What makes PC gaming a cult favourite in India?

In a world dominated by consoles, PC gaming and custom-built PCs continue to appeal widely and grow among serious Indian gamers

- Shouvik Das

Bengaluru-based corporate professional Rohit Bidappa still calls himself a "loyal PC gamer who would never buy a console." After kick-starting his interest in gaming on a peer's PC in the early 1990s, Bidappa, 42, has been a PC gamer (someone who plays games on a personal computer or PC) for over three decades. While his frequent travel and work schedule has led him to switch to a gaming laptop instead of a custom-built desktop rig, Bidappa is one of many who, in the world of mobile and console-led gaming experiences, has remained loyal to the idea of gaming PCs—a niche but resilient segment of India's fairly nascent gaming market.

"I started gaming at a time when PC gaming was the only accessible way to play video games in India. The only gaming console that was available through third-party resellers was made by Atari, which needed a lot of special cartridges and attachments to really work. But, the first time I saw a PC, I realized that this is one of the best ways to develop a hobby in gaming," says Bidappa, underlining the spirit of a community that has remained resilient in its support for PCs as a gaming device.

Bidappa is not alone; 35-year-old developer and Instagram influencer Varun Mayya, who also happens to be an avid gamer, is one of many that remain in staunch support of a custom-built desktop gaming PC—devices that were destined to disappear in terms of market share and shipments with the advent of mobile gaming as a preferred medium.

THE FLEXIBILITY OF PCS