00: The Beginning

Why The Cheat Sheet?

Hi, I’m Shriman Bhatt, currently working as a community manager and this is The Cheat Sheet, a simple, transparent esports newsletter where I’ll share my opinions on what’s happening in the current esports ecosystem.

You might be wondering, "Why now?" Well, let me explain. After stepping away from writing for five years to explore other roles within esports, I’ve always wanted to return and share my perspectives on games, teams, and events in our esports scene. As a passionate esports fan, I can’t stand seeing individuals and organizations mock our industry or disrespect the culture we’ve built through years of trial and error. That’s why I want to start writing again—to ensure nothing gets swept under the rug.

The Beginning…

If esports were a video game, even after a decade of continuous growth and success, I would argue that we are still at level 1. The reasoning behind this belief is simple: year after year, we break records in viewership, revenue, and prize pools, yet we continue to struggle with core issues such as match-fixing, player and worker exploitation, cheating, corporate greed, conflicts of interest, and unregulated deals.

2024: A Transitional Decline for the Esports Ecosystem and Return..

The esports ecosystem has seen a significant transitional decline this year. Several major organizations, including Oxygen Esports, Dignitas, Misfits, and even esports giants like NRG, TSM, and Evil Geniuses, have faced severe layoffs or, in some cases, closed down altogether. At the same time, leagues such as the Overwatch League (OWL), Call of Duty League (CDL), Esports Entertainment Group (EEG), Halo Championship Series (HCS), and Rocket League Championship Series (RLCS) have experienced financial failures and significant drops in viewership.

Despite these setbacks, esports continues to persevere. One notable development this year was Savvy Gaming Group, a Saudi Arabian-based investment firm, making headlines by purchasing ESL (Electronic Sports League) and FACEIT—two of the biggest names in competitive esports infrastructure. This move brought money and fresh attention into the ecosystem, culminating in the launch of the Esports World Cup, a competition designed to bring back excitement and viewership to the scene. In the coming weeks, I’ll dive deeper into the inner workings of the ESL FACEIT Group and discuss whether their involvement is ultimately beneficial or detrimental for the esports industry. For now, we’ll leave it at this: they’ve helped the industry survive and begin to grow again, but time will tell what the future holds.

The Indian Esports Scene: Growth Amidst Challenges

India’s esports scene has not been untouched by the trials faced globally. Over the past few months, we’ve seen some major ups and downs. With BGMI (Battlegrounds Mobile India) being the only title consistently capturing attention and maintaining a loyal fanbase, we saw a decline in interest from both the community and sponsors, leading to reduced overall interest in esports culture within the country.

However, things are looking up for the Indian scene. We're in the recovery phase now, with promising developments on the horizon. The announcement of Supergaming’s Indus Battlegrounds $300,000 open tournament has caught attention, signaling the potential for growth. IQOO has also stepped in, sponsoring five teams within the BGMI Esports ecosystem, while the much-anticipated launch of Valorant Mobile is just around the corner. These developments offer a renewed sense of optimism for the future of esports in India.

In this newsletter, I’ve covered some of the major events and trends that have shaped the esports landscape this year. But this is just the beginning. In future editions, I’ll dive deeper into specific topics, sharing detailed research, informational updates, and my personal opinions on what’s happening in the world of esports.

If you’re interested in staying up to date with all the latest developments, make sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter. I look forward to bringing you more insights and updates in the weeks to come.

Stay tuned, stay informed, and let's keep the conversation going!