Video games have changed the lives of millions throughout the years. From fond to frustrating, memories of video games are defined by nostalgia. Whether single player or online multiplayer, there’s something for all ages in the world of gaming. Bangladesh is no stranger to the gaming world either. We take a look at four of Bangladesh’s past and present figures, Kiddy Kayes, HOTASH_Tahsin, Ishan Azim and Irfan Reza Khan as they share their experiences with gaming and streaming.

Tell us about when your gaming journey started.

Kiddy Kayes – I started streaming back in February of 2019. When I started playing, I would always stream all my games whether I win or lose. I used to play Clash of Clans on my phone until I bought a proper PC. So I started playing PUGB since it was quite popular. One day, on the Kings Canyon Map in Apex Legends, I met my now fellow clan member, Tahsin Bhai (HOTASH_Tahsin). Follow Kiddy Kayes’ Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/kiddykayes/

HOTASH_Tahsin – I started playing APEX Legends from season 1. I ended up watching hours on hours of gameplay video of games I couldn’t play. I used to watch players like SHROUD. I noticed that they left PUBG and started playing Apex Legends. It looked interesting and I decided to try it out. Although the way we used to play back in the day, it’s not possible anymore. After playing 2-3 hours, headaches kick in. I started playing during the ATARI era. My older brother used to play while making me watch, letting me play occasionally after complaining to my parents. SEGA MEGA drive 2 was one of my first consoles. I bought my first PC back in 1999 and played games like NFS II.

Irfan – Back in 2005 I was the first runner up at the World Cyber Games. That’s where I met Ishan Bhai. I began practicing with Ishan and then in 2006 he was the champion and in 2007 I was the champion and Ishan was the 2nd runner up. DJuice used to host some tournaments at local universities here and there and we would attend them. Many didn’t realize how good we were until we beat them by 20 goals. When I won the championship in 2007, I was able to show my parents I had some talent.  We later started a group in 2008 called Aces Clan.

What are some of the challenges of being a gamer?

Kiddy Kayes – Initially getting used to the games were tough. I kept dropping and dying over and over. Some of my clan members got frustrated and removed me from Discord. That’s what gave me the motivation to keep playing and improve. One of the best things I love about gaming is that my parents can always have a piece of mind because they can keep an eye on me at home. Many kids these days end up experimenting with drugs when they are hanging out with different crowds of people and become brainwashed. So my advice to parents, if your children want to play video games, allow them to and encourage it, at least they’re not getting into trouble.

Ishan and Irfan – The gaming scene back in 2005, clans didn’t form that often. Parents never encouraged gaming back then, in fact they actively discouraged it.  There’s a much larger consideration for it these days but before it was considered a waste of time. A lot of gamers tend to be much younger these days so coping up with their reflexes can be challenging and stressful.

HOTASH_Tahsin – I think there are a couple. The first being a lack of exposure. The second I think would be when playing in global tournaments became a challenge especially on some servers like Bahrain where our server ping was around 300 when our opponents’ ping was 3-5. Family pressure would mean that gaming should never expand beyond a hobby. Making significant money off of streaming might be difficult especially in Bangladesh, when you see examples like the Faze Clan who have become a million dollar clan through publicity. Bangladesh doesn’t really have that exposure. Gaming sometimes is said to be the source of blame for violence and crimes, but it has never been proven. Anybody in the right mind shouldn’t be influenced by games.

What games are you playing these days?

Kiddy Kayes – These days I play online games like GTA, Apex Legends, Hyper Scape and sometimes PUGB mobile.

Irfan – I don’t really play much anymore, just some FIFA here and there.

Ishan – I took a break but because of Covid-19, I started playing ps4 online again. I play FIFA, GTA and some ps4 exclusive games. I also play FIFA manager, Far Cry etc. I try to avoid playing online games too often these days though, it’s just so stressful. Some games become quite addictive too, like when I stared Fortnite excessively which I thought was bad for my health so I stopped.

Any insights into the future of the gaming and the industry? What trends do you see?

HOTASH_Tahsin – Lockdown accounted for the creation of many new clans over the last few months which gave the gaming industry in Bangladesh a massive boost. All consoles are sold out and their prices have increased. PC has seen some amazing developments with the AMD Zen architecture CPU’s allowing simultaneous gaming and streaming which requires a lot of power. Streaming used to be for the rich who had 2 pcs, one for gaming and the other for encoding. Anybody can become a streamer these days. Streaming platforms like Facebook, Twitch and Mixer have greatly encouraged new comers to the industry. In the last three months, Bangladesh has participated in three major global tournaments. Bangladesh Clans have now started hosting their own tournaments. Last month, a clan named S A W, launched a small tournament with a prize pool of Tk.10, 000, but nearly 30 three person squads participated.  HOTASH Clan also have plans to launch their own tournament down the line once we have our clan organized more.

Irfan – Online tournaments are much more common these days so competition is increasing rapidly.

