Video Games Gaining Popularity in India

Video games are one of the world’s most popular pastimes. And with over 1.38 billion residents, the country has one of the largest gaming populations in the world. Despite this, not many global favorites were developed in the country.

Raji: An Ancient Epic was released in 2020 by Indian developer Nodding Heads Games. Since its release, the action-adventure game has gained popularity. Set in ancient India, it brings players closer to myths and legends from the Gujarat region.

Still, for the most part, local gamers are more likely to play global favorites. This goes for video games along with other gaming industries like casinos. Just like regions from the US to South Africa, it’s not hard to find a quality online casino that offers the best in roulette, blackjack, rummy, and much more.

But when it comes to video games, which games are the most popular in India? And how many players are there in the country? Keep reading to learn more about the most popular video games in India.

Ludo King

Over 800 million downloads

This mobile game took the country by storm when it was released on Android. Today, it’s hyped as the country’s Number One online board game. The game is a classic Indian title that’s played by all generations—which is what Ludo King seeks to recreate in a virtual format. The app includes a multi-player mode that makes it easy to socialize and compete with friends and family.

Garena Free Fire

500 million active players

Compared to other eSports titles and mobile games, Garena Free Fire offers more to South and Southeast Asian players. That’s because the game’s developer, 111dots Studio of Vietnam, kept Asian folklore, mythology, and celebrities in mind when creating characters and settings for the battle royale title.

For example, Indian players often select Jai. Jai’s character is based off Hrithik Roshan, a famous Bollywood actor. The same goes for Kshmr K, who is based on the Indian-American celebrity Niles Hollowell-Dhar, aka Kshmr.

Coin Master

10 million downloads

This mobile app is one of the most popular titles in the world for casual gamers. It requires players to accrue coins in order to build up supplies to create their own village, attack the villages of other players, and then raid their own coin fortunes. Since its release in 2019, a slew of celebrities has made appearances in its ads, from Dieter Bohlen to the Spice Girls.

Candy Crush Saga

The Most Popular Game in 2021

Back in 2021, India Today partnered with Limelight Networks to shed light on gaming stats in the country. As mentioned above, the popularity of video gaming in India has soared in recent years, aligned with the global boom in gaming. The study found that almost 30% of Indians play between 1-3 hours each week.

The study found that despite the booming popularity of battle royale PUBG: Mobile, the most popular game in the country in 2021 was Candy Crush Saga. Globally, the game is one of the most-played casual titles thanks to its easy-to-navigate format and simplicity of the game, which requires players to match up candies to advance to new levels.

Fortnite

Figures Unknown

One of the country’s most popular games is a world heavyweight: Fortnite. However, the game doesn’t have a server in India, which means that gaming reports aren’t able to gauge how many Indian players consistently log on for a session. Regardless, the title remains one of the most-played games in India—particularly it’s battle royale mode. If you want to learn more about Fortnite in India, consider following Royal Dinesh on Twitch, one of the country’s most popular live streamers of the game.