PM Modi meets gamers, says not ideal to regulate industry

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New Delhi, April 13

Regulating the gaming industry would not be ideal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in his interaction with top Indian gamers. He discussed the future of the gaming industry with them and also tried his hand at a virtual reality (VR) game.

Must remain free

The gaming industry must remain free. Only then it will boom. Narendra Modi, Prime Minister

“The gaming industry must remain free. Only then that it would boom,” he said.

Apart from VR games, the Prime Minister also tried his hands at other gaming platforms like PC and console gaming, and mobile gaming.

At the meeting, PM Modi and gamers talked about the rise of games in India, career prospects and the participation of women in the field.

He also asked the gamers about the challenges they face in India and the distinction between skill-based games and those offering quick income.

The gamers —Tirth Mehta, Payal Dhare, Animesh Agarwal, Anshu Bisht, Naman Mathur, Mithilesh Patankar and Ganesh Gangadhar — shared concerns about video game addiction. They also discussed how gaming was not seen as a legitimate career in the country.

One of the aspects discussed during the meeting was the rise in the number of games developed in India that centred around country’s mythology.

Prime Minister asked the gamers about the struggle between choosing games that are skill based and those that can earn them quick money.

The gamers responded that there was a need for a distinction between the two.

The Centre, through a notification, had given the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology charge to make rules related to online gaming on December 26. The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports was tasked with overseeing e-sports in the country.

The outreach programme with gamers comes just a month after PM Modi felicitated social media influencers at the first-ever National Creators Awards.