Currently, mobile games earn a revenue of $68.5 billion in the global gaming market and as per the trends, the figures are only going to increase in the coming years. People of all ages and from varied walks of life enjoy playing games on their portable devices and this inclination has seen a sharp rise in the past few years. These apps are available for free and the multiple genres make them all the more irresistible. Many industry experts believe that mobile gaming has the potential to take over the entertainment industry. Let us delve into the following lines if this is achievable.Â
About 3 billion people worldwide play games and by the end of next year, the revenue is expected to touch $250 billion. It is because of these figures that the gaming market is all set to take over the entertainment industry (music and movie). The mobile gaming growth per se is a huge part of the gaming market share as stated above. There are many reasons for their popularity and the major ones are as follows:
Reasons for mobile gaming growth in the gaming market
- Advancement in technology
From the time that mobile phones were introduced until now, there has been much advancement in their technology as a whole. They have become a big part of our lives as we use them to browse, shop, search for information, play games and communicate, among others. So, after a busy day, you can pick your mobile phone which is always with you, and de-stress yourself without much ado. Another factor is the use of AR and VR in games for offering an immersive experience.
- Accessibility to smartphones
Smartphones are available at reasonable prices and using these, mobile games can be downloaded for free. These are readily available on app stores and based on your preferred genre of games, you can download them at any point in time.
- Reasonably priced data plans
In addition to the devices, data plans have also become quite reasonable. This is another reason why mobile games have become popular worldwide, and particularly in India.
- Online mobile gaming
A type of mobile gaming, this trend is best suited for all those who love wearable devices. Internet connectivity is needed to play such games and players often create communities for specific online games to create a sense of belonging.
A boom in the gaming industry can also be attributed to the year-long lockdown mode the world is currently experiencing owing to the pandemic. People are restricted from going out in their free time and therefore, the time spent on mobile games has increased. They are not backing from spending money on in-app purchases and this is yet another reason for the rise in revenue. Let us now discuss the gaming industry in India.
Current status of the gaming industry in India
According to recent studies, the market value of India’s gaming industry is estimated to go up to over 143 billion rupees by 2022. More than 65% of this is from mobile games. This demographic is between the age groups of 35 and 50 globally and India is known for its young population. Therefore, more people download and play mobile games in their free time, leading to a stupendous growth in the revenue as a whole.Â
Mobile gaming and entertainment industry comparison as a whole
Globally, mobile gaming growth has resulted in surpassing the revenues earned from the entertainment industry. One of the main reasons for it is that movie theatres across the globe are mostly closed for the past year owing to the coronavirus pandemic. The best accessible form of entertainment for people is playing games on portable devices. Some of these can be played without the availability of the internet as well and just by downloading them, people can get hours of entertainment from the comforts of their homes.
Though the entertainment industry includes music, books, radio, and TV shows, a boom in gaming is due to the fact that it offers a sense of accomplishment. When players get past the levels and score high points, they are incentivized to continue playing. They can play mobile games with friends and family and enjoy having to share something special with them on a daily basis. So, the day is not far when the gaming market will take over any other forms of entertainment owing to the experience the former offers to the people.