eSports and gaming may be popular worldwide, but some markets stand out among the crowd. India has over 430 million mobile gamers. That explains why games like Battlegrounds Mobile, Call of Duty and Free Fire are so popular. Mobile gaming dominates India’s video gaming market. According to some surveys, mobile accounts for 90% of all gaming revenue. Valued at $1.6 billions, India’s gaming market is one of the biggest in the world. India is only second to China, where there are 660 million mobile gamers. Newzoo predicts mobile gaming will continue its growth. India’s mobile gaming market revenues are predicted to grow to $7 billion in 2025.
Call of Duty is one of the most popular video games in India, with over 100 million downloads. We will present a list of the most popular mobile games in India. The list is based on the number of downloads for each listed game.
- Garena Free Fire
- Call of Duty Mobile
- Battlegrounds Mobile India
- Coin Master
- Candy Crush Saga
Garena Free Fire
Garena Free Fire is the most popular gaming app in India.
Downloaded over one billion times is a good indicator of popularity. An Indian playing a game on their mobile will likely be playing Garena Free Fire. Released by Garena International in 2017, it has since amassed an impressive user base. Over 80 million Indians play daily. Casual and competitive gamers both love the battle royale style game.
The is successful because it has adapted well to mobile platforms and mindsets. Thanks to its 10-minute match play, mobile gamers feel comfortable playing almost anywhere. While this casual gaming is important to grow the user numbers, competition is also important to the ecosystem. The Free Fire World Series 2021 tournament featured a massive prize of $2 million.
Call of Duty Mobile
The Call of Duty franchise is a timeless classic. It was first introduced to the Indian gaming community through mobile versions. Activision’s decision to develop a standalone mobile version of the game was key to joining the Indian market. Call of Duty is available as a free-to-play app and this has made it popular with gamers in India.
Call of Duty Mobile has over 100 million downloads in India alone. It is one of the most played games out there. It’s not only popular in India. Players around the world can connect to play this thrilling survival game. The number of daily users’ is around 7 million. While that sounds huge, it is actually a good amount of users to make a fun and dedicated experience.
Battlegrounds Mobile India
Battlegrounds Mobile a reworking of PlayerUnknown’s Battleground (PUBG). With the Indian gaming market on track for record breaking revenues, it was obvious PUBG would land here.
Battlegrounds Mobile landed in India 2021. The changes to the game were made to meet specific regulatory demands in India.
Despite the recent release, Battlegrounds Mobile has over 50 million downloads. A figure which makes it into one of the fastest-growing games around. Battlegrounds Mobile is not connected to PUBG worldwide. This does not seem to be an issue though. Many competitive eSports teams have expressed interest in professional play. The developers behind the game have also promised to support a competitive community. While competitive gaming is certainly on the horizon, for now Battlegrounds Mobile is wowing casual gamers.
Coin Master
Coin Master is a free, single-player and casual mobile game. Unlike other titles on the list, it doesn’t have a competitive gaming aspect. Coin Master is a mobile game just for casual fun. As a player you are trying to overcome obstacles in a bid to claim the biggest number of golden coins. These coins can then buy all sorts of goodies to help build. Instead of destruction, Coin Master allows you to craft a village for a chance to win prizes.
Candy Crush Saga
It should not at all surprise you that Candy Crush Saga is one of the most popular games in India. Like Coin Master it is not a competitive game. However, over one billion downloads makes it a serious title for mobile gaming. Candy Crush Saga was first released in 2012! The game has serious staying power in the mobile gaming pantheon of India. The Candy Crush Saga generates millions worth of revenue in India and beyond.
Conclusion
India’s gaming market is thriving and that is in large part to mobile gaming. The titles listed here only scratch the surface. These games come from large publishers and have huge dedicated fan bases. There are also new games joining the market daily. Indie developers push the envelope for what mobile gaming can do. We truly live in a golden age for gaming.
