The gaming industry is among the growing sectors in India that are developing rapidly on the back of digital technology. To further equip these businesses with the consumer trends impacting gamers in India, today we unveiled findings from a meta-commissioned study from the GWI Online Insights Platform.
These findings show the influential role of Meta platforms, especially that of Reels, video ads and influencers in helping gamers discover and purchase new games. The findings were revealed at Meta’s inaugural Gaming Summit in India, where the role of AI-powered advertising tools in driving the growth of gaming brands was also highlighted.
“Gaming is the top three verticals for Meta globally, and in particular we see our Advantage+ suite of automated ads driving growth for gaming brands. Likewise, as the survey reveals, Meta is a leading channel for gamers to discover and purchase new games. Gaming is poised to play a leading role in India’s technology and we are excited to provide growth opportunities to gaming businesses at various stages of their journey.” – Arun Srinivas, Director and Head of Advertising Business for Meta in India
The meeting was attended by the biggest gaming brands in the country, which also shed light on the use of innovative cutting-edge technologies, such as our AI-based Advantage+ suite of solutions.
“As a brand that puts innovation and experimentation first, we were keen to use Advantage+ campaigns for Meta apps. Using this automated solution, our Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) improved by 12%. Today, the majority of our users come from outside tier 1 and 2 cities, and Meta has played a key role in helping us reach sports fans across the country. One of our deepest partnerships was during the 2023 ICC Men’s World Cup, during which we prioritized new product testing and measurements. Meta’s marketing science teams helped us measure incremental performance and gave us the confidence to run campaigns at scale – a strategy we plan to use for the upcoming IPL 2024 as well.” – Vikrant Mudaliar, Chief Marketing Officer, Dream Sports.
“We used a combination of Advantage+ AI-based shopping campaigns, affiliate ads, and influencer-driven creatives, which combined resulted in a 123% increase in install volume along with a 15% reduction in cost per first transaction. We have exciting plans ahead and will partner closely with Meta and leverage new cutting-edge solutions that help us deliver business results in a rapidly evolving ecosystem.” – Jaskaran Singh, AVP Growth, Baazi Games
Key insights from GWI’s meta-commissioned gaming study:
- Gaming is becoming more common in India: The survey revealed that 6 out of 10 smartphone gamers play daily, and almost 90% of real money gamers play real money games at least weekly. The survey also showed that nearly half of casual gamers and 43% of real money gamers come from non-metro geographies.
- Meta’s Role in Discovering New Games: We play a critical role in helping gamers discover and buy new games. More than three out of four casual and real-money gamers in India discover new games to play and buy on social media, and more than 90% of them do so on Meta platforms, according to the survey. Roles, ads and influencers play a leading role in driving this discovery.
- Key points for gamers: According to the survey, the holiday season and sporting events influence the types of games played. 88% say they are more likely to switch from playing other real money games to playing fantasy sports games during sporting events such as the IPL and World Cup.
- Technologies Gamers Love: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) are the top three gaming technologies that are of most interest to casual gamers in India.
Evolving technology and customer behavior have opened countless opportunities for the gaming industry in India. Insights from the study can empower gaming brands to build marketing plans that are more likely to connect with gamers and also deliver key business results.
This survey was conducted in December 2023 with 2,019 respondents aged 18-64 from 75 cities in India.
audience
Casual Gamers: 1,176 internet users aged 18-64 who have played a video game on a smartphone/tablet, PC/laptop, console or other device in the past month, but have NOT played a real money game in the past month
Casual Smartphone/Tablet Gamers: 1,026 internet users aged 18-64 who played a video game on a smartphone/tablet in the past month but did NOT play a real money game in the past month
Real Money Players: 843 internet users aged 18-64 who played a real money game in the last month.
