With the introduction of low- and mid-range smartphones in the market, as well as various data packs accessible at reasonable prices, online gaming is no longer a luxury pursuit for the majority of online gamers in India. Various research reports have disclosed that the accessibility of affordable smartphones combined with high-speed internet has provoked many individuals to take up gaming across small urban and rural areas in India.

India’s gaming market, which is currently generating $1.5 billion in revenue, is expected to triple to over $5 billion by 2025 on the back of the “mobile first” phenomenon.

In any case, all things considered, the most thrilling part is that it’s just the beginning.

Seeing its popularity ascend among the majority, the Indian gaming industry is outfitting itself with the most recent technologies, software, and devices to make it significantly more vivid and far-reaching in tier-2 and tier-3 urban areas of the country.

Online games are presently equipped with video chat features that permit gamers to communicate and take part in games through live video and real-time chat.

Some famous online games have even earned the reputation of being mainstream entertainment and a social media alternative.

In the impending years, the coming of 5G data networks in India will drive this momentum significantly further and upgrade gaming encounters with technologies like virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). As the gaming craze gets going, avid gamers are currently searching for a profitable entertainment experience. Because of this, one more significant factor that will keep on transforming the industry is the availability of a variety of secured online payment options that have permitted gamers to play both free-to-play and pay-to-win formats.

In addition to monetary rewards, emerging gaming studios in India are establishing additional opportunities in non-traditional sectors, such as tech-oriented professions in IT and game development. Lockdowns and social distancing during the worldwide flare-up of COVID-19 saw a rising number of individuals turning their passion for gaming into a full-time vocation.

While online gaming helps in earning and providing entertainment, gamers have discovered that it likewise creates life skills. New research likewise found that online gamers acquired different skills, for example, critical thinking, creative thinking, decision-making, and problem-solving skills that are essential for one’s growth in life. According to the research participants, around 40% of men and 34% of women accept that more than half of online gaming skills are helpful for real-life encounters. Strangely, gamers likewise uncovered that they displayed a favorable attitude towards their online gaming colleagues in contrast with their real-life work relationships.

With the Indian gaming ecosystem developing at a fast pace, this lucrative industry is supposed to scale higher than ever later on. To tap the tremendous potential of the Indian gaming market, worldwide investors have begun securing and partnering with homegrown organizations to extend their geographic presence. As investors keep on backing the sector, local organizations will undoubtedly increase their operations and lay out a more extensive presence before long.

While the industry shows a vow to develop dramatically, a uniform and transparent regulatory framework will additionally strengthen it. A discussion between the primary stakeholders of state and central government and the self-regulatory bodies of the online gaming industry can likewise help in devising a uniform regulatory framework that helps all parties involved.

The presence of a government regulatory body that eliminates vulnerability won’t simply safeguard the interests of the online gaming industry but will likewise improve its overall reputation.

With government-induced regulatory guidelines and arising technologies, talented professionals from different backgrounds will be vital to the development of the gaming industry’s exceptional popularity in both rural as well as urban parts of the country.

Credit: Financial Express