Why India's mobile gamers are more willing to spend in battle royale hits Battlegrounds Mobile and Free Fire

Consumers in India are increasingly willing to spend more money on games in India, according to a new report.

Niko Partners has released its new 2024 India Gamer Behaviour and Market Insights report, which delves into player habits and market dynamics in the country.

India has long been known for generating the world's highest mobile game downloads, but with comparatively low conversion to player spending when compared to other regions.

Key player data

Krafton's Battlegrounds Mobile India and Garena's Free Fire are two of the country's top grossing titles. According to Niko Partners' survey, 57% of mobile gamers in India have played a battle royale game recently. Meanwhile, six in 10 mobile game spenders surveyed have bought a battle pass or season pass. 

Elsewhere, the report noted that 65.4% of respondents are involved in playing, watching, or competing in tournaments. Those engaged with esports spend 12% more on games compared to those who do not engage with competitive gaming.

77.3% of PC gamers are said to have spent more on PC titles in Q1 compared to the same period last year. The level of spend is also higher than that seen on mobile and console.

Analysing different demographics, the report claimed paying female gamers spend 8.5% more per month on games than males.

When it comes to discoverability, 57.2% of gamers in India discover new titles through streamers and influencers. One of the leading factors in choosing a new game was the ability to play with or against friends online, while popularity among peers and reviewers also had an influence.

A willingness to spend 

Two-thirds of gamers in India said their primary motivation for spending money in games was the 'fun factor', ahead of discounts and whether friends were playing.

“In 2024, India’s gamers are more discerning and more willing to spend money on gaming than they were just a few years ago,” said Niko Partners CEO Lisa Hanson. 

“The five-year CAGR of 11.1% that we forecast for India’s video games industry (to $1.4 billion by 2028) is based on trends including increased playtime and spending, greater engagement with esports, increased investment from the private sector, and support from both central and state governments to build the video games and esports industry.”

You can read the full 2024 India Gamer Behaviour and Market Insights report here.