Seven in ten Indians hooked to mobile gaming, finds study
More and more Indians are now playing games on their hand-held devices, like smartphones, a study conducted by YouGov, a UK-based data analytics firm has found, reports said on Thursday. Around 71% of the urban population plays games now, ranking India among the top ten gaming countries. The study also found that playing games on PCs doesn't interest people anymore. Here are more details.
16% were labeled as intense gamers
According to YouGov's white paper titled "eGaming and eSports: The Next Generation," 67% of gamers use smartphones or tablets, as opposed to merely 12% using consoles. It was also concluded that 82% of India's gaming population plays on smartphones, up to 10 hours per week. Only 16% were categorized as intense gamers, playing for more than 10 hours per week.
Watching games equally enjoyable as playing: Study
The market research firm also found that for a section of gamers, especially the professionals, watching video games online was as entertaining as the actual game. For the survey, 24 markets were considered and it was found that gaming in India is at par with the United States (71%) and Australia (72%). But it lags behind other Southeast Asian countries.
YouTube gaming a hit in India
YouGov found that YouTube gaming was more popular among gamers than any of the alternatives. "Awareness (with respect to YouTube gaming) is the highest in Vietnam (74%) and Indonesia (72%), followed by Thailand (68%), Philippines (66%) and India (59%)," said the firm. A small percentage, 12% exactly, engaged with Twitch or Facebook gaming, said the study.
Indian gamers less familiar with eSports, found the study
About eSports, YouGov found, that familiarity in India was low, at 31%. Despite this, engagement was greater than in highly-aware markets of US or Europe. "Indians are more likely to embrace these competitions, once they know more about them, hinting at a bright future for eSports in the country," said YouGov. With 32% of gamers using consoles, Hong Kong emerged as the leading market.
Gaming industry has captured attention of brands and investors
On the findings, Nicole Pike, Global Sector Head of eSports & Gaming at YouGov, said the gaming industry has piqued interest of brands, marketers, and investors. "This year has also highlighted just how quickly things can change in the gaming ecosystem, making it difficult for advertisers and sponsors to know if, when, and how to spend wisely," she explained.
