The Indian mobile gaming industry has seen tremendous growth over the past few years, and it is expected to continue growing during the next few years. This rise in popularity is due in large part to the fact that there are so many smartphone users in India, where smartphones have become easily affordable, while expensive gaming consoles or PCs still remain much more costly in comparison And now, keeping the general public’s need for more affordable options in mind, even companies like Nokia have begun developing mobile games with social features as well as deeper gameplay elements to appeal to wider audiences.
The mobile gaming industry in India is booming
The mobile gaming industry in India is booming. The growth of this industry has been rapid, and in fact, it is expected to continue growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of at least 12% (highly conservatively), which means that you can definitely expect to see even more people playing mobile games in the future.
The first reason why the mobile gaming market in India has grown so much is indeed because of the better affordability of mobile smartphones. But besides this, now there are also thousands of people who, as a matter of taste, have come to love and prefer playing games on their smartphones and tablets rather than any other device. This makes sense since these devices are portable and easy to carry around with us wherever we go—so when we have time off from work or school, we tend to spend it playing some kind of game instead of doing other things like reading books or watching movies!
It wasn’t always this way
About a decade ago, the Indian mobile gaming market was perhaps small and unimportant. Console games were the only option for serious gamers, who tended to be older adults with disposable incomes. But as we move into the next decade, things have changed dramatically:
Mobile is now king in India. And the average age of Indian gamers continues to drop as more young people get into gaming on their phones and tablets—most of whom are willing to pay for premium content like microtransactions if it means playing longer or experiencing new experiences on their devices.
Two main / revolutionary gaming platforms
For many people in India, the past decade was one that was dominated by two main gaming platforms: consoles and mobile phones. Consoles were expensive and not available to everyone; they were used by only the most serious gamers who could afford them. And mobiles with gaming applications on them also used to be more expensive and a rarity. But now mobile gaming is growing rapidly, since smartphones today are more affordable and more accessible than ever before, and also since it’s easier to find new games at any time of day or night because of the ubiquity and vast variety of smartphones and apps.
So it should not be surprising that gaming companies have now quickly started adapting to this new medium as well—some of which have started investing heavily in creating new and unique experiences for players on both platforms (consoles included).
Mobile offers a more inclusive experience
Today, mobile gaming offers a more inclusive experience for those who might not have been / might not be able to play console games.
Accessibility: The mobile market is more accessible than consoles, thanks to its ease of use and portability, and its low cost. Also, unlike consoles where you need an internet connection or subscription fee, such things are not found creating as much of an impediment in playing mobile games (although a mobile data connection may still be required to participate in multiplayer games, and certain premium features may be accessible only to those who purchase them).
Inclusivity: Mobile games increasingly allow users with disabilities to play as well. And women too increasingly do not feel excluded from being part of the gaming community anymore; both men and women can play games that are as per their tastes separately on their respective mobile devices, and they can also play together in mobile multiplayer games!
Localization is key to success in the Indian market
Localization is key. And most developers know this: how important localization is when launching an app in another country. One certainly has to cater to the specific local tastes and differences of one’s target audience, while particularly keeping in mind which country they are from. For example, you can find a lot of localized content in other markets like China or Japan, which clearly shows that the local cultures of the audiences there have been taken into account. So it would certainly be key to consider the same even for Indian audiences.
Indeed, the Indian market is very different from the US market. It is huge and diverse, with over one billion people online, making it one of the world’s largest gaming markets.
The Indian gamer population is also very different from that of America; for example, there are many cultural differences between India and America, and also many differences in language, religion and society, etc.
The average age of gamers continues to drop
The average age of gamers varies widely across different countries, and even within the same country. For example, in Japan, the average gamer is around 30 years old; however, this figure can vary widely depending on the region and how much time you spend playing games or watching streams on Twitch.
But in general, in India, the average age of gamers continues to drop, and the trend is expected to continue for another few years. The average age of gamers in India is expected to be around 26 years by 2023 (this figure was around 27 years in 2018).
Game development companies are becoming more sophisticated
The game development companies in India are becoming more sophisticated. They are hiring more experienced developers and investing in new technologies. And they are working with more experienced publishers, who have developed sophisticated games before, so that they too would be able to apply some of the best practices other studios have made use of to make their games successful.
The result of this will surely be a high-quality gaming experience that is affordable for everyone!
India is expected to have 700 million smartphone users by 2023
The number of smartphone users in India is expected to grow by 300 million in the next 7 years, making it one of the fastest growing mobile markets globally.
And presently, the total number of smartphone users in India is expected to reach 700 million by 2023, representing nearly 11% of all potential consumers reachable through digital channels worldwide (according to Transparency Market Research).
Earlier, consumers had access only through PCs or laptops at their work premises, where they would spend most of their time only working on these devices all by themselves, instead of interacting with others around them, for business purposes or otherwise. But, given how much time we spend online nowadays, even while interacting with others for work purposes, it makes sense that there has been a tremendous amount of growth in the number of smartphone-users.
And mobile gaming has also certainly been a big contributor to this growth, with smartphone penetration reaching close to 40% by 2021 and an estimated total number of mobile gamers reaching 500 million by 2022.
Today in India, even people from below the middle class have smartphones, and are found playing games, especially Candy Crush and such games (ie more casual games) …
Huge potential for sustained growth
According to a report by Research and Markets, “Indian Mobile Gaming Market: An Opportunity for Global Players?” The Indian mobile gaming industry has grown at a CAGR of 21.9% during the forecast period (2018–2022). It is also estimated that the size of this market may have reached US$1.5 billion in 2022, with strong demand from both existing players as well as new entrants into this sector due to an increasing penetration rate among consumers who are using their smartphones or tablets more often than before.
And so the Indian mobile gaming market offers huge potential for sustained growth. The country’s population of over 1 billion people and its growing smartphone user base will continue to drive the growth of this market.
Conclusion
It is clear that mobile gaming is here to stay, and that the Indian market offers huge opportunities for developers and players alike, with the potential for continued growth in all categories of games. With more mobile users than ever before, there is no reason why India won’t be one of the most exciting markets around!
