2020 has brought with it an incredible surge in global gaming. Consumers everywhere are now engaged in some form of gaming activity, making it the world’s most popular form of at-home entertainment.
With gaming app downloads hitting tens of millions, cloud gaming services making gaming-on-demand a possibility, and brand new next-generation consoles selling out within minutes after launching, there’s no denying the world’s monstrous appetite for play while enjoying a cosy home environment.
This year has been one of the best yet for the global gaming industry, let’s take a look at some of the key trends that have defined it.
Mobile Gaming cements its dominance
Mobile gaming has stepped into a brand-new era. It’s now the most popular gaming segment across the globe, growing faster than gaming consoles and PCs, and even beating the humble television as the most popular media platform. 2020 has brought with it an unprecedented surge in mobile gaming activity, transforming it from a niche gaming sector to a major mainstream force.
This year, both the iOS App Store and Google’s Play store saw downloads increase by the millions, with 35% and 38% growth, respectively. It means that almost 130 billion mobile gaming apps have been downloaded over the last 11 months alone – little wonder, then, that experts predict the sector will be worth almost $100 billion in just four years.
iGaming continues to rise
Playing remote games for real money prizes has been a strong trend in the industry for several years now, but it’s still emerged as one of the most popular in 2020. Bonuses offering rewards like starburst free spins regularly attract new players to platforms, while immersive gaming experiences incorporating VR ensure long term players are never bored with what’s on offer.
The sector will no doubt undergo even further growth during 2021. According to Yahoo Finance, the global iGaming industry (incorporating remote casino, poker, and sports betting) will be worth substantially more than the land-based gaming sector. With over 50% of the world’s population currently playing online real money games regularly, the market is expected to be worth over $127 billion by 2027.
Developing markets take centre stage
While consumers throughout China, Europe, and the US have initiated record new levels of gaming activity in 2020, developing markets like India have been able to take centre stage. This year, India’s remote gaming sector grew significantly, making it one of the fastest emerging markets in the global industry.
According to Google and KPMG, India now stands as the fifth-largest gaming market in the world for mobile gaming, generating an annual total of three billion gaming app downloads. Mobile gaming is so popular in the region that three out of the five highest-growing apps in the country belong to the gaming category.
Gaming platforms within the region saw an average user growth of between 60-70% during Q1, while the average time spent gaming also increased by 50-70% during the same period.
The record development has not gone unnoticed by the wider gaming world, either, as India has become a development hub for major gaming brands like Tencent and Ubisoft.
As you can see, online gaming is already a powerful force all around the world and things will become even more exciting in the next year.
