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Indian mobile gaming to become a $5bn+ industry by 2025: report
Mumbai: The gaming sector in India is growing faster than most media sub-sectors – including cinema and home entertainment, audio and more. The industry is currently generating $1.5 billion revenue and is expected to triple to $5 billion plus by 2025 on the back of the “mobile first” phenomenon, according to a BCG-Sequoia India report.
The growth has largely been catalysed by better smartphones, increased internet access, popular titles, influencers, and the global pandemic, said the report titled ‘Mobile Gaming: $5B+ Market Opportunity’ released by Sequoia India in partnership with BCG to assess the current mobile gaming market in India, and its prospects for expansion.
The Consumer Survey conducted by BCG as part of this report gathered insights from 3200+ respondents across 21 locations in India, and investigates gaming habits of the Indian gamer. It probes into the evolution of Indian mobile gaming in terms of genres, engagement, and monetisation dimensions.
“The gaming industry in India has seen a growth of almost 40 per cent in 2019-20, more than that of OTT, television and social media platforms. 86 per cent of this market consists of mobile phone users. While there is large dependence on ad revenues today, increasing traction and engagement is expected to drive higher willingness to pay which will drive new ways of user monetization and rising ARPUs in the coming years,” said BCG managing director and senior partner Vikash Jain.
The report also highlighted how India is emerging as both an investment opportunity and a talent hub for the world.
“Monetisation of Indian games, which has been a concern in the past, is already at $1.8B revenues ramping up very rapidly. The industry is witnessing a significant investor interest in Indian gaming. In fact, a third of all the funding for gaming in India came in the first quarter of 2021. The rise of gaming platforms is especially exciting, as evidenced by 80 per cent of all funding going to platforms,” said Sequoia India managing director Rajan Anandan, talking about investor sentiment.
According to BCG managing director and partner Mandeep Kohli the Indian gamer is not defined by their demographic. They are rather defined by their context – their needs, preferences, and gaming habits. “An average player who plays to avoid boredom may spend around one to two hours on games, while a die-hard gamer who plays for the competitive spirit, can spend nearly double the time on gaming while playing the same game or a different game all together. Companies that are able to understand these varied consumers and identify which ones are they really serving are the ones which will lead the market,” Kohli explained.
The report also highlighted key imperatives that will drive the next wave of growth for this fast-paced industry. These include enhancing the discovery and adoption through casual and free to play games, improving usage and retention by diversifying genres to increase engagement and retention, and effectively driving monetisation through localized pricing strategies, among others.
“80 per cent+ of the mobile gaming market is driven by user spends, i.e., in-app purchases and real-money games, further catalysed by wide availability of quality smartphones, affordable internet and UPI,” said Sequoia India associate Prachi Pawar.
It also delved deep into the strategic choices of some of the successful mobile gaming companies in India — Nazara, MPL, Dream11 and Gameskraft. “Being the first movers in their respective segments, some of these companies have helped shape the Indian gaming market. They continue to bet on new growth opportunities and build competitive advantage to stay ahead in this high-stakes game,” said BCG principal Wamika Mimani.
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Samay Raina returns with Still Alive, confronts 2025 controversy in bold comeback special
Comeback set tackles controversy, blending humour with raw storytelling
MUMBAI: Samay Raina is set to release his new stand-up comedy special, Still Alive, on YouTube on April 7, 2026, marking a high-profile return following a turbulent year.
The trailer for the special dropped on April 5, offering a glimpse into what Raina describes as a raw and unfiltered set that leans as much on honesty as it does on humour.
Positioned as a comeback of sorts, Still Alive draws heavily from the controversy surrounding his show India’s Got Latent in early 2025. The episode led to legal trouble, multiple FIRs, and a lengthy six-hour interrogation by the Maharashtra Cyber Cell, placing the comedian at the centre of intense public scrutiny.
Rather than sidestep the episode, Raina leans into it. The special reflects on the fallout and his personal journey through it, blending observational comedy with moments of emotional candour. Early audience feedback from live performances suggests the tone is less about rapid-fire punchlines and more about storytelling with bite.
The special was filmed during his global Still Alive & Unfiltered tour, which ran from August 2025 to early 2026. The tour saw Raina perform across major international venues, including the Madison Square Garden Theatre in New York, a milestone that places him among the youngest Indian comedians to take that stage.
The title itself signals resilience. “Still Alive” is a nod to navigating both legal and public backlash while choosing to remain unapologetically authentic, a theme that appears to anchor the set.
With the special set to premiere online, all eyes are now on how audiences respond to a performance that promises equal parts reflection and wit. For Raina, the message is clear. He is not just back, he is ready to be heard on his own terms.
