As India’s Esports ecosystem enters a high-growth phase, Krafton India is doubling down on grassroots development through its nationwide College Campus Tour, now in its second year. Spanning 128 colleges across Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 cities, the initiative embeds structured Esports tournaments directly into college festivals, providing students a platform to compete in structured BGMI and Real Cricket tournaments, transforming casual gameplay into authentic competitive Esports experience.
The first edition engaged over 50,000 students, highlighting strong demand for structured competitive platforms in colleges. What began as a pilot has grown into a national programme, positioning campuses as key esports launchpads.
Krafton India and the Evolution of Esports in India
India’s Esports landscape is undergoing a fundamental shift – from fragmented competitive formats to a mainstream digital ecosystem that is creating opportunities across players, creators, organisers, and brands.Industry research indicates that the Indian Esports market will exceed ₹1,100 crore in revenue by 2025, marking nearly a four-fold increase over recent years. Rising participation, sponsorship, broadcasting, and monetisation avenues are driving this growth.
At grassroots level, the competition is expanding rapidly, with active players expected to reach 1.5 million and teams crossing 250,000. This surge highlights the need for early-stage structure, with college campuses emerging as critical talent incubators.
Krafton India Campus Tour: Building Structure, Not Just Participation
KRAFTON India’s Campus Tour is designed to go beyond casual competition. The programme integrates professionally structured Esports tournaments into annual college fests, executed in collaboration with experienced tournament organisers. While colleges drive on-ground participation, KRAFTON India supports the ecosystem through standardised competitive formats, prize pools, and oversight, ensuring consistency and credibility across regions.
Crucially, the Campus Tour introduces clear progression pathways. Top-performing student teams advance from campus-level tournaments to zonal stages, with the Top 16 teams earning invitations to higher-level qualifiers within KRAFTON India’s broader Esports ecosystem. For many participants, this represents their first step from informal gaming into organised competitive play with long-term potential.
Krafton India Campus Tour Momentum Driven by Student Demand
Strong institutional and student response has shaped the scale of the Campus Tour. Initially planned across 64 colleges, the programme expanded to 85 colleges in its earlier phase following sustained demand, marking nearly a 32 percent increase over the original plan. The current expansion to 128 colleges reflects both rising awareness and a growing appetite for structured Esports opportunities across regions.
Commenting on the initiative, Karan Pathak, Associate Director – Esports, KRAFTON India, said:
“India’s Esports growth will be defined by how early we create access and structure for young talent. College campuses are where aspiration, competition, and community intersect. Through the Campus Tour, our focus is on building credible pathways – not just for participation, but for progression. By integrating Esports into campus ecosystems at scale, we’re helping shape the foundation of India’s next generation of competitive players.”
Krafton India Reinforces Esports as a Mainstream Student Pathway
As Esports becomes a recognised career in India, initiatives like the Campus Tour highlight campuses shaping the ecosystem’s next phase. By embedding competitive gaming in student life nationwide, KRAFTON India reinforces Esports as a mainstream, youth-driven pursuit.
