VALORANT Mobile India Could Transform Esports: ANTIDOTE

India’s esports ecosystem has been built largely on mobile titles over the past few years. With battle royale games dominating the competitive landscape, many players and organizations are waiting for the next big tactical shooter to emerge on mobile.

In an exclusive interview with E4EQUIP, Zutsu Gaming's VALORANT Mobile Head Coach and Senior Vice President of Zutsu Media Sabyasachi “Antidote” Bose shared his insights on the future of the title, the evolution of Indian esports, and what publishers must do to ensure the game succeeds in the region.

With over 15 years of experience as a professional player, ANTIDOTE has witnessed the transformation of esports in India firsthand — from LAN cafés and grassroots tournaments to international competitions and franchise leagues.

And according to him, the country might soon be on the brink of another major esports shift.

From LAN Cafés to International Esports

Few individuals have witnessed the evolution of Indian esports as closely as ANTIDOTE. With over 15 years of experience in competitive gaming, he has represented India internationally in both Counter-Strike and VALORANT while competing for organizations such as Orangutan, Velocity Gaming (Formerly Team Mahi), Revenant, and GodLike.

Reflecting on his early days, ANTIDOTE described a vastly different esports ecosystem compared to today.

“When I started around 2011 or 2012, everything was LAN-based. We used to play Counter-Strike 1.6 in local cafés on CRT monitors. Mobile esports didn’t exist back then.”

At the time, pursuing esports professionally was far from a stable career path.

“Back then we never imagined that gaming could become such a big industry. We were doing it purely out of passion.”

Players often had to travel across the country at their own expense to participate in tournaments.

“I’m from Kolkata, and there weren’t many sponsors there. We had to travel to Mumbai and other cities just to compete.”

Despite the challenges, ANTIDOTE continued pursuing competitive gaming, eventually representing India in international tournaments and building a reputation as one of the country’s veteran esports figures.

The Transition from Counter-Strike to VALORANT

Like many professional players, ANTIDOTE’s career took a major turn when Riot Games released VALORANT in 2020.

Initially, the tactical shooter received mixed reactions from experienced Counter-Strike players.

“When we first tried Valorant, we didn’t take it very seriously. There were abilities, players flying around, scanning mechanics — it felt very different.”

However, as Riot Games unveiled its long-term competitive roadmap, professional players quickly recognized the game’s potential.

“When we saw how much the publisher was investing in the scene and the roadmap they had planned, many of us from Counter-Strike decided to transition.”

For ANTIDOTE, the decision proved to be the right one as VALORANT rapidly grew into one of the largest esports ecosystems in the world.

Why VALORANT Mobile India Has Massive Potential

Today, ANTIDOTE believes that VALORANT Mobile India could be the next major opportunity for the country’s esports ecosystem.

India is already one of the largest markets for mobile gaming, with titles such as BGMI and Free Fire dominating viewership and participation numbers.

“India is one of the biggest markets in mobile esports. If Valorant Mobile launches properly, it can become the next big thing in the country.”

According to him, the game’s shorter match format makes it particularly suitable for modern audiences.

“People today prefer shorter matches. They don’t want to watch a 40-minute game unless their favorite team is playing.”

This shift in viewer behavior has influenced many competitive games.

“Even Counter-Strike reduced the number of rounds to match Valorant’s format. Shorter games are simply more appealing to today’s audience.”

The Missing Piece in Indian Mobile Esports

While battle royale games like BGMI and Free Fire dominate India’s mobile esports scene, ANTIDOTE believes the country still lacks a major competitive mobile FPS ecosystem.

“India has strong battle royale titles, but we don’t have a proper FPS ecosystem on mobile yet.”

Although games such as Call of Duty Mobile exist, he believes the lack of consistent competitive roadmaps has limited their long-term growth in India.

“Some games only have one or two tournaments per year. That doesn’t create a proper esports ecosystem.”

For organizations, a lack of tournaments also makes it difficult to justify long-term investments.

“If there’s no roadmap, it’s hard to generate ROI for organizations.”

Building a Sustainable Esports Ecosystem

Beyond coaching, ANTIDOTE now plays a significant role in shaping esports operations at Zutsu Gaming. As Senior Vice President of Zutsu Media and Head of Esports at Zutsu Gaming, he focuses on building a sustainable organizational model.

One of the biggest issues he highlights is financial instability in esports.

“I don’t want to give a player a huge salary for three months and then shut down the roster. That’s not sustainable.”

Instead, he believes organizations should prioritize long-term stability.

“I would rather give a proper contract for one or two years so that players can build a future.”

Zutsu Gaming currently operates across several verticals including esports teams [MOBA Legends, BGMI, Free Fire, VALORANT Mobile] , influencer marketing, and tournament organization.

Inside Zutsu Gaming’s VALORANT Mobile Roster

ANTIDOTE is currently coaching Zutsu Gaming’s VALORANT Mobile lineup, which features players from multiple FPS backgrounds.

The roster includes:

• Virtual – Duelist

• Axryan – Flex

• Austin – Initiator (Former Global Esports and Revenant Player)

• Gshotz – IGL / Controller (Former Call of Duty: Mobile Competitor)

• NXBI – Sentinel (Former BGMI Player)

According to ANTIDOTE, this mix of FPS experience mirrors what happened when VALORANT first launched.

“When Valorant came out, players from Counter-Strike, Overwatch, and other FPS games switched to it. The same thing is happening now in Valorant Mobile.”

Why Third-Party Tournaments Are Crucial for VALORANT Mobile India

ANTIDOTE also believes that the success of VALORANT Mobile India will depend heavily on how publishers structure the competitive ecosystem.

In particular, he emphasized the importance of allowing third-party tournament organizers to operate freely.

“They should allow third-party organizers to host tournaments and help the ecosystem grow. If the ecosystem grows, everyone benefits — publishers, organizations, players, and sponsors.”

Coaching Philosophy Inspired by Paper Rex

When discussing coaching influences, ANTIDOTE revealed that he draws inspiration from the approach used by Paper Rex and their leadership.

“People think Paper Rex plays randomly, but everything they do is calculated. You cannot win multiple championships with random strategies. They have strong protocols and fundamentals.”

He particularly admires how their system empowers players rather than restricting them.

“As a coach, I don’t force my vision on the team. My job is to enhance the strengths of each player and help them improve."

Looking Ahead: The Future of VALORANT Mobile India

With VALORANT Mobile yet to launch globally, ANTIDOTE believes early investment in the scene could give teams a competitive advantage.

“This is the best time to transition into coaching in Valorant Mobile because the game hasn’t launched globally yet.”

For him, the ultimate goal remains clear.

“My goal is simple — I want to win internationally.”

If the right ecosystem develops around VALORANT Mobile India, the country could soon see another major esports title rise alongside its dominant battle royale games.