Mumbai: A survey among business leaders and industry stakeholders reveals that in 2025, 40% of Indian esports and gaming organisations will prioritise new IP development, followed by 30% focsusing on monetising existing IPs
60% of survey respondents are confident in BGMI’s continued dominance, while 40% foresee potential challengers; among contenders, 70% believe Free Fire is the most likely to challenge BGMI, followed by Valorant at 20%
AFK Gaming, an gaming and esports media company, which was recently acquired by Nodwin Gaming, has unveiled its latest report, ‘India’s Gaming & Esports Landscape 2025,’ offering an in-depth analysis of the industry’s projected growth, emerging trends, and challenges.
The report, based on data-driven insights and a survey of business leaders and industry professionals, indicates that India’s gaming and esports sector is entering 2025 with cautious optimism, as 60% expect annual revenue growth of 10%–25% for the overall industry.
Here are some of the key insights from of the report:
● Given the option to choose multiple factors, industry stakeholders highlighted new game titles and a growing player base as the primary drivers of esports growth in 2025, with 60% identifying them as key. Next in line are investments (40%), collegiate tournaments (30%), and supportive government policies (30%), which will also act as key enablers.
● In 2025, Indian esports and gaming organisations are focusing on new IP development, with 40% of respondents emphasising this priority, followed by better monetisation of existing IPs (30%)
● Battle Royale is the top choice for developers and organisations when it comes to most promising mobile genres, with 90% of respondents citing it, while Hyper-casual games are favoured by 10%.
● 60% of survey respondents remain confident in Battlegrounds Mobile India’s (BGMI) continued dominance, while 40% anticipate that contenders may eventually overtake it. In terms of contenders, 70% of respondents believe Free Fire is the most likely to challenge BGMI’s dominance, followed by VALORANT at 20%.
● 70% of respondents believe that local themes, languages, and culturally resonant content will be key to Indian games’ global success in 2025, driving greater player affinity both at home and abroad.
● Respondents identified lack of infrastructure and reduced brand spending as the main challenges for Indian esports (30% each), followed by regulatory issues (20%), and low engagement outside metros (10%). No respondents cited a limited talent pool as a concern.
