The Indian online gaming industry has seen a prominent rise in the number of users, revenue, investments, and so on. The increased use of smartphones, quick access to data, pocket-friendly technology, and the proliferation of digital payment applications have benefited the growth of this industry.
As per the EY-FICCI Report 2021, the online gaming segment grew 18 percent in 2020 to reach Rs 77 billion, as the number of online gamers increased by 20 percent – from 300 million in 2019 to 360 million in 2020, transaction-based game revenues increased by 21 percent. They estimate that the online gaming industry will continue to grow and reach 500 million gamers by 2025 to become the third-largest segment of the Indian M&E sector.
COVID-19 and the online gaming industry
The persistent COVID-19 pandemic was, in reality, a test of the sector’s robustness and determination to grow despite the constraints.
India is predominantly a smartphone-first market, with audiences preferring mobile gaming and esports over other devices. Over time, the Indian online gaming industry has matured, and players are branching out beyond handheld devices.
Advancement in technology
The amelioration of technology has further influenced online gaming, to the point that certain gamers have blurred the boundaries between reality and fiction. This industry is driven profusely by mobile gaming technology, and in recent years, the advancement of innovations such as machine learning (ML), artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR), and augmented reality (AR), among others, has intensified.
Online gaming is much more rewarding as it allows players to experience HD graphics with 4K capabilities as well as OLEDs. It provides a vivid atmosphere and gives the gamer an immersive experience due to their improved graphic speeds.
Development of cloud gaming
The costs of games can be prohibitively expensive for many customers. The initiative of cloud computing aims to break down this impediment, giving anybody with a secure internet network access to gaming.
However, gamers have demonstrated that there is a demand for interactive gaming as well as the potential to participate and update on games. Interacting with other gamers is a great technique of social mobilisation. The two factors (one technical and one social) would tend to propel the market and inspire first-time gamers across age groups to become more integrated with the industry and see electronic games as a community.
As the number of players continues to grow, it is clear that the technological possibilities of online gaming are endless. Some are already beginning to take shape:
Face recognition
The online gaming industry is paving the way for the positive consolidation of facial recognition into its games. In terms of personalisation, facial recognition helps you to take a picture of yourself and use it to portray yourself in online games and allow character creation based on gamer inputs.
Artificial Intelligence
There’s no doubt that artificial intelligence in online gaming is on the upsurge but it does have some constraints. Game developers often use artificial intelligence (AI) to rectify real-world challenges and improve the potential functionality of their apps.
Cryptocurrencies
The online gaming industry was one of the first in the world to accept cryptocurrency usage.
Cryptocurrencies, the most common of which is Bitcoin, can be used to purchase and play online games. There are already online gaming portals that are inimitably based on the cryptocurrency system and acknowledge cryptocurrency deposits and payouts.
5G internet
We have the looming spectacle of 5G internet access, as the government plans new spectrum auctions in a few months from now. Cloud gaming would rely heavily on new 5G and current 4G data connections.
Finally, the number of users in India is expected to cross nearly 80 crores by 2021, which is an excellent figure to help the growth of online gaming in India. In these grim days, these are energising numbers, supplying us with indulgence and entertainment.
Secure payments
The number of real money gamers who play online skill games like online rummy, poker, and fantasy sports has amplified on online gaming portals. Since online gaming sites have embraced SSL encryption and blockchain technologies, online purchases and payments have become remarkably easy.
This helps to avoid bribery, keep players’ money secure, and gain players’ confidence by keeping the information they exchange safe and confidential while eliminating illegal practices like money laundering.
(Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of YS.)
