ReportNiko Partners
Asian & MENA Markets: 2025 Half-Year Report
1 Jan 20253 pages~4 min full read
China remains the dominant regional market with projected 2025 revenues of $51.2 billion, supported by a 4.1% year-over-year increase and a 24% rise in government game approvals.
See it on page 1India is the fastest-growing market, projected to exceed $1 billion in 2025 with 16.2% year-over-year growth following the PROG Act's shift toward traditional gaming and esports.
See it on page 2The MENA-3 region (Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Egypt) has a revised growth forecast of 6.4%, as economic challenges in Egypt and slowing mobile growth in Saudi Arabia temper the impact of government-led localization efforts.
See it on page 3East Asia’s five-year growth outlook has been revised to 1.7%, bolstered by the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 and a recovery in the South Korean mobile sector.
See it on page 1Southeast Asia’s growth forecast is 3.5%, with strong performance in Vietnam being offset by macroeconomic headwinds in Thailand and Indonesia.
See it on page 2The global industry is shifting toward a model where mature markets like China and East Asia provide stability, while emerging markets like India and Vietnam serve as the primary drivers of expansion.
See it on page 1The video game markets across Asia and the Middle East are entering a period of recalibrated growth, with total revenues across key sub-regions projected to reach significant milestones by 2025. China remains the dominant force, with revenues expected to hit $51.2 billion in 2025, supported by a 4.1% year-over-year increase. This growth is fueled by a 24% rise in game approvals and proactive government subsidies. While China maintains a steady long-term outlook with a 3.0% five-year compound annual growth rate, India emerges as the fastest-growing market. India is projected to surpass the $1 billion threshold in 2025 with a 16.2% year-over-year increase, driven by the PROG Act of 2025, which pivoted the industry away from real-money gaming toward traditional video games and esports.
Regional performance varies significantly based on local macroeconomic conditions and hardware cycles. East Asia, comprising Japan and South Korea, shows a more optimistic outlook than previously anticipated, with a revised five-year growth rate of 1.7%. This shift is attributed to the successful launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 and a recovery in the South Korean mobile sector. Conversely, Southeast Asia and the MENA-3 region (Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Egypt) face more tempered expectations. Southeast Asia’s growth forecast was lowered to 3.5% due to headwinds in Thailand and Indonesia, despite strong performance in Vietnam. Similarly, the MENA-3 forecast was adjusted downward to a 6.4% growth rate as economic challenges in Egypt and slower mobile growth in Saudi Arabia offset increased government support for localization and age-rating reforms.
The data, derived from Niko Partners’ 2025 half-year market model updates, covers PC, mobile, and console platforms across 13 distinct markets. The methodology integrates proprietary market models, macroeconomic indicators, and qualitative regulatory analysis to provide a comprehensive five-year outlook through 2029. Overall, the findings suggest that while mature markets like China and East Asia are stabilizing, emerging markets like India and Vietnam are becoming critical drivers of global industry expansion.
