perform in practice matches—it all depends on their actual performance. For now, his goal is to reach the Valorant Ascension tournament happening in September 2024.
In summary, in Week 4 of CreatorX, Manoj Kashyap, aka VLT Sentinel, shared his inspiring journey in gaming. Starting with CS1.6 in 2008, Manoj founded Velocity Gaming in 2019 to support Indian esports talent. He highlighted challenges like player protection and the need for greater developer support. Manoj's insights emphasize the potential of Indian esports and his dedication to nurturing talent, making him a significant figure in the gaming community.