Breaking Stereotypes: Gaming in today’s world
Up until recently, gaming was perceived as a distraction and viewed in a negative light in India.
However, as use cases evolve and success stories emerge from the segment, the perception has started to change for the better and gaming has managed to reach a completely new level of acceptance.
Today, a community of up-and-coming game creators are engaging with the Gen Z. Take the example of the HP’s Omen Squad – comprising big names such as CupAhNoodle, Femennenly, Holo, Lawler and MajinTaj. They have become heroes for their young audiences, who are now more than ever keen on participating in video game challenges.
Furthermore, people spent more time at home looking for more avenues to keep themselves entertained and unwind. The last two years have caused a lot of stress but it’s heartening to see gaming helping people to manage their stress and help them connect with their friends and families remotely.
According to a KPMG Report, the online gaming market in India is expected to reach $3.9 billion by 2025.
The popularity and emergence of new-age gamers and the fast-growing numbers are solid proof enough of the fact that the industry is not seen as a hobby in India anymore. It is considered a lucrative career option and is becoming a part of wider societal discussions around combating stress, skill development, and social interactions. Let’s look at certain factors that have helped break stereotypes about gaming.
Parameters to study the evolution of gaming in India
o Gaming as a viable career option: Gaming has emerged as an alternate profession choice, with gamers exploring different avenues – such as streaming, game developing, content creation etc. With this, gaming sector, could in fact, create lakhs of jobs in India. In fact, according to the HP India Gaming Landscape Report 2021, over 90 per cent of respondents agreeing that the gaming industry is a viable career option.
o Rise of Women Gamers in India: With the tremendous influx of women gamers in the last couple of years, online gaming is no longer a niche pursuit for men. A recent report by the All-India Gaming Federation (AIGF) unveiled that India is home to over 400 million gamers, with a corresponding increase in the number of women gamers.
o Gaming as a source of mental wellbeing: Gaming is playing a crucial role in building mental wellness and resilience, building rich social connections, and inclusion. Overall, it offers a heightened sense of focus, well-being, and purpose. According to HP India Gaming Landscape Report 2021, 92% of respondents perceived gaming as a source of mental well-being.
For Gaming, sky is the limit
It is important to note that the gaming industry had begun witnessing strong growth, way back before the pandemic in 2019. Moreover, in the last few years, the Indian PC gaming market has been rapidly growing, with some segments showing more than 50 per cent (y-o-y) which is the highest across all PC categories.
On back of this impressive trajectory, gaming is a dynamic industry, that is poised to increase exponentially in the coming years with the advancement, accessibility, and affordability of technology. Today, gaming startups are expanding, and they are hiring more to support the expected rapid growth. When it comes to advancement one thing is clear, the sky is the limit for this budding sector.