The Indian gaming space has been on a meteoric rise since the past decade, and top global publishers are taking notice. One such gaming giant is KONAMI, which has kicked off an ambitious Holi-themed eFootballTM campaign to deepen its roots in the Indian scene. With gaming influencer Jonathan as brand ambassador, an in-game tie-up with football star Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, and a series of community-centric events, KONAMI is walking the right path for an exciting foray into the country.
We had an opportunity to interview the KONAMI team to have a look at their vision of India, where they are going strategically, and what the future holds for eFootballTM in India.
We wanted to better understand the Indian gaming community, and the Holi campaign presented a great opportunity to engage with players in a way that felt meaningful and authentic. By working closely with our local partners, we are able to explore India’s gaming culture, identify key trends, and create a campaign that hopefully resonates with the country’s gaming culture. Through this initiative, we aimed to build stronger connections with Indian players, support the growth of the gaming scene, and reinforce KONAMI’s commitment to engaging with diverse gaming communities worldwide.
KONAMI’s focus on the Indian gaming scene through the eFootballTM Holi campaign taps into India’s growing gaming community and football passion. By collaborating with stars like Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Jonathan Gaming and other talented influencers, and featuring cultural relevance with Holi, the campaign fosters community engagement, offers competitive events, and creates a culturally resonant experience for Indian players. India has rich culture, a massive gaming community, and a tech savvy young population, it was the perfect blend for us to give eFootballTM a push in the sub-continent.
Jonathan was selected as eFootballTM’s brand ambassador in India for his deep ties to the gaming community. As a popular content creator, esports enthusiast, and passionate football fan, he connects with young players, enhancing engagement and authenticity. His influence bridges the gap between casual and competitive gamers, making eFootballTM more accessible and exciting for Indian audiences.
Getting Gurpreet Singh Sandhu on board involved showcasing eFootballTM’s commitment to Indian football fans and the culture of the sport. His presence adds credibility and excitement to the game. His in-game card will hype fans by offering a top-tier Indian player to use, boosting national pride and engagement while making eFootballTM more appealing to Indian football enthusiasts.
We are always looking to expand our engagement with football fans across the globe, and responses to this collaboration has been fantastic. Given the strong interest in Indian football and the excitement around Gurpreet Singh Sandhu’s involvement, exploring further opportunities with Indian players is certainly a direction we are considering.
What was the scale of research and effort put into building the Holi kit in-game? We would like to know the behind the scene story of the ideation process.
As a company that deeply values cultural celebrations, we wanted to create something truly special for Holi—an in-game kit that captures the essence and significance of the festival. Our team carefully crafted this concept, drawing inspiration from the vibrant colors of Holi and their deeper meaning.
This vision integrated the Holi theme across our entire campaign—from the specially designed in-game events, including a reward of Gurpreet Singh Sandhu’s in-game card, to dynamic social media promotions featuring our roster of influencers.
This initiative reflects our commitment to celebrating cultural moments with our community, creating a more immersive and meaningful connection between the game and its players.
Jonathan’s hosting a tournament with a pretty sweet prize pool of €1,000. What kind of player are you hoping to attract to this tournament, and what kind of excitement do you expect it to generate?
Given Jonathan’s stature as a leading gaming icon and his passion for football, we were thrilled to have him at the forefront of the Goal Ke Rang esports tournament. His involvement brings immense credibility and excitement, helping us engage both casual and pro eFootballTM players, while also tapping into India’s thriving esports community.
With this initiative, we aim to connect with the country’s large and dynamic gaming audience, encouraging more players to experience the game and be part of this exciting celebration of football and esports.
When curating our roster of influencers for this campaign, we wanted a combination that could connect with a wide range of audiences. Each influencer brings their own personality and appeal, allowing us to engage different segments of the gaming and esports community.
Snax, with his dynamic personality and electrifying stage presence, adds an unmatched energy to the event. RK Reddy is deeply connected with football sims, bringing authenticity and expertise to the experience with a switched-on core audience. Gamerfleet, a national sensation, blends wit and charm, effortlessly drawing in both gamers and non-gamers alike. Sharkshe, a prominent figure in the esports community, has been instrumental in engaging both core and casual women gamers across the country. SMR, a Karnataka gaming icon, has a strong local fanbase in Bengaluru, making him an invaluable addition to the lineup.
Bengaluru was the perfect choice for this event. As a city that thrives on both gaming and football culture, it provided the ideal setting to bring together a passionate community. With its vibrant energy and deep-rooted love for sports and esports, it set the stage for an unforgettable celebration of gaming and competition.
India is an extremely important market for eFootballTM and KONAMI hopes to enjoy celebrating with its community for many years to come. We’ll be keeping an eye on how well eFootballTM continues to perform here when considering future plans, as we are hoping to build with every success. Currently we are very happy with how well the Holy campaign is resonating with the community, so we hope to go bigger and better next time!
You are absolutely right! India is going in a fantastic direction when it comes to esports and we are aware of the many active and talented eFootballTM players, which is one of the reasons why we wanted to do more for the community! We continue to test the water and this informs our approach for the future, but supporting India’s scene with a more structured esports circuit is already a very exciting prospect for us.
For me personally, the idea of collaborating with Indian films is incredibly exciting. India has one of the most vibrant and influential film industries in the world. In recent years, Indian cinema has gained significant recognition in Japan, with its music, action sequences, and emotionally compelling narratives. Exploring potential crossovers with eFootballTM and Indian films could open up creative opportunities, whether through themed in-game content, promotional partnerships, or even special events celebrating the connection between football and cinema. There’s a lot of potential and I’d love to see how the two could be connected!
KONAMI’s Holi campaign for eFootballTM marks an important milestone in the growth of football esports in India. By bringing together top gaming influencers, an esports tournament, football stars like Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, and culturally relevant in-game content, the company is making a serious push into the Indian market.
With KONAMI’s focus on esports development, onboarding more Indian footballers, and producing content that is relevant to the country, eFootballTM in India is only just beginning. As the esports industry in India keeps growing, are we possibly looking at a dedicated eFootballTM league in India in the near future? Only time will tell.
