The Covid-19 pandemic has surged the number of gamers in India. As a result, companies like Disney, Netflix, and Microsoft have started focusing back on live-streaming gaming services for die-hard gamers in the last few years. These hardcore gamers devote a lot of time and money to gaming and live-streaming their gameplay for millions of online followers. And, this is directly translating into an increasing number of in-app purchases. According to Redseer, a whopping 60% of hardcore gamers in India spend on in-app purchases; that’s 3X more than casual gamers.
Redseer recently conducted a survey of over 450 gamers, analysing the gaming habits of casual and hardcore gamers and the potential of live-streaming platforms in the Indian gaming sector.
The survey highlights a staggering 77% of casual gamers spend only on gaming subscriptions. On the other hand, 58% of hardcore gamers in India are most likely to make in-app purchases to have a complete gaming experience.
In addition, these ardent gamers purchase hardware and other powerful accessories like high-end laptops or desktops, consoles, gaming headphones, keyboards, and joysticks since they prefer playing games on larger screens rather than on smartphones. Moreover, these gaming peripherals provide access to full features of games that would otherwise be unavailable on smartphones.
Main highlights: Rise of hardcore gamers in India
Here are some other major highlights of the Redseer survey on gamers in India:
- A whopping 68% of hardcore gamers spend more than an hour watching others’ games on streaming platforms for entertainment, improving their own game, and learning new techniques. The remaining 33% spend less than an hour discussing with their peers or watching their favourite streamer’s gameplay.
- When asked, “have you tipped or gifted a streamer,” 70% of the respondents said NO. Tipping or “live gifting” for favourite streaming gamers ranges from INR 200 to INR 600 and above.
- Surprisingly, of the remaining 20%, hardcore gamers tip 3X more than casual gamers. 50% of hardcore gamers, as opposed to just 15% of casual gamers, reported tipping more than Rs 600 to their favourite gamers to express their gratitude or support.
- Some of the most popular live streamers record and live stream their gameplay for their viewers on streaming platforms such as YouTube, Twitch, and Discord.
In a nutshell
As technology advances, companies are leaving no stone unturned to draw every Internet and smartphone user to their cutting-edge video games. These games are not only beneficial to mental health, including boosting memory and spatial visualisation, but also help you make better decisions and improve your social skills.
However, the above trend indicates that the percentage of gamers who are willing to spend money on in-app buying is increasing at a steady rate. The population and contribution of hardcore gamers are increasing as more and more gamers are realising the true potential of the gaming industry. Playing games is no more just an entertainment activity in India. The amount of money involved, including rewards, prize money, and traffic monetisation, have made game playing a respected source of income for many.
India is at the cusp of the gaming revolution. With the launch of 5G and high-speed broadband internet connectivity at a more affordable price, India’s gaming industry is all set to explode.