Current Trends Transforming the Indian Gaming Landscape

 

Indian gamers are no different from other gamers. They come home from work and unwind with their favorite game. But unlike mature Western gamers, Indians are seeing their gaming market booming relatively recently. With cheap smartphones and the internet being available to many, gaming has become accessible to a large crowd. A rich cultural background offers game developers plenty of ideas. Moreover, Indian players have found a way to demonstrate their talent through the growth of esports and other global gaming trends. All in all, a very promising set of factors. And what about the current trends?

Mobile Gaming Leading the Charge

The mobile gaming sector is particularly developed in India and is leading the world in app downloads. Between 2021 and 2022, game revenues jumped by 21% — a number expected to reach INR 231 billion (or $28 billion) by 2025 with an additional predicted growth of about twenty percent. Fantasy sports are among the biggest contributors, with a user base of 180 million people, more than any other country. It’s estimated to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of thirty-three percent reaching INR 25,300 by 2027. Another factor pushing these numbers up is significant investment into Indian gaming – $2.8 billion raised over five years. In fact, there have been three unicorns born here: Game24x7, Dream11, and Mobile Premier League – all becoming major gaming industry players.

Localized Gaming Experience as an Important Trend

Video game localization is not just a simple translation. Successful localization requires a deep understanding of both the game and the target culture, something usually best done by local development teams. Good localization thus considers cultural nuances, including humor, symbols, and references. But it’s also about using local themes and local games specific for a region or a country. Game developers reflect this by making various titles, like Jhandi Munda for instance, that can be found at https://casinodays2.com/in/jhandi-munda, among many others. Video game creators can find a wealth of concepts in Indian mythology, which includes a wide variety of deities, gods, monsters and legends. These old stories provide different narratives that can be turned into fun games with interesting characters and settings. However, we have a feeling Indian mythology was not explored to its fullest potential, so that’s perhaps something we will see more of in the mainstream sometime in the future.

India and Global Gaming Trends

Indian gaming scene closely mimics broader, global trends. Everything from cloud gaming, VR and AR. The usual suspects. Esports are another major trend in India, despite the country lacking proper infrastructure for competitive gaming. The growth is mostly fueled by mobile esports titles. Combined with huge smartphone adoption rates, the mobile esports movement can’t be ignored. It’s not surprising the rise of mobile gaming also transformed how Indians consume media and interact with brands. In-game advertising and brand partnerships have become another major trend, especially with localized versions of gaming platforms. It’s a combined effort for an increasingly important gaming market. Not surprising, considering India is the most populous country, right?

Government Initiatives Pushing for Changes

The Indian government is making considerable progress towards developing the gaming industry. To this effect, a National Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comic (AVGC) Centre of Excellence in partnership with IIT Bombay has been set up. This project’s aim is to encourage skill development and innovation within the AVGC sector. At the state level, Karnataka and Telangana are leading by example through their specific policies on AVGC. These policies seek investment attraction, job creation as well as creating an enabling environment for game companies to thrive. The two states recognize that the gaming industry can contribute immensely towards economic growth and technological advancement. Furthermore, the establishment of an AVGC Task Force will be done by the government which will implement strategies aimed at unlocking potential in the gaming industry among other things like identifying challenges faced or proposing solutions needed to propel it forward.

All these initiatives show how serious India’s government is about developing its gaming sector where they envision a future where India becomes a global hub for all things related to interactive play – not only does this benefit those involved but also opens up new pathways for employment opportunities and economic development. And that’s something India is very serious about, on all fronts.