Cultural Implications Of Online Gaming In India

On September 2nd, 2020, the Government of India put a ban on a popular online game called PUBG alias Player Unknown’s Battleground Game. While giving the statement behind banning the game, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology said that the game was posing a threat  to the sovereignty, integrity, defense of India and public order. Furthermore, reasons also included children getting addicted to in-app purchases.The violent nature of the game also encouraged youth to commit acts of theft & violence. 

PUBG was considered to be one of the best battle royale games in the modern digital gaming world. It had almost 50 million daily users in India. Even after its ban, the popular game still has 10 million daily users. In recent years, online gaming has gained immense popularity in India. The Indian gaming market is supposed to grow at higher rates and bigger in market size than the movie, music, and TV industries shortly.

Online gaming platforms provide individuals with a unique feature to experiment with various identities, surpassing the limitations of traditional societal norms in Indian culture. Games like PUBG Mobile, Free Fire, and Fortnite allow players to customize their avatars. Players can choose their appearance, gender, and even personality traits. This can be termed as freedom of expression which allows players to explore identities beyond cultural norms navigating through social stigma related to gender norms. 

A player from a conservative background can adopt a more assertive persona in-game dodging the cultural norms. Similarly, individuals belonging to marginalized communities find acceptance within gaming communities, where their identity is not judged based on the social class they come from.

Gaming has also promoted better gender representation on online gaming platforms. Gaming was a traditionally masculine pastime and had very little representation of women as consumers and also as gaming characters. The Rise of casual games like Angry Birds, Temple Run, Candy Crush, etc. changed this perception and introduced the culture of zapping, where one can play games in a short time spanning from 45 seconds to 2 minutes. This attracted Indian household women to gaming.  

Since players from diverse backgrounds come together on a common platform, Online gaming makes it easy to have a cultural exchange and cross-cultural interactions. Gaming platforms promote a sense of inclusivity, empathy & mutual understanding among players. It also surpasses geographical boundaries & allows players to have social interactions.

Many online games include multiplayer settings which promote collaborative efforts. It acts as a virtual social space where individuals form various communities, collaborate, and engage in social interactions. In India, gaming communities are on the rise which are often termed as clans. Such clans have representation of players from different regions and cultural backgrounds.

For example, multiplayer games like Ludo King or Carrom are popular among Indian families. These games provide a platform for recreation as well as bonding between different genders & age groups. It provides a platform for Families to engage in friendly competition which ultimately promotes familial bonds.

More importantly, online gaming has emerged as a platform for social activism and cultural expression. Games like Raji: An Ancient Epic, developed by a collaborative effort by Netflix India & an Indian studio, showcase Indian culture, mythology, and heritage using attractive graphics and animations. This game has 100K+ downloads & it's gaining popularity amongst Indian youth.

With many gaming genres emerging from the gaming industry, genres like sports, war, and action dominate the screens of Indian gaming players. War games like World of Warcraft and punk culture games like GTA, and Free Fire have invented an ideal world with its own global language. Violence is the core feature of such games and they are gaining popularity amongst Indian youth with their bloodthirsty aestheticism. Such games have crossed the boundaries of imagination which is drawing players into an imaginary parallel world. The barrier between the real and virtual world has become fragile giving rise to hyperrealism.

Online gaming has brought about numerous positive impacts such as cultural exchange and the development of various skill sets such as problem-solving skills & strategic thinking. Multiplayer online games have encouraged teamwork, leadership, and decision-making skills. It also acts as an educational tool for digital literacy. But on the other hand, addiction and excessive screen time amongst  Indians is a rising concern. Many cases of acts of suicide and violence by Indian teens have been registered & are a rising concern. 

The easy accessibility of smartphones, affordable internet & immersive nature of games with attractive reward systems have led to gaming addiction, particularly among adolescents and young Indian adults. It impacts on the mental and emotional well-being of young minds. The solution to this challenge must be sought beyond just banning the games. Extensive promotion of responsible gaming practices, regulatory measures at the government level, and public awareness campaigns regarding mental health within the gaming community is a need of the hour. 

Online gaming has emerged as a powerful cultural phenomenon in India which plays an important role in shaping identity formation, social interactions, and leisure activities. While it offers opportunities for self-expression, socialization, and cultural exchange, it also poses challenges such as addiction and excessive screen time.

Moving forward, it is necessary to adopt culturally sensitive approaches to address these challenges. Policies should be implemented to utilize the positive potential of online gaming to promote social cohesion, creativity, and inclusive cultural exchange. Through collaborative efforts from policymakers, game developers, and civil society, India can take advantage of the transformative power of online gaming to enrich its culture and empower its citizens.

- Mansoor Mulla ( Roll No. 15)