AFK Gaming, the esports media platform recently acquired by Nodwin Gaming, has released its a report, ‘India’s gaming and esports landscape 2025.’

This analysis, based on a survey of industry leaders and data-driven insights, projects a 10–25% annual revenue growth for the sector, with new titles driving 60% of this growth and investments contributing 40%.

The report aims to offer a roadmap for the future of Indian gaming and esports, highlighting key drivers, challenges, and emerging trends.

The study underscores cautious optimism for India’s gaming and esports sector in 2025, driven by innovation, local content, and a growing audience. While challenges such as infrastructure and reduced brand spending persist, the industry’s focus on new IP development, high-quality production, and culturally relevant content positions it for sustained growth.

Key highlights of the report:

Growth drivers:

• New titles and player base: 60% of industry stakeholders identified new game titles and a growing player base as critical growth factors for 2025.
• Investments and collegiate tournaments: Investments (40%), collegiate tournaments (30%), and supportive government policies (30%) were also seen as key enablers.

New IP development: 40% of respondents revealed a focus on creating new intellectual properties, while 30% prioritised monetising existing IPs.

BGMI’s dominance and potential challengers: 60% of respondents are confident in Battlegrounds Mobile India’s (BGMI) continued dominance. Among potential challengers, 70% identified Free Fire as the strongest contender, followed by Valorant (20%).

Promising mobile genres: Battle Royale remains the most promising mobile gaming genre, with 90% of developers and organisations favouring it. Hyper-casual games captured 10% of the respondents’ interest.

Cultural content as a success factor: 70% of stakeholders believe Indian games will achieve global success by integrating local themes, languages, and culturally resonant content, fostering stronger player affinity both domestically and internationally.

Challenges ahead:

• Esports: Lack of infrastructure and reduced brand spending (30% each) topped the list of challenges, followed by regulatory issues (20%) and low engagement outside metro cities (10%).
• Game development: Competition from international studios and monetization strategies are the biggest hurdles, with 30% of respondents citing these as primary concerns.

Focus on quality and innovation:High-quality graphics and production (30%) and innovative gameplay with strong storytelling (30%) are seen as essential to engage players and compete globally.

Tournaments and prize pools: Most respondents anticipate 1–5 esports tournaments with prize pools exceeding INR 1 crore in 2025, reflecting steady growth in high-stakes events.