**Asia & MENA Gaming Market Continues to Grow, with Mobile Dominating**
According to a market sizing model by Niko Partners, the Asia and MENA regions generated $85.5 billion in revenue in 2023, marking a 4.6% year-on-year increase. The firm expects the gaming market in these regions to continue growing, albeit at a slightly reduced rate. In 2024, Niko Partners forecasts a 2.5% growth, reaching $87.6 billion in revenue. This growth trend is expected to continue through 2028, with the combined Asia and MENA markets projected to reach nearly $100 billion ($97.1 billion) with a CAGR of 2.5%.
One of the key drivers behind the growth in these regions is the increase in participation by female gamers. The report also highlights the importance of localization, government support for esports, the growth of out-of-app monetization of mobile games, and rising spending power as factors contributing to the market expansion.
**Understanding the Asia & MENA Markets**
Niko Partners’ model focuses on 13 markets: China, India, East Asia (Japan and Korea), Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam), and MENA (Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates). Collectively, these markets account for over half of the world’s players, with 1.61 billion gamers in 2023. By 2028, the number of gamers in these regions is expected to reach 1.99 billion at a 5-year CAGR of 4.4%. India is projected to drive the majority of this growth, with an estimated addition of 277 million gamers over the next five years, surpassing China’s current player count.
While India is expected to lead in terms of player growth, the MENA markets are anticipated to be the second fastest-growing. On the other hand, Japan and Korea are predicted to experience slower growth compared to other markets.
**Mobile Gaming Dominates in Asia & MENA**
The gaming preferences in the Asia and MENA regions heavily favor mobile platforms. The survey conducted by Niko Partners indicates that 93.7% of gamers in these regions play on mobile devices, while 35.1% play on PC and 4.9% on consoles. Looking ahead to 2028, the projections estimate that there will be 1.87 billion mobile gamers, 606 million PC gamers, and 100 million console gamers.
Furthermore, Asia and MENA gamers account for over half of global player spending on mobile and PC platforms. In 2023, mobile gamers in these regions spent approximately $58 billion on mobile games, representing 57.8% of global spending on the platform. Similarly, they spent just under $20 billion on PC games, accounting for 50.4% of global spending on the platform.
**Increase in Gaming Hours**
Niko Partners also observed an increase in average gaming hours per week in Asia, with a growth rate of 36.2% year-on-year. This growth was seen across individual platforms, with average hours played up by 28.1% for PC, 19.3% for mobile, and 12.0% for consoles.
Overall, the data from Niko Partners’ survey provides valuable insights into the gaming market in Asia and MENA, highlighting the dominance of mobile gaming and the potential for continued growth in these regions. As the gaming industry continues to evolve, it will be crucial for companies to understand the local market realities and context behind the data to effectively plan their strategies for meaningful access and success in these markets.