Online gaming is set to rise in India: Here's how
Over the years, the definition of gaming has changed from something you did alone to an immersive, multi-player experience allowing millions to play at the same time. The transformation has been driven by the penetration of affordable smartphones and high-speed internet and is expected to continue in 2020, making online gaming a billion-dollar industry in India. Here are some trends contributing to this growth.
With more and more people switching to online battle royale games and skill-based titles, the gaming sector of India has grown significantly over the last few years. According to estimates from KPMG, the sector is growing at a compound annual growth rate of 22%, and at this pace it is expected to cross $1 billion in revenue by the end of 2020.
The growth of India's gaming sector will be driven by a number of factors, including the rise of new investor-backed game studios, immersive and local themed titles as well as more fantasy sports apps. Even the launch of affordable gaming smartphones and technologies aimed at making graphic-intensive mobile games accessible will play a crucial role in getting more paying gamers onboard.
This year, Netflix-like on-demand gaming services (like Google Stadia and Apple Arcade) are expected to be a major trend in the online gaming industry. These services will finally end the problem of paying for each title individually and give users a whole library of titles to enjoy in exchange for a fixed monthly fee or subscription.
Along with cloud gaming, local games connected with Indian culture and gaming habits are expected to see a big push this year. The focus will be on local languages as well as themes like popular movie franchises and festivals. To note, we have already seen a large number of players engage in Teen Patti and Rummy online app.
Online gaming will also be pushed by the advancement of fantasy gaming and the adoption of AR/VR. At present, the fantasy sports scene in India revolves around cricket. But, in 2020, we expect to see the growth of football, kabaddi, hockey, volleyball, baseball, and wrestling too. Plus, new AR/VR technologies will draw more takers, particularly those looking for an immersive gaming experience.
Local games that let you make money will continue to get attention in the near future. Currently, Classic Rummy real cash game, Pokerbaazi, Dream11, QuizWin, and Ace2Three are some titles allowing millions of Indians to make quick money.
