India Games Market Hits $1 Billion, Set to Reach $1.77 Billion by 2030
- Sagar Mankar
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
India's gaming market has crossed a major threshold, pulling in $1.04 billion in revenue during 2025 and marking the first time the country has broken past the billion dollar mark.
That's a 14.8% jump year over year, putting India firmly in the spotlight as one of the fastest growing games markets tracked by analytics firm Niko Partners.
The big numbers
Revenue reached $1.04 billion in 2025, up 14.8% from the year before.
Niko Partners projects revenue will hit nearly $1.2 billion by the end of 2026.
Long term forecasts point to $1.77 billion by 2030.
That works out to a five year compound annual growth rate of 11.2%.
India remains the "fastest-growing video game market" among those tracked by Niko Partners.
How many people are actually playing?
511 million players were recorded in 2025.
Expected to top 550 million by the end of 2026.
Surpass 700 million by 2030.
Average revenue per user sat at $2.04 in 2025.
ARPU is forecast to inch up to $2.52 by 2030, showing monetization is still at an early stage.
Other standout figures from the report
Female players now make up 49% of India's gaming audience in 2026, up from 43% in 2023.
Non battle royale mobile games accounted for 62.8% of mobile revenue in June 2026, compared to 53.2% in June 2023.
31.5% of Indian players say they prefer buying in game content outside traditional app stores, using web stores, third party platforms, or top up cards instead.
UPI based payments dominate the market, with 84.6% of players having used the method, far outpacing credit card usage at 31.5%.
What's driving the growth?
Mobile gaming remains the backbone of India's expansion, fueled by rising digital adoption and growing disposable income among certain player segments.
The market is diversifying beyond mainstream genres, with growing audiences for PC and console titles.
User generated content platforms like Roblox and Minecraft are gaining ground, especially among younger players who value the mix of social interaction and quick, shareable gameplay loops.
Even GTA roleplay content has found a strong following on livestreaming platforms.
Government support at both national and state level is expected to play a bigger role going forward.
Rising esports participation is helping build deeper engagement and stronger gaming communities.
A shift in how players view AI
Niko Partners found a marked swing in attitudes toward generative AI among Indian players.
Players are now more cautious about how the technology is used by both developers and other players.
The firm explained, "We believe the primary reason behind this pendulum swing is economic and the impact that AI is having on jobs."
You can read the report on the Niko Partner website.
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