Advertisment

How Can India Lead the Online Game Development Industry In The Next Decade

To see India as the leader in online game development, we have to analyse our situation and understand the factors that impact this vision.

author-image
PCQ Bureau
New Update
How Can India Lead the Online Game Development Industry In The Next Decade

The answer to the question- ‘Can India become a leader in online game development in the next decade?’ is in the numbers. In 2016, India had less than 10 firms in digital gaming and esports. Today, we have more than 140 companies in the same field. Users have gone up from 2 million in 2016 to more than 90 million today. In case you aren’t convinced, here’s another statistic, as per a FICCI-EY report - The online gaming segment reached INR 65 billion in 2019, and is estimated to value INR 187 billion by 2022.

Advertisment

To see India as the leader in online game development in the next decade, we have to analyse our past and present situation within the country and understand the factors that impact this vision. Here are some of them:

Impetus by the government and the ban on Chinese apps

The Union Education Ministry has lent its support to online gaming to generate employment opportunities. They have announced a national level hackathon for online games to provide Indian students, from higher educational institutions, a chance to showcase their talents.

Advertisment

The Prime Minister has supported this initiative, stating there is huge potential in the area and that India should lead the international digital gaming sector. Another impetus has been provided by the ban on 224 Chinese apps, which has included extremely popular online games.

This offers a great opportunity to homegrown game development companies to gain market share, and also generate high-quality interactive games for Indian audiences.

Rise of online fantasy games

Advertisment

Before the ban and the impetus provided by the government, online fantasy gaming was already on the rise. In this form of gaming, fans can create their teams, including real players that will take part in the upcoming matches.

Varun Gajjar, Founder, Whomp Varun Gajjar, Founder, Whomp

A report by the Federation of Indian Fantasy Sports (FIFS) and KPMG revealed that fantasy sports have grown by more than INR 1,500 crores in the short span of a year. As per the Indian Federation of Sports Gaming, nearly 77% of these people are taking part in cricket competitions, with sports like football, kabaddi and hockey expected to witness a rapid rise.

Advertisment

Accessibility to online and mobile gaming

India is the second-largest online market in the world, with over 560 million internet users. This is expected to rise to 650 million internet users by 2023. This rapid internet penetration has given rise to mobile gaming, with people in all parts of the country having access to phones.

It has resulted in a shift in how games are played. Earlier, games were only played on PCs and consoles. Now, smartphones are becoming a preferred, cheaper and convenient option for online gaming.

Advertisment

This digital revolution, which has been accelerated by the lockdown, has also seen a rise in digital payments. A report by PwC and the Payment Council of India has stated that India is likely to have a share of 2.2 % in the global digital payments market by 2023.

Availability of quality games

There has been a rise in the number of game developers, increasing from 25 in 2010 to 275 in 2019. This is due to the IT talent present in the country, making it a popular destination for gaming companies.

Advertisment

Indian gaming apps have also been dominating app-based stores due to their popularity and audience interest. They have not only acquired millions of users within India but also have been generating substantial revenue as well. These Indian apps also saw a sharp increase in active users during the lockdown, one such is an Indian ludo-based gaming app.

Also, VR technologies are increasingly becoming available at affordable rates. Consumers also want games to be developed in local languages that they relate to, with Indian language internet users expected to rise to 540 million in 2021, as per a KPMG in India and Google report.

Foreseeing new advancements in technology, game development, creativity and design. Also, these factors contributing to the rapid growth of the online gaming market in India. We are positioned to become a leader in online game development in the next decade. Also, positive initiatives for the gaming industry, entrepreneurs, talent at the micro and macro levels within the country will play a significant role in encouraging online game development in India.

Author: Varun Gajjar, Founder, Whomp

Advertisment