An increasing number of Indian gamers are willing to spend money for games, with super-hardcore gamers spending twice as much money as their casual counterparts
SILICON VALLEY, Calif. – September 11, 2024 – About 2 out of 3 gamers in India across all platforms state that having fun in a game is their primary motivator to spend money on it as opposed to other factors including discounts and whether friends are playing it. Super-hardcore gamers (those who play more than 30 hours per week) spend 2.2x more on video games each month on average than casual gamers who only play 1-10 hours per week. In short, India’s gamers are now transitioning from playing games entirely for free to spending money in and on games that meet their expectations, as revealed in the Niko Partners 2024 India Gamer Behavior & Market Insights Report.
Niko’s 2024 India Gamer Behavior & Market Insights Report details play and market dynamics in India, including gamer behavior, spending, hours played, preferred platforms, esports, and M&A, among others. It complements Niko Partners’ 2024 India Market Model Report, which was published in May. Key takeaways from Niko Partners’ India Market Model Report can be found here.
“In 2024, India’s gamers are more discerning and more willing to spend money on gaming than they were just a few years ago,” said Lisa Hanson, CEO, Niko Partners. “The 5-year CAGR of 11.1% that we forecast for India’s video games industry (to $1.4 billion by 2028) is based on trends including increased playtime and spending, greater engagement with esports, increased investment from the private sector, and support from both central and state governments to build the video games and esports industry.”
Some key takeaways and trends from Niko’s 2024 India Gamer Behavior & Market Insights Report include:
Monetization opportunities: More Indian gamers are willing to spend money for games
- 77.3% of PC gamers self-reported that they spent more on PC games in Q1 2024 compared to the same period last year, higher than mobile and console.
- Paying female gamers spend 8.5% more per month on games than their male counterparts.
- We expect rising disposable incomes, along with increased high-end penetration of smartphones and mobile-first esports tournaments, will result in increased engagement, and consequently, higher ARPU figures.
Continued popularity of battle royale and shooters
- 57% of mobile gamers in India have played a battle royale title in the past 3 months, with BGMI and Free Fire leading the way, while 6 in 10 mobile game spenders surveyed have purchased a battle pass or season pass.
Esports frenzy in India
- 65.4% of respondents are engaged with esports through playing, watching, or competing in tournaments. Those that engage with esports spend 12% more on gaming, on average, compared to those that do not engage with esports.
The power of peers and influencers:
- 57.2% of India’s gamers discover new titles via streamers and influencers.
- The ability to play with or against friends online, and popularity among peers and reviewers, emerged as the two most influential factors for gamers in India when choosing a new game to play per our survey, suggesting that social elements and community endorsement hold significant sway in game selection.
The Gamer Behavior & Market Insights report is a part of Niko’s all-new Games Market Report Series. Niko will publish a set of three reports for each of the 13 markets that we track: China, India, East Asia (Japan, Korea), Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam), and MENA (Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates). The set consists of an Annual Market Model Report, an Annual Gamer Behavior & Market Insights Reports, and a Six-Month Market Model Update. The Gamer Behavior and Market Insights includes gamer survey results, trends analysis, M&A, internet café trends, regulations, and esports analysis, among others. Additional data on India’s video games industry is available on NikoIQ, Niko Partners’ online interactive dashboard. Niko Partners surveyed more than 1,000 gamers in India in April 2024 as one of the numerous inputs to the research.
For more information visit:
https://nikopartners.com/india-games-market-report/
About Niko Partners:
Niko Partners is the world’s leading global market research firm focused on 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. We provide the local market context behind our data, your data and other third-party data analytics you may refer to. 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, online SaaS tools, 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. Detailed coverage areas include China, East Asia (Japan, Korea), Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam), India, and MENA (Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and UAE). The company is based in Silicon Valley, with offices in Shanghai, Bangkok, Jakarta, and London. Learn more at www.nikopartners.com, or contact research@nikopartners.com to arrange a no-obligation introductory meeting.