In July, we participated in the IGX Creator Summit 2021 – specifically, our SVP of the APAC region, Tom Simpson, spoke about how to get your First Break in Gaming in India. Together with fellow panelists Vibhav V – MPL Gaming, Poornima Seetharaman – Zynga, Ahad Oomerbhoy – Singular Scheme, and Kashyap Singha Phukan – Psypher Interactive, Tom also explored how India matures as a gaming market and thrives as a hub for game development. Below are some key takeaways of the panel discussion:
How has India’s gaming industry grown over the years?
The gaming industry in India has grown 60% over the last 3 years – not just in the space of game development, but also as a mainstream entertainment option. Tom observed that there has been more recognition in India on the importance of gaming and esports as part of the wider culture.
This phenomenon has definitely accelerated with the COVID-19 pandemic, where we saw a shift in media and entertainment consumption trends. KPMG estimated a 20% contraction in 2020 in traditional forms of entertainment such as film, TV, and print. In contrast, they foresee rapid change to gaming consumption, projecting global growth bouncing up to 113% to reach $3.91 billion in 2025.
The surge in gaming, especially on mobile, came from a growing need for virtual entertainment with friends and family. Mobile games serve as virtual social spaces fulfilling consumers’ needs to connect in challenging times. Gaming also cuts across geographies and permeates both tier 1 and 2 cities, and urban and rural areas alike. For instance, PUBG Mobile had an estimated 34 million Indians playing daily and Indians alone were responsible for downloading the game a whopping 175 million times.
In short, India has over 600 million internet users, making it the second-largest internet consumer base. That is almost half a billion people who could potentially play games every day on their mobile phones – an opportunity that brands who want to advertise in India should not miss!
What does this mean for brands and marketers?
In Tom’s final remarks, he mentioned that gaming is becoming the “everything platform”. With deepening penetration around demographics, gaming will become the platform where we spend time, where we hang out – where everything exists.
As such, whether it is through crafting strategies around rewarded advertisements or sponsoring esports teams, brands and marketers should start seeing gaming as a viable medium to reach intended audiences.
About The IGX Creators Summit 2021
The IGX Creators Summit is a unique initiative that focuses on creative processes that go into creating games and gaming content. Featuring some of India’s most talented game developers, studios creating world-class games, as well as some of India’s most influential content creators, the Summit is a 2-day digital event aiming to create a platform that showcases the creativity in the gaming ecosystem.
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