A new report by Niko Partners has found that 37% of gamers inAsia are female, and that number is projected to grow.

The number of female gamers in the region is set to rise by 11% per year, almost twice as fast as male gamers, highlighting the growing popularity of the hobby among women. The Philippines had the highest proportion of female gamers, while India and China had the smallest, as per Venturebeat.

Mobile is highlighted as the preferred platform for the demographic, with 95% of female gamers playing on mobile. This is indicative of the accessibility of mobile gaming. Further emphasising this point, the gender divide throughout the mobile-first SEA region is noticeably smaller, with an almost even split. 

Female gamers account for 23.5% of all gaming revenue in the region, and this is expected to almost double over the next few years.

Rising demographics

“The female gamers segment is a formidable force in the video games market,” said Niko Partners CEO and founder Lisa Hanson. “We are seeing rising awareness on the benefits of incorporating a female-friendly approach to game development and marketing strategies. Companies seeking to enter or expand in the Asian market should consider hiring women that can help shape future game titles, create marketing campaigns, and influence the portrayal of women in video games.”

The majority of female players in Asia are casual gamers, however the report notes a growing number of female Gen Z gamers engaging in competitive gaming and esports. Puzzle games are identified as the top genre in Asia among female players, with 39.2% of those surveyed playing puzzle games. This was followed by MOBA at 26.9% and battle royale at 20.3%.

While female gamers are on the rise in Asia, more than half are dissatisfied with the portrayal of female characters, as well as discrimination within the games space. Niko Partners suggests that developers pay more attention when designing and developing female characters, as well as offering a variety of avatar options to offer a more representative view of the female population.

In February, Niko Partners examined gaming in the MENA-3 region.