‘India’s Gaming and Esports Landscape 2025’: New titles to drive 60% growth, with investments contributing 40%, says AFK Gaming’s latest survey

AFK Gaming, a leading gaming and esports media company, which was recently acquired by NODWIN Gaming, has unveiled its latest report, ‘India’s Gaming & Esports Landscape 2025,’ offering an in-depth analysis of the industry’s projected growth, emerging trends, and challenges.

The report, based on data-driven insights and a survey of business leaders and industry professionals, indicates that India’s gaming and esports sector is entering 2025 with cautious optimism, as 60% expect annual revenue growth of 10%–25% for the overall industry.

Here are some of the key insights from of the report:

• Given the option to choose multiple factors, industry stakeholders highlighted new game titles and a growing player base as the primary drivers of esports growth in 2025, with 60% identifying them as key. Next in line are investments (40%), collegiate tournaments (30%), and supportive government policies (30%), which will also act as key enablers.
• In 2025, Indian esports and gaming organisations are focusing on new IP development, with 40% of respondents emphasising this priority, followed by better monetisation of existing IPs (30%)
• Battle Royale is the top choice for developers and organisations when it comes to most promising mobile genres, with 90% of respondents citing it, while Hyper-casual games are favoured by 10%.
• 60% of survey respondents remain confident in Battlegrounds Mobile India’s (BGMI) continued dominance, while 40% anticipate that contenders may eventually overtake it. In terms of contenders, 70% of respondents believe Free Fire is the most likely to challenge BGMI’s dominance, followed by VALORANT at 20%.
• 70% of respondents believe that local themes, languages, and culturally resonant content will be key to Indian games’ global success in 2025, driving greater player affinity both at home and abroad.
• Respondents identified lack of infrastructure and reduced brand spending as the main challenges for Indian esports (30% each), followed by regulatory issues (20%), and low engagement outside metros (10%). No respondents cited a limited talent pool as a concern.

Founded in 2012 by Nishant Patel, Rakesh Ramchandran and Siddharth Nayyar, AFK Gaming has been at the forefront of the Indian gaming and esports media industry for over a decade. The platform provides the latest updates from the industry through its website and its specially curated gaming business newsletter, Pixel P&L.

Known for delivering curated insights and analysis, Pixel P&L has established itself as a trusted source of information, building a strong community of esports and gaming business leaders from across the globe. The newsletter has become a go-to resource for industry stakeholders seeking to stay ahead of trends and opportunities. This report is a key initiative under the Pixel P&L banner, designed to empower stakeholders with actionable data and promote informed decision-making.