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2 months ago
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Reetu "BLACK BIRD" Slathia from Jammu, India may have snatched a chicken dinner or two from you in Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI). She is a 44-year old gamer mom on Rooter, with over 360,000 followers, who rose to fame in recent years. In a recent interview with Her Story, she shared her journey
How BLACK BIRD Got Into Gaming
Slathia is a high school graduate who married at an early age of 20. With the arrival of her son Gaurav in her life, she started playing games like carrom and badminton with him. In the interview, she said that she never had aspirations about gaming or becoming financially independent but that changed over time.
As her son grew older, she started picking up mobile games like Candy Crush and online Ludo. Amidst the global pandemic a few years ago, she picked up BGMI and has never looked back. She purchased a smartphone just to play the game and by the end of 2020, she became a streamer.
"I had watched others' live streams before I started my own, and I noticed there was no one of my age group doing such things. This made me skeptical about who would be interested in watching me," she told Her Story.
She has faced her own set of challenges with random viewers criticizing her for playing games at her age or asking rude questions. Slathia is appreciative of her family's support and hopes that other women can also achieve their dreams and receive the same kind of encouragement that she has.
After becoming a streamer, she started earning around INR 15,000 to 20,000 per month from Rooter and YouTube. She streams games like BGMI, Clash of Clans and Free Fire.
She fondly remembered how she took her family out to dinner when she got her first paycheck. She sets a wholesome example for others to follow and hopes other people of her age also try out gaming.
The Changing Gaming Landscape of India
The landscape of gaming in India is rapidly changing, and women are at the forefront of this evolution. Contrary to popular perception, India boasts a significant female gaming population. A report by Lumikai and Amazon published on InMobi states that 43% of Indian gamers are women, debunking the stereotype of gaming being a male-dominated domain.
Despite initial challenges and societal disapproval, women gamers are breaking barriers and making their mark in the industry. They are actively participating in competitive esports, creating engaging content, and inspiring future generations.
Gamers like Kaashvi Hiranandani and streamers like Kangkana Talukdar are paving the way for others in the industry. Despite the breakthroughs in gaming, the hobby is still seen as a taboo by many but it's great to see that things are changing in Indian gaming.
