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Console gaming dominance to reduce gradually in India
MUMBAI: Console continues to be the largest segment of the Indian gaming market. However, the Ficci KPMG report notes that its dominance is expected to reduce gradually as mobile gaming gains significance.
While growth rates of 28 per cent were forecast over 2011- 2012, actual growth came in at 8 per cent primarily due to overall sluggishness in the economy impacting both unit sales and attach ratios. The growth was also impacted by sluggishness in ad rates and significant inventory overhang in the internet gaming space.
Growth estimates for the console market have been further moderated going forward. This is primarily due to the fact that Sony‘s PS2 console is expected to be phased out in India this year and upsides from attach growth in PSP, PS3 and Microsoft Xbox 360 sales will only partially offset PS2 sales. A fall in software sales earlier associated with PS2 consoles will also impact the market.
Consequently, the overall market is likely to grow at a 19 per cent CAGR to reach Rs 19 billion by 2017. For the console segment, a lot will depend on how the PS4 launch fares in India and how quickly the gaming experience on mobiles and tablets comes closer.
Overall the gaming industry in India grew 16 per cent over last year and is expected to grow at a 22 per cent CAGR to reach Rs 42 bn by 2017.
Mobile Gaming: This category continued to see sustained growth in smartphone and tablet device penetration, and regular uptake of gaming content.
IAMAI estimates that nearly 50 per cent of mobile users regularly access gaming content. Although telecom operators such as Vodafone are increasingly recognising the importance of developing a vibrant gaming ecosystem on-deck and are rationalising revenue share terms (now offer 70 per cent revenue shares to several large publishers), the off-deck segment is expected to eclipse the on-deck segment in value terms by 2014.
Monetisation currently remains a challenge for Indian publishers, as the majority of game downloads are ad-funded. However, given that most Indian smartphone users have access to content published by global content providers and the fact that the gaming universe is highly fragmented, the spend gets spread across a large number of developers and private publishers.
PC and TV Gaming: The PC gaming market grew nominally over this period consistent with last year‘s report. It is not expected to be a significant contributor to growth over the coming years.
While the TV gaming is a relatively small market, the segment holds some potential for growth going forward as digital cable operators attempt to offer compelling value added services to curb erosion in subscribers with the onset of mandatory digitisation. This is, however, expected to be largely a lower income audience.
Set top device functionality, currently a major bottleneck to delivery of quality gaming content, is also expected to improve over time, allowing providers to transmit richer, interactive content.
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With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
