What you need to know about India’s video game market

While socially-motivated gaming such as card games at festivals has always been part of the Indian fabric, video games have had a much slower uptake for reasons that will seem familiar to many: a waste of time, no career or financial prospects, interferes with studies, etc. And while it isn’t hard these days to identify a gamer in India (observe people on their morning commutes), what has changed, and pivotally so, is gaming becoming an accepted part of daily routines across the demographic spectrum. Seventy-year-old grandmothers now play Candy Crush in the same room as their 17-year-old granddaughter playing Battlegrounds Mobile India, while office workers are quite likely to use their lunch break to get in a quick fix of their favorite football title.

Spending forms the other part of this pivotal moment. We estimate that the India video games market will surpass $1 billion in player spending with over 500 million gamers, making it the fastest growing market we track across Asia & MENA. Niko Partners first started tracking the India video games market nearly a decade ago, with full coverage initiated in 2020. We’re well-positioned to assess the market’s trajectory, structural and regulatory shifts, gamer behavior, and strategic opportunities for companies seeking to succeed here.

In May 2025 we released our India Market Model Report and in October 2025 we released our India Gamer Behavior & Market Insights Report. Download the key takeaways by filling out the form below:

Key takeaways from our reports include:

We estimate that India will surpass 500 million gamers in 2025.

Player spending is forecast to exceed $1 billion in 2025.

Approximately 95 % of gamers in India play on mobile devices.

Women now comprise approximately 40 % of gamers in India, up from 22 % five years ago (2020).

60% of gamers in India have engaged with esports, which we define as having played an esports game, watched an esports event, or competed in an esports tournament.

Battle Royale remains the #1 video game genre in India. 40% of respondents say they will play a Battle Royale game multiple times over the next 12 months.

Social Media (58.7%), Short Video Apps (46.6%), and influencers / streamers (45.3%) are the top ways gamers in India obtain information about video games.

Approximately 26.5 % of gamers are spenders, which equates to roughly 126 million paying gamers.

India is the fastest growing market in Asia & MENA, and our forecast shows the market will reach $1.5 billion in player spending by 2028 and 724 million gamers by 2029 (which would equal roughly the current number of gamers in China today).

Why it’s the right time to enter India

India is not a plug-and-play market. We believe any successful strategy here will require a long-term approach given still-developing attitudes to games and esports. Rising revenue and gamer numbers should not hide the fact that India comprises several markets, each with its own nuances that require careful study. We recommend companies conduct smaller experiments first to understand audience response before scaling.

In our view the time is ripe to enter India. Gamers are expanding beyond battle-royale and casual titles, UPI is ubiquitous, 5G is rolling out, localization barriers are moderate, government support is growing, and more gamers are starting to spend. For companies that adopt a localized, mobile-first, live-ops-driven strategy, India offers one of the most compelling growth opportunities in Asia & MENA today.

For over 2 decades, Niko Partners delivers in-depth market intelligence through syndicated reports, subscription-based insights, and tailored consulting—empowering our clients navigate the fast-evolving Asia and MENA games markets. Contact us to learn more about our India regional package.