Mumbai: India’s mobile gaming industry has established one of the world’s most cost-efficient user acquisition ecosystems, but improving player retention will be critical to unlocking long-term growth, according to the India Gaming Growth Outlook 2026 report released by AI-powered mobile advertising platform Mintegral.
The report, developed with insights from the Game Developer Association of India (GDAI), Singular and Insightrackr, found that while Android user acquisition costs in India are nearly 20 times lower than the global average, 75% of mobile games analysed in the country recorded Day-30 retention rates below 3%, highlighting the challenge of sustaining player engagement after installation.
According to the report, fewer than one in 33 users remain active a month after downloading a game, indicating significant opportunities for developers to improve retention and monetisation strategies.
Drawing on data collected between January and April 2026, the report suggests that India’s large and cost-efficient user base provides developers with an attractive testing ground for scaling original intellectual property (IP), direct publishing models and international expansion, particularly as the industry adapts to regulatory changes affecting the real-money gaming (RMG) segment.
The study found that while global user acquisition costs are significantly higher than in India across multiple gaming genres, long-term value creation depends on improving player engagement and monetisation rather than focusing solely on installs.
It also noted that Indian studios rely on fewer acquisition channels than leading global developers, suggesting room to diversify marketing strategies and audience acquisition efforts.
Among other findings, the report highlighted that Indian gamers demonstrate strong initial interest in gaming advertisements, with click-through rates exceeding global averages across several genres. However, lower video completion rates indicate opportunities to improve sustained engagement and player loyalty.
Mintegral also introduced a four-stage growth maturity framework for game developers, ranging from install-focused strategies to value-optimised models, suggesting that many Indian studios are still in the early stages of evolving towards long-term player value and revenue optimisation.
Commenting on the report, Phoena Pang, VP of Global Partnerships at Mintegral said, “India has already proven that it can build at scale. The next chapter for this market is not only about how many players a studio can bring in, but which players stay. We are seeing India’s most ambitious studios move beyond the install race and build more durable businesses through original IP, owned audiences, and clearer paths to global markets. That shift is exactly why we continue to invest here for the long run.”
