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Express Computer has written an article regarding the growth of mobile gaming in India. Gaming in India is finally picking up with a little help from cellular users. Meanwhile, game development is benefitting from the outsourcing phenomenon, finds Megha Banduni.

“The market data illustrates these facts clearly. The global gaming market was estimated at $19 billion in 2005, and was expected to grow to $36 billion by 2009. (Source: Nasscom).”

As for India, the 2005 market figures for gaming development show a teensy $30 million. However, Nasscom projects this market growing at a CAGR of 78 percent to reach $300 million by 2009. Most of the gaming development being undertaken in India is on mobile platforms and that’s expected to become more prominent as the share of mobile gaming rises from 53 percent in 2005 to 68 percent in 2009.

Though poised for a mega growth in the near future, right now the domestic gaming scene seems to be dismal, at least if you look at the legal market. The console / PC market is riddled with piracy. Viren Popli, Senior Vice-president, STAR Interactive says, “Gaming in India is at a nascent stage. India has not yet adopted the gaming culture. Gaming as a concept is largely driven by console and PC gaming and we are still lagging in these two areas.”

The market for pirated games in India is estimated to be $40 million as per Nasscom estimates.

According to Sunil Mehta, VP, Nasscom: “Mobile gaming is doing better than PC gaming simply because of the penetration levels of the respective platforms. India has more than 116 million mobile users as compared to 3.6 million desktop and notebook users.” The mobile gaming development market was worth $16 million in 2005, and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 89.1 percent, reaching 209 million by 2009.

Vishal Gondal, Founder and Director, Indiagames says, “According to our database, out of the total usage of games last month, 39 percent was of casual games, 31 percent of strategy games, and 15 percent of action games.”

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