The growth of the Indian Esports industry over the years has been impressive, and by 2027, it's expected to reach $140 million.
The Indian esports industry is growing rapidly and has an exciting future. In 2022, it was worth $40 million, and by 2027, it's expected to reach $140 million with a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 32%.
This huge growth is due to more millennials playing mobile and PC video games, a strong interest in online gaming tournaments, and great opportunities for game developers, gamers, and influencers.
The State of India Gaming Report 2022, conducted by AWS (Amazon Web Services) and Lumikai, highlights several key trends shaping the industry’s future. Let's jump into the details of this report.
The Growth Trajectory of Indian Esports
In 2021, esports made up about two percent of India's online gaming market. The Indian government noticed its importance and officially included esports in multi-sports events in 2022. This decision encouraged more sponsorships and people to take part. As a result, India started hosting many national and international gaming competitions, with the biggest one being the Battlegrounds Mobile India Pro Series.
If we look at the growth of the Indian Esports industry over the years, it has been impressive:
| Year | Estimated Market Size |
| 2021 | Rs. 250 Crore |
| 2023 | US $200.7 Million |
| 2024 | (Projected) US $919.0 Million |
| 2025 | (Projected) Rs. 1100 Crore |
Another big reason for the growth of esports in India is the rise of social media and online streaming platforms. Indian gamers can now show off their skills to a global audience on platforms like YouTube Gaming and Facebook Gaming. This has allowed them to create communities and connect with a huge number of viewers.
Representation in the International Esports Arena
India is getting better at esports and is catching up with other top countries in the field. It's expected that by the financial year 2025, about 1.5 million people in India will be esports athletes. Also, more esports teams are getting ready to compete nationally and internationally.
Big gamers, known as gaming influencers, have represented several esports arenas in the country. For instance, BGMI (previously known as PUBG) is a very popular battle royale game. It has organized many international tournaments, and many Indian esports players have competed in these events.
Jonathan Gaming, for example, is the most-watched gaming channel on YouTube. He is a member of Godlike Esports. He was chosen to represent India at the 2021 PUBG Mobile Global Championship, and even though he finished in fourth place at the BGIS 2021 tournament, his team ranked #13 in that championship. Then, in the 2020 PMIS Semifinals, Jonathan made 16 kills, which is the most any player has ever made in a tournament.
Moreover, in 2022, India showed its esports skills by qualifying for the esports part of the Asian Games 2022, which got postponed. In September 2023, 18 players represented India in five games: League of Legends, FIFA22, DOTA2, Street Fighter V, and Hearthstone.
Explosive Player Base Growth and High-End Smartphones
The number of esports players in the country has seen a significant increase, growing from 150,000 in 2021 to 600,000 in 2022, marking a four-fold increase within a year. This growth trend is expected to continue, with projections suggesting that the player base will grow 2.5 times over the next five years.
The study also reveals that a significant 98% of gamers in India prefer to play games on their smartphones. This is a testament to the accessibility and convenience offered by mobile gaming, which has become a key driver of the esports industry in the country.
Furthermore, the data shows that 23% of gamers also play on PCs/laptops and 14% on gaming consoles, indicating a diverse gaming landscape.
However, the dominance of mobile gaming underscores the potential of the smartphone as a platform for esports in India.
This surge in player numbers and new trends are the key factors driving the growth of the Indian esports industry.
Demographics and Motivations
The esports demographic in India is quite varied, with 50% of gamers falling between the ages of 18 and 30. Surprisingly, women spend more time playing games each week than men do. On average, women play for 11.2 hours, while men play for 10.2 hours.
When it comes to motivations, relaxation emerged as the top reason for gamers, accounting for over 50% of the responses. This was followed by making money (13%), killing time (12%), and socializing (11%).
Gaming used to be seen as just a hobby or a waste of time. But now, people think differently about it. The growth of eSports and the achievements of Indian gamers on the world stage have changed this view. Their success has shown that gaming can be a real career, inspiring many to compete internationally and make good money.
Furthermore, the Indian government is also motivating young talents in esports gaming. Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a special meeting with some of India's top gamers, including:
- Tirth Mehta (@gcttirth)
- Payal Dhare (@PAYALGAMING)
- Animesh Agarwal (@8bitthug)
- Anshu Bisht (@GamerFleet)
- Naman Mathur (@MortaLyt)
- Mithilesh Patankar (Mythpat)
- Ganesh Gangadhar (@SkRossi)
During the meeting, he joined in on gaming sessions, showing his excitement for the growing gaming industry. This event highlighted the government's recognition of gaming as an important cultural and economic activity.
These insights into the demographics and motivations of gamers are crucial. It helps us figure out what's making the industry grow so fast.
The Future of Indian Esports
Well, the future of Indian esports looks very bright. The gaming market in India is expected to grow from $2.6 billion in 2022 to $8.6 billion in 2027.
Esports specifically in India has been growing rapidly, thanks to mobile gaming, online streaming, tournaments, and leagues. India's young population, with a median age of 28.2 years, is also helping the esports industry thrive.
Moreover, the number of professional gamers and gaming communities is increasing, which helps the industry grow. More brands are also interested in partnering with gaming and esports organizations in India.
India keeps on downloading more games than any other place on the planet, showing that esports here has a bright and thrilling future. And with all these changes and stats, the future of esports in India indeed looks very promising.