As gaming as a career achieves more traction and legitimacy around India, the necessity to protect these players and their rights is increasing even more rapidly. eSports Players Welfare Association (EPWA) aims to step in here. Launched on August 23, EPWA is created solely to ensure that the professional, legal and contractual rights of eSports players in India are safeguarded in all aspects.
The non-profit organisation wants to assume authority in shielding the interests of eSports athletes across India. Ritesh Nath, CEO and Founder of EPWA comments, “The future of eSports in India is bright due to the penetration of 4G and the subsequent surge in mobile gaming. Professional governance and structures are vital to the success of any sport, and the absence of either in the eSports industry in India, is one of the reasons that led to the formation of EPWA.”
Nath wants to enlist at least 50,000 members at the end of 12 months. “We have representatives in Delhi and Mumbai, but given the nature of the industry we will have a central command centre to manage player interactions and queries across India.”
With no similar organisation present currently, EPWA is determined at offering assistance to athletes engaging in eSports. With a reputed personality like Amar Ratnam, an ex-pro gamer helming as a liaison between the players and industry as a whole, EPWA seeks to offer the best protections possible.
EPWA endeavours to support enrolled eSports players for the following services: legal advice, contracts, career advice, dispute resolution, and community building. EPWA works on a membership format. A player or streamer must sign up on the website to become a member and only then, will get access to the above services and much more.
“With an exponential increase in eSports players (amateur and professional) and avenues for them to earn a living, EPWA will strive to ensure their rights are protected by defining industry norms, setting regulations, and assisting relevant stakeholders to form policies,” concludes Nath.