New Delhi: India’s video gaming industry has crossed a significant milestone, with market revenue surpassing the $1 billion mark for the first time in 2025. According to the latest market forecasts released by Niko Partners, India generated $1.04 billion in gaming revenue in 2025, representing a robust 14.8% year-on-year growth, and is projected to emerge as the fastest-growing gaming market across Asia and the Middle East over the next five years.
The market intelligence and consulting firm forecasts India’s gaming revenue to rise by another 14% in 2026, reaching nearly $1.2 billion, before expanding to approximately $1.77 billion by 2030, reflecting a five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.2%.
The report highlights India as the standout growth story among the 13 markets tracked by Niko Partners across Asia and the MENA region, underlining the country’s increasing importance in the global gaming ecosystem.
More Than Half a Billion Gamers
India’s gaming audience has also reached unprecedented scale. Niko Partners estimates that the country had 511 million gamers in 2025, making it one of the largest gaming populations globally.
That figure is expected to increase to over 550 million players in 2026 and further expand to nearly 707 million gamers by 2030, translating into a five-year CAGR of 6.7%.
The growth reflects the continued proliferation of affordable smartphones, expanding internet access, increasing digital payments adoption, and greater acceptance of gaming as a mainstream entertainment activity.
Government Support Driving Momentum
According to the report, one of the key factors supporting long-term industry expansion is the increasing recognition and support gaming is receiving from policymakers.
Niko Partners notes that regulatory clarity and growing government engagement with the gaming sector are helping reduce the social stigma historically associated with video games. The shift is encouraging broader participation while also strengthening gaming’s legitimacy as a potential career path, particularly through content creation, game development, and esports.
Industry stakeholders have also welcomed recent efforts by both central and state governments to engage with the gaming ecosystem, viewing them as important steps toward fostering innovation and investment.
Mobile Gaming Remains the Growth Engine
While India’s gaming ecosystem spans mobile, PC, and console platforms, mobile gaming continues to dominate the market and is expected to remain the primary driver of revenue growth.
The report indicates that future monetisation will be fuelled not only by expanding player numbers but also by increasing spending from affluent gaming audiences. The proportion of high-spending and super-high-spending users is expected to grow steadily over the next five years, contributing significantly to market value expansion.
This trend suggests that India’s gaming economy is gradually evolving from a scale-driven market to one increasingly supported by paying users and deeper engagement.
Beyond Battle Royale: Genre Diversification Emerging
One of the more notable shifts identified by Niko Partners is the gradual diversification of player preferences.
While battle royale titles have historically dominated India’s gaming landscape, players are increasingly engaging with a broader range of genres, including casual, strategy, simulation, role-playing, and social gaming experiences.
This diversification is creating new opportunities for developers and publishers seeking to address wider audience segments, including female gamers and older demographics.
The report also highlights continued engagement with legacy PC gaming titles, demonstrating that India’s gaming ecosystem is becoming increasingly multi-platform rather than exclusively mobile-centric.
Esports and Content Ecosystem Gaining Ground
Esports is expected to play an increasingly important role in sustaining player engagement and expanding gaming culture in India.
Growing tournament participation, creator-driven communities, livestreaming ecosystems, and professional gaming opportunities are helping strengthen the overall gaming value chain. Rising esports engagement is likely to encourage longer play sessions, greater community participation, and increased spending within gaming ecosystems.
Industry observers have noted that India’s esports sector continues to attract investment despite broader economic uncertainties, positioning the country as a potential long-term competitive gaming hub.
India Leads Regional Growth
The broader Asia and MENA gaming market remains resilient despite global economic uncertainty, geopolitical tensions, and shifting trade dynamics.
Niko Partners forecasts total gaming revenue across Asia and MENA to increase from $88.9 billion in 2025 to $103.6 billion by 2030.
Within this landscape, India stands out as the fastest-growing market by revenue, ahead of even the rapidly expanding Middle East markets. The MENA-3 region—comprising Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Egypt—is projected to be the second-fastest-growing market cluster, while Southeast Asian nations such as Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines are also expected to post strong gains.
Meanwhile, mature markets including China, Japan, and South Korea will continue to account for the bulk of regional gaming revenues, representing nearly 89% of total player spending across the tracked markets by 2030.
Industry Outlook
Looking ahead, Niko Partners expects several structural trends to shape India’s gaming industry, including stronger government support, increased participation in esports, deeper engagement with non-battle royale genres, continued strength in mobile gaming, and growing consumer willingness to spend on premium gaming experiences.
As India moves toward becoming a nearly $1.8 billion gaming market by 2030, the country is increasingly being viewed not just as a large player base, but as one of the world’s most important growth engines for the global gaming industry.
