The Indian gaming industry is sitting on an industry explosion in the near future as mobile gaming becomes a serious capability of Indian gamers. The recent FICCI EY Media and Entertainment Industry Report 2025 says that “given India’s mobile-first gaming capabilities, the nation can become the gaming back-office of the world, adding $3.75 billion in exports annually by 2028.” FICCI EY Media and Entertainment Industry Report 2025 According to the report, esports and casual gaming grew to INR 53 B in 2024, projected to reach INR 63 B in 2025 and INR 83 B in 2026. In-app purchases are expected to grow 20% CAGR, driven by new titles, immersive gaming, cloud gaming, and digital payments. Also, esports revenue is expected to rise 13%, aided by increased prize pools (Free Fire’s return), new titles (Asphalt, Mobile Legends), and Indian games (Indus, Underworld Gang Wars, Road to Valor, FAU-G). The report particularly emphasizes that with India’s mobile-first gaming capabilities, the country has the capability to become the gaming back-office of the world, adding US$3.75 B in exports annually by 2028. This highlights India’s potential as a major player in the gaming industry, not just as a consumer but as a producer/exporter of gaming services. Pravan Parikh, Co-Founder and Product Lead, Dirtcube Interactive LLP told The Tech Panda India’s gaming story is shifting from consumer to creator, transforming from a market of consumption into a significant exporter of gaming esports innovation. The Tech Panda “The 20% market growth last year shows we’re on the right track. As our teams make their mark in international competitions and global investors eye our market’s $25-30 billion potential, India is positioned to become a significant player in the global gaming ecosystem—not just as a massive audience, but as a source of innovative gaming content and competitive talent.” — Pravan Parikh, Co-Founder & Product Lead, Dirtcube Interactive LLP “The 20% market growth last year shows we’re on the right track. As our teams make their mark in international competitions and global investors eye our market’s $25-30 billion potential, India is positioned to become a significant player in the global gaming ecosystem—not just as a massive audience, but as a source of innovative gaming content and competitive talent.” — Pravan Parikh, Co-Founder & Product Lead, Dirtcube Interactive LLP “The 20% market growth last year shows we’re on the right track. As our teams make their mark in international competitions and global investors eye our market’s $25-30 billion potential, India is positioned to become a significant player in the global gaming ecosystem—not just as a massive audience, but as a source of innovative gaming content and competitive talent.” “The 20% market growth last year shows we’re on the right track. As our teams make their mark in international competitions and global investors eye our market’s $25-30 billion potential, India is positioned to become a significant player in the global gaming ecosystem—not just as a massive audience, but as a source of innovative gaming content and competitive talent.” “The 20% market growth last year shows we’re on the right track. As our teams make their mark in international competitions and global investors eye our market’s $25-30 billion potential, India is positioned to become a significant player in the global gaming ecosystem—not just as a massive audience, but as a source of innovative gaming content and competitive talent.” “With homegrown titles gaining traction, we’re seeing Indian developers create games that appeal globally while reflecting our cultural identity. The 20% market growth last year shows we’re on the right track. As our teams make their mark in international competitions and global investors eye our market’s $25-30 billion potential, India is positioned to become a significant player in the global gaming ecosystem—not just as a massive audience, but as a source of innovative gaming content and competitive talent.” Rohit Agarwal, Founder and Director, Alpha Zegus, told The Tech Panda global gaming brands, particularly in the hardware space, have been proactively investing in the Indian market for almost a decade now, and more specifically in the past four years. The Tech Panda “With their investment, Indian stakeholders are pushing to optimize their games to these devices so they become globally compatible. With this synergy, I’m sure India stands a good chance on the global stage in innovation.” — Rohit Agarwal, Founder and Director, Alpha Zegus “With their investment, Indian stakeholders are pushing to optimize their games to these devices so they become globally