Of the gamers, by the gamers, for the needy

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Started as a niche platform to provide better exposure to the gamers in Kerala, All Kerala Esports Federation has grown into a  50,000-strong community that not only provides support to serious gamers but also goes beyond just e-sports

The advent of smartphones has brought in a much-needed democratisation in the virtual space. And perhaps the one sector which has undergone a significant transformation in this regard is the gaming industry. A number of video games, once accessible to only hardcore enthusiasts, are now a download away.

This has resulted in a substantial spike in the number of gamers and gaming competitions across the world. However, identifying the true skills of a gamer is a complex process, and that is what All Kerala Esports Federation (AKEF), the first legally registered gaming community in Kerala, does. What makes AKEF unique is that the members of the community use their gaming prowess for philanthropic activities as well.

According to Thiruvananthapuram native Amal Arjun, president, AKEF, the community was primarily formed to provide exposure to the gamers in Kerala. “With the introduction of games like PUBG, there was a great increase in the number of gamers and audience. So our aim was to bring everyone under a community and provide better exposure to more games and competitions.

We emphasise on the skills of a gamer and help them in bettering those. Gaming has immense scope these days and we like our members to make a living out of it,” says Amal. The community has more than 50,000 members at present.

The group has already helped a number of gamers represent Kerala in national-level gaming competitions. While three seasons of the ‘Kerala PUBG League’ were organised over the last few years, this year’s edition saw the participation of more than 500 teams.

“We conduct regular competitions on various games like Clash of Clans, FIFA, Call of Duty and Pro Evolution Soccer. The members get to play a wide range of games. This was one reason why the banning of PUBG didn’t much affect us much. The move increased the popularity for games like Call of Duty mobile,” adds Amal.

With e-sports being included in prestigious events like the Olympics and Asian Games, Amal affirms that gaming competitions will be booming across the country. “We identify the talents from our state and are in regular touch with the Esports Federation of India (ESFI) to notify about them.”

Charity drive
With a huge member base, the community decided to come to the aid of the needy last year. The group raised `1 lakh for Nimmimol who was admitted in Thrissur Medical College with a serious throat issue. Around 20 charity drives have been taken up till date. “Last week, we raised `80,000 for one of our community members.”

Future plans
The community will be soon registered as a company to attract more sponsors. They will be conducting a competition titled ‘Gaming Saga’, which will carry a prize money of `2 lakh. “We wish to conduct such competitions every month and for that we need to bring in sponsors,” adds Amal. AKEF will also soon be bringing out an app which will list gaming events and make the registration process easier. “It will be also a platform for the gamers to socialise.”