The Growth of Esports in Nepal: Opportunities and Challenges
Niraula, Saman; Piya, Abiral (2025)
2025
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025121335889
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025121335889
Tiivistelmä
The thesis explores the opportunities and challenges linked to the development of esports in Nepal and suggests an Esports Ecosystem Development Model to help develop the sphere in the future. With the continued growth of esports worldwide, there has been an increase in youth participation in Nepal. However, the growth has been limited due to infrastructural, social, and institutional factors. A quantitative research design was used to analyze the existing situation, and a structured online survey of 385 participants (represented by gaming cafes, online gaming communities, and social platforms) was conducted. Data analysis was conducted with the help of SPSS with the help of descriptive statistics, cross-tabulations, chi-square tests, and correlation analysis.
The results show that esports in Nepal is a youth-driven sector, as more than 80 percent of the participants are 16-25 years old. The respondents were greatly in agreement with the opportunities that esports offer, such as career opportunities, development of cognitive skills, and international exposure. However, there are still serious issues, such as low internet connectivity, expensive devices, governmental disapproval, and social disdain of gaming. Inferential analysis revealed a significant association between gender and gaming intensity, as well as a positive association between gaming frequency and perceived opportunities.
On the basis of these results, the research was able to design an esports ecosystem development model. It is specific to the context of Nepal and incorporates the roles of stakeholders, resource needs, and developmental pathways. The model will assist policymakers, educational institutions, and private organizations to create a structured and sustainable esports environment. This paper concludes with evidence-based recommendations to strengthen infrastructure, support policy, and engage the community to ensure the long-term development of esports in Nepal.
The results show that esports in Nepal is a youth-driven sector, as more than 80 percent of the participants are 16-25 years old. The respondents were greatly in agreement with the opportunities that esports offer, such as career opportunities, development of cognitive skills, and international exposure. However, there are still serious issues, such as low internet connectivity, expensive devices, governmental disapproval, and social disdain of gaming. Inferential analysis revealed a significant association between gender and gaming intensity, as well as a positive association between gaming frequency and perceived opportunities.
On the basis of these results, the research was able to design an esports ecosystem development model. It is specific to the context of Nepal and incorporates the roles of stakeholders, resource needs, and developmental pathways. The model will assist policymakers, educational institutions, and private organizations to create a structured and sustainable esports environment. This paper concludes with evidence-based recommendations to strengthen infrastructure, support policy, and engage the community to ensure the long-term development of esports in Nepal.