HOTASH_Tahsin – Battle Royale games like WARZONE, Fortnite, Hyper Scape, Apex Legends, PUBG have gained the most popularity. The introduction of Augmented/Virtual Reality has created a market with games for everyone. Even my wife plays games, including my three year old, who plays subway surfer. Right now Virtual reality is gaining popularity, but it’s still mostly for showcasing, as technology gets better, the possibilities will become more tangible.

How do gamers from other countries compare to Bangladesh?

Ishan – In 2006, I was a keyboard player. Opponents from other countries would play using game pads so we were at a disadvantage there. I was drawn into a group with 2 German players. There were players from Japan and Italy as well. They played professionally within their communities so I ended up losing to them.

Irfan – Back then in tournaments, the German players used to win often. Even Indian players were professional at the time. Their clans would have diversity of games like Counter Strike, Need for Speed and FIFA. Their jerseys would be covered with sponsors so we could tell their level by just looking at them. Their clans had really good sponsors like Samsung. The support in Bangladesh was lacking to say the least.  Almost all foreign players used controllers and game pads where we had keyboards which gave them more versatility in their gameplay. Controllers were rarely used in Bangladesh back in 2006/2007. We didn’t realize we could use game pads to play FIFA on PC. Playing online these days, everything is played using manual settings. In 2008, I tried using gamepad but didn’t do too well so I switched back to keyboard.

How do you manage your time between gaming and studies/work?

Kiddy Kayes – My gameplay depends on how much free time I have. When I have studies I focus and complete them before gaming and streaming.

HOTASH_Tahsin – I took a long break from gaming though because of studies and life. Attended IUB ’08 batch, marketing major, and management minor. Started my own business, agency for brokerage firm and later an interior design firm so these days it’s just more causal gaming for entertainment.

What are some of the major developments and changes you’ve seen in the industry?

Kiddy Kayes – I think many people in Bangladesh become surprised by the number of existing and growing female gamer and streamer community. Some of them have excellent skills and should not be underestimated.

HOTASH_Tahsin – Recently, exposure has increased a lot. Streaming really changed the scene of gaming. I wasn’t even aware of the streaming possibilities a few years ago.  IUB used to host low key tournaments which I would attend. In the last 2 years, clans and streamers have increased tenfold. They dedicate to streaming. Lockdown accounted for the creation of many new clans over the last few months which gave the gaming industry in Bangladesh a massive boost. All consoles are sold out. We should definitely consider the E-sports scene. The last Fortnite tournament was a massive deal. The Olympics have roughly 50-60 million viewers. The Fortnite tournament managed to attract 300+ million viewers. The exposure is massive. The gaming industry might even be larger than Hollywood right now.

What advice would you have for upcoming streamers?

Irfan – Persevere. You will have to lose a lot so it’s best to keep a calm head and push through the frustration.  Learn to market yourself. Many companies don’t want to really sponsor gamers, unless they see that there is an opportunity. Reach out to them and let them you have a clan with talent.

Ishan – Games like PUBG and Apex Legends tend to have higher followers. I haven’t really seen much popularity for FIFA in Bangladesh.  Choose one game and devote time and effort. Find and follow streamers from abroad like NINJA of Fortnite, get involved with more competitions.

Kiddy Kayes – Patience is key. When I started streaming, everyone told me I was wasting my time. They used to discourage me in many ways. The thing is that you’re playing a game you love and sharing it with others. It took me almost two years to get to where I am now, with my follower base. Look out for the new and trending games, find one you like and dedicate your time to getting better at that game. Also figure out what your audience wants, entertainment or professional style of play. Building a persona really helps, like NINJA of Fortnite or Dr. Disrespect.

HOTASH_Tahsin – You can’t be shy, remember that you’re here to entertain so be yourself and have a good time, your viewers will too. I’ve never met any of the 100 or so members in our Discord clan. That’s the best part of gaming, it doesn’t matter who you are, so many people from multiple cultures and backgrounds come together to play and enjoy. If anyone has enjoyed their time during quarantine, I’m sure it’s been the global gaming community.  Everyone is open-minded so be sure you are too.

Kayes Hossan Fuad a.k.a Kiddy Kayes of HOTASH Clan (an upcoming Apex Legends clan in Bangladesh) is a student, part time streamer, part time apps and web developer. Kayes is a 4th year CSE student from North South University. Kayes also teaches and helps other gamers with studies through Discord. Through game streaming, he has been able to gather a following of over 120,000 on his Facebook page as well as earning over $1000 U.S. through his streaming efforts. Kiddy Kayes is his gamer persona.

Sakib Tahsin of HOTASH Clan is a graduate from Independent University Bangladesh, 2008 batch, studied marketing and management. He is currently running his own business.

Ishan Azim was the World Cyber Games Bangladesh FIFA 2006 champion and the WGC 2nd runner up in FIFA in 2007.

Irfan Reza Khan was the World Cyber Games 2007 FIFA 07 Bangladesh Champion, WCG 2005 FIFA 05 BD 1st Runner-up, 2010 FIFA Online Bangladesh Champion, WCG 2013 Call of Duty – Modern Warfare Champion (As Team Captain for VOID), and is the currently running his own business