Thursday , March 28 2024
Tech

Continued Expansion Of Global Gaming Market Expected To Create New Opportunities: Super4’s Rohit Bansal

BW Businessworld had the opportunity to speak with Rohit Bansal, Founder & Director of fantasy cricket platform Super4. We discussed the inception of the fantasy cricket platform, the way forward for the app and fantasy gaming in India in general. Here is what he had to say.

I’m curious about the inception of Super4 and its journey since. 

The idea for Super4 originated many years ago when I was attending the University of London to earn a master’s degree in marketing. I used to play county division D cricket from Peugeot Coventry in London as a dedicated cricketer. After receiving my master’s degree from London, I sought to combine my love of cricket with my entrepreneurial talents, which led to the creation of Super4. Super4 was introduced in 2022 with a wealth of experience spanning more than 15 years and a great deal of passion for sports, particularly cricket. Super4 is upending the current fantasy sports market by utilising the limitless potential that the fantasy sports gaming industry in India offers.

What are your views considering the growth of fantasy gaming in tier II & tier III cities?

Fantasy gaming has significantly grown over the past few years in Tier II and Tier III Indian cities. People in these cities now find it simpler to play online games, such as fantasy sports, because of the expansion of low-cost internet access and the increasing use of smartphones.

Fans have a forum to demonstrate their sports expertise and compete with one another for prizes thanks to fantasy sports. In India, fantasy gaming is especially well-liked by cricket enthusiasts, and the expansion of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has further boosted its acceptance.

In addition, a new generation of gamers who are more likely to participate in fantasy gaming and gaming culture has emerged in India. People in Tier II and Tier III cities have found it less difficult to participate due to the comparatively low entrance hurdles and the availability of user-friendly smartphone apps.

Although fantasy gaming has become more popular in these areas, there are still issues that need to be resolved, such as a lack of knowledge about the laws governing this activity as well as worries about addiction and its effects on children. Overall, though, fantasy gaming is expanding in Tier II and Tier III cities in India, which is a trend that is likely to continue as these areas become more advanced technologically and have more access to the internet.

What are you doing to diversify beyond IPL and engage your customers?

India considers cricket to be a religion, and as short-format cricket has gained popularity, the IPL has grabbed the lead and provided spectators with a platform brimming with excitement, passion, and love for the game. IPL is a sizable organisation that has succeeded in gaining a lot of attention among cricket fans in India over the past few years. Yet, we as a firm manage to use other sports and leagues in cricket during off-seasons and even during the buildup to raise awareness of sports and its excitement in the nation. We have also invested in and diversified into other sports, such as kickboxing, which has a specific audience and reach. Being a gaming firm, we also encourage audience participation by having quizzes throughout the game to keep players engaged.

Could you shed some light on the Super4 app’s scoreboard features? 

The Super4 app allows cricket fans and enthusiasts across India to create their own teams prior to the start of a match. What sets Super4 apart is its unique feature of providing India’s first-ever cricket scorecard, empowering fans to create fantasy scoreboards in the first innings after analysing the pitch and match conditions.

Super4 allows fans and enthusiasts a wide range of matches to participate in and once the user has selected the match/contest they want to play, the user is drawn to the game.

To win a contest the user has to earn the highest points by using their knowledge & skills to enter the runs after every over. At the end of each over’s duration, the closer the users’ Scoreboard is to the actual score, the smaller the difference and the more points the user will earn. At the end of the contest, the player with the highest points will be declared the winner. However, there is no single winner. The beauty of this app is that everyone who participates is happy. Each contest has multiple winner ranks. It lets the user know how much amount he/she might earn based on their points. The Super4 app allows users to make multiple Scoreboards for each match.

What does the road ahead look like for Super4 and the online gaming industry in 2023?

The online gaming industry is expected to continue its growth trajectory in 2023, driven by several key trends. One of the most significant of these trends is the continued rise of mobile gaming, which is expected to represent a larger share of the overall gaming market. Mobile games have become increasingly popular due to their accessibility, ease of use, and the convenience of being able to play anywhere and at any time.

Another important trend is the growing popularity of esports and online competitive gaming. As more and more players take part in competitive gaming tournaments and events, the industry is expected to continue to grow and evolve, with more investment in infrastructure, technology, and broadcasting.

In addition, the development of new gaming technologies, such as virtual reality and augmented reality, is expected to drive growth in the industry. These technologies have the potential to revolutionize the way that people play games and create entirely new gaming experiences.

Finally, the continued expansion of the global gaming market is expected to create new opportunities for developers and publishers, with a growing number of gamers from emerging markets like China, India, and Southeast Asia. Overall, the online gaming industry is poised for continued growth and innovation in 2023 and beyond.

What are the key focus areas for Super4 going forward?

We plan to upgrade our Super4 application and come up with the 2.0 beta version of the application by mid-March which would have a better interface and smoother functionality that would help consumers enhance their experience on the application. Our next objective is to increase our user base by five times by the end of 2023 through upcoming partnerships, features, and some amazing marketing campaigns and signups of existing youth icons to help position the brand better. Furthermore, our next step is to raise series A funding and expand operations and penetrate further into the gaming sector in India

What are your views on the future of fantasy gaming in India?

The future of fantasy gaming in India looks very promising. With the continued growth of the internet and smartphone adoption, it’s likely that the number of people participating in fantasy gaming will continue to increase in the coming years.

Moreover, the increasing popularity of e-sports and gaming culture in India is also likely to drive the growth of fantasy gaming. As more people become interested in gaming and the gaming industry, it’s likely that more people will also become interested in fantasy gaming as a way to engage with their favourite games and sports.

Finally, the growing number of partnerships between fantasy gaming companies and sports leagues, teams, and broadcasters will also help to drive the growth of fantasy gaming. This will provide players with access to more games and sports to participate in, as well as more opportunities to win rewards.

In conclusion, the future of fantasy gaming in India looks bright, and the industry is likely to continue to grow and evolve in the coming years.

About Deep Majumdar

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