Gaming has witnessed a massive boom in India amid the lockdown imposed to curb the spread of Covid-19 according to a recent study by digital content management platform SEMrush.
Games such as PUBG, Minecraft and Fortnight Battle Royale have witnessed a surge in players amid lockdown with online searches for the same increasing by 49 per cent, 124 per cent and 173 per cent respectively in May.
Games such as League of Legends and Counter-Strike recorded an increase of 29 per cent and 78 per cent respectively in terms of online searches. World of Warcraft, and Clash of Clans, represent a percentage increase of 12 per cent, and 22 per cent.
Trends
According to the study, Indians have also shown high interest while actively engaging in gaming tournaments.
For instance, the online searches for Fortnite World Cup, Counter-Strike and Pokeman World Championships were up by 22 per cent, 84 per cent and 255 per cent respectively between January and April.
“The study also tracked how many times leading consoles were searched between January and April. It found that the most searched console in April was Nintendo Switch followed by Xbox 1, Playstation 4, and Wii u,” the report read.
“In addition to consoles, the study also tracked which online games Indians prefer to play. It found a stupendous surge in online searches for Mobile Premier League (MPL). From January to April 2020, there was a 406% increase in the number of searches on MPL,” it further said.
Other findings
According to the study, PUBG Mobile was one of the most preferred mobile games for Indians along with Subway Surfers and Ludo King. Other popular mobile games included Garena Free Fire, Temple Run, Angry Birds, and Clash of Clans.
"We've discovered that gaming is enormous and likely to get bigger in the coming months. That’s because the players who developed a penchant for games like PUBG, Minecraft and others during the lockdown, are likely to become devout gamers,” Fernando Angulo, Head of Communications said.
The study said that mobile games in India attract younger players, many of whom are children.
“So while teenagers and adults in India play games like PUBG, Minecraft, and Counterstrike on their computer or laptops, children are more likely to play games on mobile devices,” Angulo said.
"Our study will prove invaluable to game developers. They now have a clear idea about the real size of the gaming market and how large it will be once lockdowns end. Our study also reveals the kinds of games audiences prefer. Younger players prefer endless games that are simple to play but engrossing. Older gamers enjoy games that offer a first-person perspective and are loaded with action,” he added.