CHENNAI: Online gaming is not limited to men alone. Women in southern India lead men in opting a career in gaming and willingness to spend on a gaming personal computer, according to a survey conducted by Hewlett Packard (HP).
The survey report ‘The HP India Gaming Landscape Report 2021’ highlights the growing preference for PC gaming with 88 per cent responding favourably. As much as 52 per cent gamers from South India - Chennai, Coimbatore, Bengaluru, Kochi, and Hyderabad - are willing to invest more than Rs 1 lakh in a gaming PC.
Interestingly, women (61 per cent) in South India lead over men (49 per cent) to spend in their preference of buying a PC costing over Rs 1 lakh, the survey reveals. The South India report was released by Nitish Singal, Head, personal systems (Consumer), HP India, on Thursday. Singhal said the survey found out that gamers from Kochi and Bengaluru are the most-willing to spend above Rs 1 lakh, whereas, gamers from Chennai, Hyderabad, and Coimbatore prefer spending between Rs 50,000- Rs 1 lakh on gaming PCs.
In South India, gaming has emerged as a career option with 83 per cent respondents considering gaming as a viable career option. Women lead men with 84 per cent in expressing desire to pursue gaming as a career, followed by 82 per cent of male respondents. Gamers across Coimbatore (94 per cent), Hyderabad (90 per cent) and Kochi (89 per cent) have displayed a higher affinity for gaming as a career option, says the report. Women are leading this tectonic shift in perceptions around gaming in recent times, calling it out as a key to relieve stress, improve cognitive skills and mental well-being.
“Across demography, users are taking gaming more seriously and considering it as a viable professional avenue. We’re excited to see this positive sentiment for the PC gaming industry,” said Singhal.