compatible. With this synergy, I’m sure India stands a good chance on the global stage in innovation.” — Rohit Agarwal, Founder and Director, Alpha Zegus “With their investment, Indian stakeholders are pushing to optimize their games to these devices so they become globally compatible. With this synergy, I’m sure India stands a good chance on the global stage in innovation.” “With their investment, Indian stakeholders are pushing to optimize their games to these devices so they become globally compatible. With this synergy, I’m sure India stands a good chance on the global stage in innovation.” “With their investment, Indian stakeholders are pushing to optimize their games to these devices so they become globally compatible. With this synergy, I’m sure India stands a good chance on the global stage in innovation.” “They are aware about the potential of both – Games developed in India, and gamers consuming global gaming content. The volumes in Indian market attract such brands. With their investment, Indian stakeholders are pushing to optimize their games to these devices so they become globally compatible. With this synergy, I’m sure India stands a good chance on the global stage in innovation.” It does look like Indian esports and gaming are headed for job creation and industry expansion. This could lead to large-scale employment in game development, design, and support services. India could become a powerhouse for outsourcing game development, similar to its role in IT and BPO services. Gamification in shopping and entertainment have also gained momentum in India, with e-commerce platforms and brands increasingly incorporating interactive elements like “spin the wheel” rewards, quizzes, and challenges. Sports and entertainment broadcasters have leveraged gamification to engage over 100 million viewers in 2024. Most downloaded game genres include Simulation (22%), Arcade (19%), Puzzle (17%), Tabletop (9%), and Action (6%). Ad revenue from gaming grew 10% in 2024, driven by casual/hyper-casual games. Developers integrated native and video ads, brand partnerships for monetization, while shooting games remained the highest monetized genre in 2024. BGMI and Free Fire were the top-grossing games, leading the market in monetization. Call of Duty: Mobile secured a spot in the top 10, reinforcing the genre’s revenue potential. Upcoming Indian shooting games like Underworld Gang Wars (UGW) and FAU-G are set to boost the genre further. In addition, strategy games led by Clash of Clans and Whiteout Survival ranked among the top three most popular genres. Match games like Candy Crush Saga and Royal Puzzle secured the fourth spot in popularity. The tournament scene has been improving too. Total participation in esports tournaments crossed the 2 M mark in 2024 and is expected to reach 2.8 M in 2025. The number of esports titles is expected to rise to 20 in 2025, with several Indian games set to be published. Also, airtime and viewership continued to grow, with broadcast hours reaching 7,400 across 15 platforms in 2024 and expected to grow to 9,000 hours across 18 platforms in 2025. In fact, the prize pool across major tournaments is projected to increase from INR 187 M in 2024 to INR 250 M in 2025, driven by the return of Free Fire tournaments and new competitive titles. From an esports perspective, this signals esports becoming a more viable career path in India, which could drive increased participation, sponsorships, and mainstream acceptance. Not just casual gamers, but the number of professional esports teams is expected to grow from 36 in 2024 to 40 in 2025. Live and non-live esports broadcasts reached 7,400 hours in 2024, reflecting the increasing demand for content. India is expected to send over 30 international teams in 2025, competing in events like the Esports World Cup and global chess tournaments. Another factor, the female fan base continues to grow, with women’s engagement in gaming rising to 28% in 2025, fueled by Bollywood collaborations and more female characters in games. The number of brands investing in esports is set to rise from 68 in 2024 to 75 in 2025, as new titles and tournaments attract increased sponsorship and partnerships. The number of esports platforms grew to 18 in 2024 and is projected to reach 20 in 2025, supported by the expansion of social streaming apps. Navanwita Bora Sachdev, Editor, The Tech Panda Navanwita Bora Sachdev, Editor, The Tech Panda Navanwita Bora Sachdev, Editor, The Tech Panda Navanwita Bora Sachdev The Tech Panda

This story contains new, firsthand information uncovered by the writer.

Inside India's Mobile-First Gaming Boom

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