Mumbai: Industry stalwart and former professional esports player, Abhijeet Andhare, widely recognised by his gaming moniker Ghatak, has joined forces with seasoned professional Sunny “Fea” Lohia to co-found Trident Gaming, an innovative esports and gaming solutions company. Trident Gaming, headquartered in Pune, India, is set to revolutionise the Indian esports landscape by addressing key industry challenges and fostering a vibrant gaming community.
Trident Gaming aims to redefine the esports narrative by prioritizing the development of emerging talents, fostering community connections, instilling accountability in player contracts, and enhancing brand commitments. As a bootstrapped venture, Trident Gaming envisions a comprehensive approach to elevate the Indian esports industry's growth and branch out revenue streams.
Trident Gaming co-founder Abhijeet Andhare is a former professional esports player and coach. He was a part of the Entity Gaming lineup which represented the country at the PUBG Mobile Global Finals in 2019. As a coach, he has also been pivotal in helping GodLike Esports to numerous victories, including leading them to represent the country in the PUBG Mobile Global Championship (PMGC) 2021.
Andhare emphasised on the company's mission: "While India's esports industry has shown remarkable growth, there's a need to nurture new talent and diversify revenue streams. Trident Gaming is here to fill that gap with our esports and gaming solutions while focusing on community-driven initiatives. We are hiring individuals who have a proven track record in shaping the esports landscape, ensuring our goal of being for the community and by the community."
Trident Gaming's initiatives include launching programs and intellectual properties (IPs) to identify emerging talents and groom them to become national stars. Additionally, as a part of these grassroots-level initiatives, the company is in conversation with several educational institutes to incorporate esports as a club, ensuring maximum penetration in colleges.
Trident Gaming also aims to bridge the gap between brands and the esports/gaming industry, offering a one-stop destination for all their needs with services such as marketing solutions, IP creation and management, talent management, athlete representation, content production, broadcast solutions, and sponsorship and brand integration. These will help brands successfully execute any marketing initiative in esports and gaming while realizing their goals. Trident Gaming will also assist international esports organizations looking to enter the lucrative Indian market by assisting with scouting, player management, boot camp identification, and legal framework.
Notably, as per Lumikai’s State of India Gaming Report FY 2023, in collaboration with Google, the Indian gaming industry recorded $3.1 billion in FY23, a number which is set to hit $7.5 billion by FY28. A survey conducted as a part of this report showed that over 40 per cent of users have graduated from casual games to other genres, indicating the potential of India’s gaming and esports market.
Additionally, Trident Gaming also believes in empowering rising players and providing a platform for underdogs to prove themselves. Promising players identified by Trident Gaming through its grassroots-level IPs and collegiate programs will be guided on how to work in the esports industry, hone their skills, and become a stars. Ghatak, who brings a wealth of esports coaching experience, will play a crucial role in building this part of the business.
Sunny Lohia, the co-founder of Trident Gaming, also known by his in-game alias “Fea,” has a rich history of experience with his previous venture, Esports Network, a major production house that has served prominent clients like Tencent, AMD, Rooter, Garena, Red Bull, and Ampverse.
Lohia spoke about the company’s vision, stating, "Trident aims to disrupt the gaming and esports industry through education and awareness. We are not just a marketing agency but are committed to creating IPs for grassroots development. Additionally, our focus is on talent and player management which includes negotiating contracts, legal assistance, and brand management for professional players, ensuring they unlock their potential as stars."
Trident Gaming stands as the one-stop destination for brands looking to achieve their esports and gaming goals, by offering a holistic suite of services and a team dedicated to shaping the future of the industry.
