3 min read
Pakistan’s emerging e-sports scene might have a black sheep in all the glitz: a serious credibility gap. Reportedly, multiple university-organized tournaments have failed to honor prize payouts to the gamers. One such incident got major traction on a Facebook gamer community where industry watchers and participants complained their grievances.
Organizers’ mismanagement has left players contesting titles in games such as Call of Duty and Valorant without the rewards they earned. Some participants say they never received a single rupee despite official brackets and trophy presentations.
What Happened and Where
A recent Facebook post by the Pakistani PC Gamers (PPG) community outlined how winners from events at some high-profile institutions were promised prize money, only to have organizers dodge payment deadlines or vanish entirely after taking registration fees.
Why It Matters
These in-house tournaments, often advertised aggressively on social media, exclude outside teams and rely on student organizers working voluntarily. Yet when it comes to distributing prize money, many simply stall. Even at a much smaller scale, discrepancies like these play an overarching role in undermining the trust in Pakistan’s e-sports ecosystem. All of this ultimately discourages both players and sponsors from future participation.
The Facebook post had many others sharing their experiences. One user reported his post on a university-held event was removed after it drew widespread attention, suggesting pressure from higher authorities to silence criticism.
“Recently played …” one user commented, “and despite paying 3500 as team we played on i7 4770+1050Ti 4gb with 2k 144 Hz monitors60-80 fps experience after paying this much with 50 rs headphone, keyboard, mouse and mousepad oh and the chairs were legit torn and broken“
“Wider Impact on Pakistani E-Sports
Analysts warn that unpaid winnings not only tarnish event reputations but also stunt the domestic industry’s growth. Without reliable prize structures, international teams and brands remain wary of entering the Pakistani market, stifling opportunities for local talent to shine on global stages.
What’s Next: Calls for Reform
Gaming personalities in Pakistan are pushing academic institutions and the Pakistan Electronic Sports Federation (PESF) to use open methods for ensuring merit-based prizes. They demand requiring players and management to sign legally binding contracts, and punish those who neglect their payments.
Pakistan, who is mulling a groundbreaking e-sports plan from the government, has yet to create clearly established responsibility regulations when it comes to meeting professional standards.
However, all is not bleak: the Pakistani government has already vowed to revolutionize e-sports within six months, stating in a press release that “Pakistan will take inspiration from Saudi Arabia’s dedicated gaming infrastructure… and will not remain behind.”
