Pixel P&L: Ex MeitY Secretary on Gaming Regulation in India

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Quick BytesGood morning. It’s Monday, 30th September. Today’s exclusive interview with Dr. Aruna Sharma, former Secretary of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) sheds light on the evolving discourse surrounding the subject of government regulation in India’s fast-growing gaming industry.

Also in today’s edition - KRAFTON’s latest BGMI esports event smashes live viewership record, Valve turns cheaters into frogs and more.

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Navigating India's Gaming Boom: Regulatory Challenges and Insights from Dr. Aruna Sharma

As India’s digital economy surges, the gaming industry is facing a regulatory crossroads. With millions of new users entering the online space, policymakers are grappling with how to distinguish gaming from gambling and real money games (RMG). In an exclusive interview, Dr. Aruna Sharma, former Secretary of MeitY, shares her perspective on the regulatory challenges and opportunities in this fast-evolving sector. Her comments touched upon various areas of interest including classification of games, taxation and GST issues, the role of self-regulation in the gaming industry and more.

Dive into her insights on how India can strike the right balance between innovation and consumer protection in this premium story.

BMPS 2024 Smashes Peak Concurrent Viewership Records

The final day of the Battlegrounds Mobile India Pro Series (BMPS) 2024 concluded yesterday at the Adlux International Convention Center in Kochi, where Team X Spark claimed victory along with a cool INR 75 lakh (~USD 89.6K) in prize money. The livestream for the event peaked at over 470,000 viewers - a remarkable first for both BGMI and Indian esports. Numen Gaming and Team Godlike finished second and third respectively.

Karan Pathak, Associate Director of Esports at KRAFTON India, said, “After hosting matches across various parts of the country, it was incredible to bring BMPS Finale to Kochi this time. The atmosphere was electric, thanks to all the fans to show their support for their favorite teams. The level of competition was exceptional, with both seasoned professionals and undergod teams giving it their all. Going into the third day, it was anyone’s game, and the fierce battles kept both the players and the audience on edge. At KRAFTON India, we are committed to the growth of esports in India and are proud to support the incredible talent in the country. We look forward to bring more quality esports action to the community.”

Valve Turns Deadlock Cheaters Into Frogs

Valve has introduced a creative anti-cheat system in its early-access game Deadlock. Suspected cheaters can be turned into helpless frogs, with their opponents getting to decide whether to immediately ban them or let them hop around for the remainder of the game. This isn’t the first time Valve has done something like this.Similar tactics were used in games like Dota 2 and Team Fortress 2, where honest players were often rewarded while cheaters were humiliated. This new system is part of an ongoing effort to refine their cheat detection in Deadlock.

PlayStation Store Might be Forced to Admit that Players are Licensing, not Buying, Video Games

Digital video game storefronts like the PlayStation Store could soon have to inform their customers that it is licensing rather than selling them digital goods. This is due to a newly signed California law that goes into effect next year. Digital sellers will be prohibited from using terms like “buy” or “purchase” unless they clearly state that the consumer is only purchasing a revocable license for the digital good. Sellers must either inform buyers upfront that they are purchasing a license or obtain explicit acknowledgment from the customer before a transaction. Violations of this law will result in fines for false advertising. The conversation about ownership of digital copies of video games was reinvigorated on 14th Dec 2023 after Ubisoft announced the delisting of The Crew from all online stores leading to major fan backlash online. We previously explored this topic in greater detail through a free read that you can access on our site.

Discord Activities Allows All Developers To Make and Monetize Games On The Platform

In 2002, Nintendo settled a complaint wherein it agreed to provide four sets of sports gloves to each ‘Mario Party’ owner who sent in a request. Parents had raised concerns about their children suffering cuts, punctures, blisters and friction burns on their hands caused by playing portions of the N64 game. The game had sold over a million copies, and there were only about a hundred or so complaints lodged with the New York Attorney General Office yet Nintendo gave in and settled.

It's more important to master the cards you're holding than to complain about the ones your opponents were dealt.

Grimsley, Pokemon Black and White