Console to culture: Arslan Ash calls out Pakistan’s gaming bias

Pakistani e-sports legend Arslan ‘Ash’ Siddique has sounded a wake‑up call for the country’s gaming community and its wider societal attitudes. While he has achieved unprecedented international success, he says the “mindset at home” remains stuck, undermining the potential of young gamers and Pakistan’s place in global esports.

Arslan’s journey is nothing short of remarkable. Hailing from Lahore, he began playing fighting games at arcades from a young age and rose to become one of the world’s top competitors in the Evolution Championship Series (EVO) for the fighting‑game genre.

He has clinched seven EVO titles, with recent reports numbering him among the very few players to have won over six times. Despite this, Arslan remarks that the scenario in Pakistan remains hindered by outdated perceptions of gaming.

In a recent video message, shared on his Instagram story, Arslan said that many Pakistanis still view playing video games as a waste of time rather than a serious discipline or potential career path. Reiterating a local adage “Khelo ge, kudo ge, ho ge kharab” he said that despite millions of gamers in Pakistan, over 50 million approximately, the structural support and social acceptance are missing.

He urged acknowledgment of gaming as a global, viable discipline, formalisation of platforms for Pakistani gamers to train, compete internationally, improve and succeed, and a change in domestic mindset from dismissing gaming, to nurturing it.

Even for those who have overcome the mental barrier, Arslan has previously highlighted practical challenges, including travel difficulties, sponsorship gaps, and a lack of institutional support. For instance, he has spoken earlier about how Pakistani competitors face visa issues and sponsors are reluctant due to the country’s gaming scene being under‑organised.

These obstacles, he says, mean that talent often remains under‑exposed or forced to self‑fund to compete internationally.

WHY IT MATTERS?

Esports is growing globally, from more structured teams, streaming, corporate sponsorships, branding, to large prize pools and viewership. For Pakistan, with tens of millions of gamers, this represents not only a potential career path for youth, but also an industry and export opportunity. Arslan’s success is proof that Pakistani players can compete at the highest level.

His message is that if perception and infrastructure change, Pakistan could convert its large gamer base into internationally competitive talent.

Arslan called on stakeholders, educators, parents, institutions, government, to recognise this shift that gaming today is not just play, but serious competition and industry. He urged Pakistan to establish domestic platforms, leagues, training programmes, and support systems to replicate his success with many others.

He stressed, “We’ve been gaming for years, winning internationally, but domestically the mindset still hasn’t moved forward.”