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Cover of Games India Plays!: A Look into the Gaming Habits of Indian Mobile Gamers and How to Reach Them

Newzoo · 2022

Games India Plays!: A Look into the Gaming Habits of Indian Mobile Gamers and How to Reach Them

The Indian mobile gaming industry is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by affordable data, increased smartphone penetration, and a shift toward digital entertainment. This analysis, covering the 2022-2027 period, segments the market into Real Money Gaming (RMG)—including card-based and fantasy sports—and non-RMG categories like adventure, battle royale, and puzzles. Utilizing data from Newzoo and Affle MAAS, the findings highlight a market of 373 million online gamers as of 2022, with 91% playing on mobile devices. Revenue for 2022 reached $2.2 billion, with RMG contributing over 50% of the total industry revenue in the preceding year. Demographic data reveals a young, male-skewing audience, particularly in the adventure and battle royale genres, where 55% of players are aged 13-27. While non-RMG players are motivated by stress relief and time-filling, RMG players are driven by seasonal events and the opportunity to earn rewards. Fantasy sports see massive spikes during major cricket tournaments, while card-based RMG peaks during festive seasons. Engagement is exceptionally high, with over 80% of mobile gamers consuming gaming video content and 44% engaging with esports. For advertisers, the report establishes critical benchmarks and growth strategies. Successful user acquisition relies on navigating a complex funnel where install-to-registration rates hover around 25-50% depending on the sub-genre. Experts suggest that growth is increasingly driven by Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, facilitated by UPI-based micro-payments. To maximize return on ad spend, marketers are encouraged to use vernacular creatives, programmatic targeting to reduce audience overlap, and a mix of ad formats like playable and short-video ads. The industry is poised for further disruption through the integration of Web3 technologies, blockchain-based play-to-earn models, and the rise of "gaming malls" or super-apps.