Uzone.id – The gaming industry is growing very rapidly to become a global entertainment giant with a wide reach and fantastic business value. Behind their success, there is a gamer base in several large countries which is the key to their success.
“The gaming industry is one of the most dynamic and sophisticated entertainment industries in the world. The market continues to grow and offers huge opportunities for companies and individuals,” said a renowned video game analyst Michael Pachter.
Here are the 10 countries with the largest gamer populations:
1. China
Based on the Newzoo Global Games Market Report 2023, China has a population of 1.1 billion gamers in the country. This amount is certainly very attractive for the gaming industry to develop their business.
The reason China has the largest population of gamers in the world is because, in terms of population, this bamboo curtain country is very high. On the other hand, gamers in this country are also supported by advanced internet infrastructure. The Chinese government also provides strong support such as the ‘Made in China’ program for local games. This is what makes gamers in China also have high enthusiasm for the presence of eSports and the gaming culture which is developing very rapidly.
2. United States
Based on data from Statista – Number of gamers in the United States in 2023, Uncle Sam’s country has a population of 269 million gamers. It is not surprising that this large number is because the United States has a game innovation center with an active gamer community and several well-known developers.
The United States also has a more mature gaming market with a variety of genres and platforms available. On the other hand, high purchasing power and great interest in AAA and VR or AR games have also contributed to the increase in the gamer population in the country.
3. Japan
According to the DFC Intelligence 2023 Game Industry Report, Japan has a gamer population of up to 64 million players. This was initiated by the birth of iconic Japanese game consoles, namely Nintendo and PlayStation.
The report also states that the strong anime and manga culture has contributed to the birth of games with unique stories and characters. Additionally, the mobile game market is growing rapidly with a focus on gacha and microtransactions.
4. India
This country has the fastest growth in gamers in the world because it is driven by smartphone penetration and cheap internet. Based on the KPMG India report: The Indian Gaming Industry, it is stated that there are 524 million gamers in the country.
Just like China, India has a very high young population which means the number of gamers is also high. On the other hand, local young people have sufficient insight into technology and are highly enthusiastic about mobile games. The characteristics of gamers in India are usually like casual games and the battle royale genre.
5. Brazil
Based on data from the Newzoo Global Games Market Report 2023, Brazil has 58.4 million gamers in the country. The growth of gamers in Brazil is similar to India, due to the rapid growth of the mobile gaming industry which is supported by smartphones and cheap internet.
Game players from Brazil usually have a high interest in casual mobile games and the MOBA genre. So this country is a very potential market for local games in Portuguese that want to develop their business.
6. Indonesia
It turns out that Indonesia is in the top 6 with the largest gamer population in the world based on the Newzoo Global Games Market Report 2023. This country has a population of young people who are technologically literate and enthusiastic about mobile games.
The mobile game market in Indonesia is growing rapidly with the battle royale and MOBA genres being popular. The report also states that Indonesia is the right market for developing local games in the Indonesian language and with Indonesian themes.
7. Russia
Based on the Newzoo Global Games Market Report 2023, it is stated that this country has a gamer population of 54 million people. This large number is based on the strong PC gaming market with a very active eSports gamer community.
The potential for developing the gaming industry in Russia can be seen from the high interest in FPS, RPG, and strategy-based games. On the other hand, gamers in Russia also have an interest in local games with local languages or local culture.
8. Mexico
Who would have thought that Mexico also has a high gamer population based on the Newzoo Global Games Market Report 2023? This country has a mobile gaming industry that is growing rapidly because it is supported by smartphones and cheap internet. Game players in this country have a high interest in casual mobile games and the simulation genre.
This country also has opportunities for the development of the games industry with local themes using Spanish.
9. Germany
According to the Statista report, the number of game players in Germany in 2023 will reach 48.8 million people. This high number is because many game players are mature with very high purchasing power. No wonder that PC and console games are so popular in this country.
The potential for developing the games industry in Germany can be seen from the high interest in games with deep stories and challenging gameplay. This kind of interest makes game developers build games with educational or historical themes.
10. England
The UK is the 10th country with 46.6 million gamers based on the Statista report – Number of Gamers in the United Kingdom in 2023. Gamers in the UK are usually people who are more established and like various genres from various platforms.
Gamers in the UK also have an active community and are enthusiastic about eSports competitions. England also has opportunities for the games industry to develop games with local cultures.