BW Gaming World
The Indian gaming industry has witnessed a tremendous increase in both community involvement and revenue over the last few years, with a substantial surge in console gaming, esports and game development. When it comes to working in this industry, the gaming sector has always been male-dominated. However, in recent times things have undergone a drastic change with more and more women making their presence felt within the industry.
According to a report published by Google, titled ‘Think with Google APAC – Play like a Girl Report, 2020’ stated that nearly 18 per cent of all gamers in India are women and the numbers are rising at a faster rate as compared to male gamers. Women account for approximately 1/5th of this community. Like any other sector, within the gaming sector, women are also taking up different roles and are thereby making it more inclusive and distinctive.
Women Are Committed Gamers
With the adoption of affordable mobile devices and low-cost data access, online gaming went on to become the one-the-go recreational activity for several men and women across the country. Currently, India has the 5th largest online gaming market in the world.
As the industry experiences winds of change, women’s participation in the industry continues to increase and today they make up half of the casual gamers in the country. In catering to the nuances of audience segments, it is important to understand the primary motivations.
Research has uncovered that aspects like ease of use, easy access, low investment in online gaming and overall convenience happen to be the most common motivators behind gaming habits.
The New Change Makers
Currently, among all the women mobile gamers, in India, 77 per cent happen to be devoted players who play frequently and spend almost 53 minutes every day. Esports games are becoming more common among women – with popular gaming genres including the likes of action-adventure, shooters, battle arenas/battle royales, virtual sports, simulation and real-time strategy.
Over time, it is expected that India’s gaming ecosystem may derive inspiration from other countries where female developers are much more active – continuing to improve existing games and create new technical advancements exclusively for female gamers – thereby challenging certain prevailing gender stereotypes.
Expected Increased Women’s Involvement
Although they are still not in the majority, female gamers are drastically closing the gap on their counterparts when it comes to overall representation. Back in 2021, researchers revealed that 43 per cent of India’s gaming player base was women with around 52 per cent of them belonging to metropolitan cities.
For a country that was, as some would say “behind the curve” when it comes to gaming, as an industry it is now gaining popularity among women – regardless of stereotypical issues such as age, marital status or location.
More committed female players are spending a lot more time playing games which has opened more opportunities for online streaming and community building.
Given the availability, accessibility and advancement of the latest tech innovations, women’s involvement in online gaming is expected to witness significant growth in the coming years. The gradual transition poses as a great opportunity for Indian gaming creators looking to release titles within the domestic market.
It’s also good to see that some well-known gaming companies are switching out typically male-dominated games for those starring women in the main roles.
As mainstream gaming continues to rise in India, so does the desire to make women a large part of the overall picture. There are still major challenges that need to be overcome to achieve equality, but with the progress that India has made so far, the future definitely looks bright.
Wrapping Up the Bigger Picture
Women gamers are slowly transforming the gaming landscape and are increasingly being associated with this rapidly growing market – whether it is through their passion for being committed to gaming, landing key roles with India’s gaming studios or even launching their own ventures related to gaming.
As the overall gaming industry makes progress towards a more complete, diverse, inclusive and gender-sensitive society, opportunities for female gamers and game developers are on the rise and it feels like, it is the right moment to step into this fast-growing industry.
Written by Stewart Neal, Studio Director, Sumo India Studios
