Unknown to perhaps the majority of Nepali public, there is a very passionate virtual gaming scene brewing in cyber cafes and homes across the country.
Maneez Gurung, 25, cites that there are small tournaments held on a weekly basis. "These are just guys from the locality and their friends as well as a handful of other gamers that the cyber cafe owner can rustle up, however, it is still a competition for us. Further, such small scale tournament is organized at, not only one, but several venues. It's very important for us to get as much practice as possible to prepare for a big tournament like the E-sports carnival," says Gurung. He is looking forward to compete in both the solo and team events at the carnival.
While many Nepalis, particularly the parents, may still fret at the sight of their children playing video games and worry about them wasting their time, Tuladhar couldn't disagree more. He and his team at NGamers club are keen to help youngsters who wish to professionally pursue a career in virtual gaming.
"This concept is yet to catch on among the older generations but the youngsters can already see the scope in E-sports. After all, this is a billion dollar industry and the players can make an attractive salary by doing what they love, playing these games. Like any other sport, this too requires a lot of dedication and skills. If they are good enough, they could even get sponsored by one of the big companies. Plus, there are tons of international competitions," says Tuladhar.
Thus the whole point of 'Color E- Sport Carnival 2015' soon to be held at the Civil Mall, is to give the youngsters a platform to gain experience as well as showcase their talents. Eventually NGamers club hopes to help Nepali gamers in the international arena as well.
Kunal Timilsina, 18, also harbors such dreams. These days he is practising upto 12 hours a day. He has already earned quite the reputation among the gaming community playing Dota 2 but he aims to get better and go further.
"So far, Nepal holds little or no prospect for gamers. Though overseas, there are people who sustain their lives by playing these virtual games and I want to be one of them. However, the problem is that there aren't enough large scale tournaments in our country. We need to practice if we hope to reach the international level. I don't understand why there aren't more such events because there are plenty out there in Nepal who are thoroughly interested and passionate about E-sports," explains Timilsina.
Tuladhar reiterates the same argument. He too sees an untapped market just waiting to be exploited. From the sponsors, the organizers to the players, every single party could benefit if they were to invest in the future of E-sports right here in Nepal. They could even attempt international collaborations.
Still, for the moment, NGamers club is keeping their sight focused on the upcoming event – a five day virtual gaming spectacle for the players as well as the visitors. Unlike the previous years, Tuladhar reveals that they have had a far easier time convincing their sponsors, securing a location, as well as working on the logistics. He sees this as a sign that the Nepali business modules are getting ready to embrace E-sports.
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