What's driving the gaming industry growth in India and what trends do you think will take off in the sector in the future?

India is a gaming powerhouse, with the highest number of mobile game downloads in the world and a booming demand for gaming products and services. The factors behind this growth include a large and young population, low data tariffs, high-speed internet, increased disposable incomes, digital payments, and the COVID-19 pandemic. The future of gaming in India looks bright, with trends such as mobile gaming, casual and hyper-casual games, esports, social gaming, and innovation in game design and technology.

India has a huge potential market for gaming, with over 50% of its population below the age of 25 and 60% of the gamers under 25 years of age. India also has over 560 million internet users, making it the second-largest internet market in the world. More importantly, India has the world’s lowest data tariffs at $0.09 per GB and high-speed 4G internet. India’s purchasing power parity increased by 25% over 2016 levels, and digital payments grew by 55% in 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic also shifted the media and entertainment consumption trends towards gaming and digital media.

Mobile gaming will continue to dominate the gaming industry in India, as it accounts for 85% of the demand. Casual and hyper-casual games will become more popular, as they are simple, addictive and short-duration games that can be played anytime, anywhere. Esports and social gaming will grow rapidly, as they are competitive and interactive forms of gaming that foster community engagement and loyalty. Innovation in game design and technology will enhance the gaming experience and quality for users.

What do you think about the gaming industry in India? Let me know in the comments below!