Women now make up 37% of gamers in Asia, with room to grow in number and revenue
SILICON VALLEY, Calif. – July 6, 2023 – Niko Partners, the world’s leading market research firm covering video games and esports in Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa, today announced the results of its latest comprehensive analysis on female gamers in Asia. Insights from the research show that female gamers account for 37% of the total gamer population in Asia – one of the fastest growing video gaming and esports markets in the world. This percentage is forecasted to grow even further as female gamers play a more prominent role in shaping the video games market as developers, gamers, influencers, and consumers.
“The female gamers segment is a formidable force in the video games market,” said Lisa Hanson, CEO and founder of Niko Partners. “We are seeing rising awareness on the benefits of incorporating a female-friendly approach to game development and marketing strategies. Companies seeking to enter or expand in the Asian market should consider hiring women that can help shape future game titles, create marketing campaigns, and influence the portrayal of women in video games.”
Key takeaways from this report include:
- The female gamer market has a significant growth potential in Asia, already 37% of total gamers and currently growing at a rate of 11% per year, nearly double that of new male gamers.
- Female gamers make up approximately 23.5% of total revenue for the games market in Asia but has the potential to more than double in size over the next few years as the female gamer market continues to inch closer to parity with that of male gamers.
- Female gamers in Asia predominantly are playing on mobile, but there are indications that PC and console have lots of room for growth. There are opportunities for developers and publishers on all 3 platforms.
- Although the majority of female gamers are casual gamers, there is a growing number of female Gen Z gamers playing competitive games and esports genre.
- Esports can be a key driver of monetization and growth among female gamers. Women who engage in esports either through livestreaming, competing, or playing esports games, are far more likely to spend money and time playing and consuming esports content.
- More than half of gamers we surveyed are dissatisfied with how women are portrayed in games and special attention should be paid to more diverse representation of female appearances in avatars and characters, as well as community wide call for improvement in gender discrimination among gamers and negative online interactions.
“We’re excited to see this latest research report from Niko Partners, the rapid growth of female gamers in Asia and hope that this trend will expand around the globe,” said Madeline Di Nonno, President & CEO of the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media. “With female gamers accounting for nearly 25% of total revenue for the Asian market there is a not only a social imperative but a business imperative to create more inclusive storytelling and improve how female characters are portrayed in games.”
“Games should embrace all genders. Inclusivity provides an opportunity to capitalize on the growing number of female gamers,” continued Ms. Hanson. “Companies should consider inclusivity in game design but also community-level efforts to engage more with the female audience in a welcoming and safe way.”
For the 2023 report, Niko Partners interviewed industry leaders and conducted a proprietary survey of 7,548 gamers in 11 Asian markets, of which nearly half were female. The diversity within Niko’s own team in terms of gender, cultures, and nationalities also helped to enrich the research. Contact us for more information on our methodology for our ongoing market intelligence services and reports.
For more information, check out the 32-pages report
https://nikopartners.com/female-gamers-in-asia/
ABOUT NIKO PARTNERS
Niko Partners is the world’s leading market research firm covering video games and esports in Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa. Leveraging unmatched local expertise with a global perspective, Niko Partners delivers the most in-depth market intelligence on the world’s fastest-growing regions. With our deeper understanding of these markets, game developers, publishers, investors, and suppliers can make smarter business decisions with the utmost confidence. Our detailed reports, subscription insights, and custom consulting services dig into the details of nuanced, complex markets, empowering firms with a stake in the video game and esports ecosystems to make the right moves for their organizations. Coverage areas include East Asia (Japan, S. Korea, Chinese Taipei), China, Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam), India, and MENA (Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Egypt in North Africa). The company is based in Silicon Valley, with offices in Shanghai, Bangkok, Jakarta, and London. Learn more at www.nikopartners.com