SUS today launched India’s first ROG Labs store in Bengaluru, a next-gen, two-floor premium destination in Jayanagar that blends gaming, retail, and service into one immersive space. Packed with hands-on demo zones, the free-to-play ROGVerse gaming arena, and ASUS Solution Experts guiding visitors through the latest ROG hardware, the store feels like a glimpse into India’s gaming future.
Asus opens their first Asus ROG lab in Jayanagar, Bangalore. It brings a well laid out retail store + experience zone + service centre under one roof #ROG #ROGIndia #ROGLab pic.twitter.com/ZxHQzgCG7W
— Tech Tamizha (@techtamizha) December 11, 2025
It’s here, amid the buzzing launch energy, that I sat down with Arnold Su, Vice President at ASUS India, for a fun and insightful conversation on India’s gaming culture: from the Varanasi gamer who shocked him by buying a ₹2.8 lakh laptop before any metro, to the myths around gaming careers, creator features users overlook, and what India needs to build a true esports ecosystem.
When asked which Indian city surprised him the most at high-level gaming, Su recalled an unexpected moment from a few years ago. “In Varanasi, about four or five years ago, when we launched one of our gaming models priced around 2.8 lakhs, the first customer wasn’t from any metro city. It was from Varanasi.” For him, this moment challenged long-held assumptions about where India’s most passionate and serious gamers come from.
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Speaking about trends he never anticipated in the Indian gaming community, Su pointed to India’s complex relationship with competition. He explained that in countries like the US and across Europe, competitive gaming already mirrors traditional sports ecosystems. India, he said, is still evolving. “Competition isn’t only at a local or national level, it’s already at a professional level. It’s more like cricket. We want to be one of the companies that helps build an ecosystem in India.”
I also asked Su about his personal gaming setup. He revealed a humble beginning, sharing that as a student he couldn’t afford a true gaming PC. “I used to play games on a regular laptop with a graphics card during my college years,” he said. Today, he finally enjoys a complete setup at home, including a creator monitor that lets him both work and game, along with a high-end gaming laptop. When asked when he got his first real gaming machine, Su said, “My first proper gaming machine was when I was 25, after working at Asus for two years.”
On the myths that still surround PC gaming in India, Su pointed toward a cultural barrier that remains stubborn. “The biggest challenge in India is that many parents still believe gaming is not a good career. But what we want to show is that gaming is no different from other sports. It is a sport, we call it e-sports.” He hopes this perception will shift with time and exposure.
Wrapping up, I asked Su about the most underrated feature of Asus devices. Without hesitation, he pointed to creator capabilities. “Asus’ gaming laptops aren’t just for gaming, they are also built for creators,” he said, noting that YouTubers, 3D artists, and content creators can all rely on gaming laptops for professional work as well.
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