Gaming is a healthy addiction

With cyber gaming scene on the upswing in the city, competition has increased among youngsters to rule the virtual world. Here’s introducing you to some of the top-notch players in Chennai, who recently took part in the Chennai qualifier of Indian Cyber Gaming Championships. Deb Kumar Saha, Test Engineer, Infosys The third best NFS (Need for Speed) player in the country says, “We are nowhere in the world gaming arena and have a long way to go.” His passion for the game becomes evident when he talks about how he gets the chance to depend on no one but himself in his single-player game. “If I win, I get the credit.  I don’t have to pay for it, if someone else messes up during the game,” he explains. Having played for the past four years, Deb is also a World Cyber Games (WCG) player, with many other wins at the regional and local tournaments. He has also done well at IIT tournaments. Rayal Raj, student What would you call someone who drinks coffee off a keyboard while pulling an all-nighter? A gamer. Or Rayal Raj, to be more precise. One of the top DotA (Defense of the Ancients) players in the city, this to-be SRM student says that he doesn’t enjoy gaming as much as one would expect a gamer of his caliber to. “I started playing for fun and a Korean friend trained me, and that’s how I started playing in tournaments,” he says. Placed fourth in the country in the strategy game and with wins at many regional and local tournaments, Rayal says, “I guess I love hanging out with the guys more than I like playing the game.” Shaan Narayanan, businessman The Counter-Strike player has spent the last 10 years of his life mastering the tactical first-person shooter game. He has represented the country at the WCG in China and Los Angeles and is busy preparing for this year’s edition. So what has he lost out on during those 10 years? “My friends do keep complaining that I don’t spend enough time with them, but each time I win something, they are okay and encourage me to play more,” he says. A decade is a lot of experience; would he consider taking up gaming for a profession? “India is at a stage where Counter-Strike would soon become a profession, but it is too late for me, I’ve missed the bus,” he says. Shreyas Sridhar, student With FIFA champ Shreyas Sridhar, we get down to business. The two-time WCG player takes us through the nitty-gritties of the world of gaming in the city. “Corporate companies see gaming as a new venture and are really interested in it,” says Shreyas. “But at the end of the day, most corporate offices are in cities such as Mumbai and Delhi, so players in south India have less opportunities to showcase  their talents,” explains the virtual football player. So how does he makes sure that he has a balanced life? “It all depends on the individual. For me, gaming is a healthy addiction, so I have always managed,” he says.