Unveiling gaming evolution: A journey through the history of online gaming

After bursting into the scene only a few years ago, 50% of internet users in India are now gamers, while one in three is spending funds for the same. From playing a rummy game to building a fantasy cricket team, Indian gamers are estimated to have tripled since 2017. 

The meteoric growth journey of online gaming in India is driven by several key factors that continue to provide it the tailwind. The generational knowledge of rummy rules and the fascination for cricket and football pushes real-money gaming to higher highs, while a timely telecommunication revolution nurtured the industry with an optimal ecosystem. After a prolonged understated presence in the gaming scene, India is a major force in the global market today.

Overview of Online Gaming in India

India has witnessed a brief yet accelerated evolution of online gaming in the last two decades, unlike the gradual growth of the industry globally. From video games like Nimrod and Spacewar! in the 1950s, and Maze War and Mud in the 1970s, to Sega introducing online versions of arcade games, the evolution of online games was gradual. Even the likes of Xbox and PlayStation have been around for more than two decades now. 

India, on the other hand, was largely unaffected by the early multiplayer games to arcade games, console games and browser games - until its giant leap into the world of mobile gaming. Rapid smartphone penetration and availability of affordable data meant that Indians could just click and play with their fingertips. It is, therefore, no surprise that 94% of Indian gamers prefer mobile gaming, with only 9% and 4% preferring PC and console games, respectively. With the introduction of familiar gaming content like rummy game, millions of Indians found excellent recreational value in mobile gaming. Phenomenal growth ensued.

Indian Gaming Evolution:

A recent report titled “Robust Fundamentals to Power Continued Growth” claims that India accounts for around 20% of mobile game downloads across the world, with 9.5 billion game downloads in 2023. That’s more than the countries with the second and third highest downloads combined, the US and Brazil. India is estimated to have 568 million online gamers, making it the largest gaming market in the world. It is estimated that up to 100 million of them are regular gamers. The rapid evolution of online gaming in India has made it the country’s fourth-largest segment in the media and entertainment sector. By next year, the market value of the online games industry in India is expected to be ₹231 billion. It is expected to grow at a CAGR of 20% per annum. 

Real-Money Gaming: The Key Pillar of Gaming in India

Real-money gaming is substantial in the Indian online gaming ecosystem. With more than 400 real-money gaming platforms, the sub-segment controlled more than 82% of the market share in 2022-23. Real-money gaming also contributes ₹75,000 crores in indirect taxes, apart from another ₹6,500-6,800 crores in income tax.

Within real-money gaming, the most popular variants are card-based games, fantasy sports and lottery-based games. There are more than 150 million real-money gamers in India, with an average spend of $45 per year. The introduction of online games that appealed to the local sensibilities played a part in the popularity of online games in India. 

Drivers of Indian Online Gaming: Content and Beyond

Localised content has been a key driver in the growth of online gaming in India. It continues to remain a key area of opportunity for the industry. Developing localised gaming content has proved to be a quick win for Indian gaming platforms. For instance, in-depth knowledge of rummy rules inspired gamers to play the game in the online format. Similarly, playing fantasy cricket was easy, as almost every Indian is a cricket expert in their own right.

A similar approach is visible in the fantasy sports domain, where Indian history and mythology, landscapes and stories are inspiring new game developments. 72% of Indian gamers prefer the use of local language, with eight Indian languages preferred by more than 20 million gamers or more. New-age gaming is integrating vernacular capabilities as a part of content localisation in gaming. 

The growth of the industry must also be attributed to the impetus for responsible gaming by online gaming platforms. This includes strong self-regulation, measures to ensure player well-being, and fair play initiatives, to name a few. For instance, the rummy platform Playship provides secure payment channels, bot-free and randomisation certifications, and stringent fair play monitoring. These measures assure gamers that they get a fair and safe gaming platform.

Growing Strong

The gaming industry can expect to witness rapid technological advancements in the days to come. The evolution will continue as integrations around technologies/concepts like blockchain, cloud gaming, AR/VR experience, etc., unfold further. Exciting times await the Indian online gaming industry.