How India’s gaming creator economy contributes to a billion-dollar gaming market

Content creation, brand partnerships, and increasing player engagement are key accelerating factors for growth

Updated: June 3, 2024 09:23 IST

The gaming content creator ecosystem is dynamic, recalibrating the social and digital world (Image: Freepik)

The Indian gaming industry has experienced a monumental shift over the past decade, evolving from being just a pastime activity to a billion-dollar industry. Central to this evolution has been the rise of the “content creator economy”, which has reshaped the gaming market and how games are played, perceived, and even marketed.

According to the ‘India Gaming Report 2024, ‘ India’s gaming content creation community now has an impressive 300,000 creators and streamers market engaging audiences to exceed 600 million users. This exponential growth has not only changed the market dynamics but has also prompted Prime Minister Modi to engage and understand the undeniable impact and imprint this creator economy has on today’s youth and millennials.

The gaming content creator ecosystem is dynamic, recalibrating the social and digital world. These diverse array of professional gamers and streamers to YouTubers and social media influencers are not only entertaining but also informing, engaging, and influencing millions of fans in India and globally with their content creation.

Platforms like Rooter, YouTube, and Twitch serve as the primary go-to platforms where these creators produce engaging and interactive content, including live streams, gameplay videos, tips and tricks, reviews, tutorials, vlogs, and more.

While the impact of this Creator economy is there for all of us to see, it is important to understand the multiple ways such gaming content creators are fuelling the economy and thriving the market in India.

Driving engagement and game sales

One of the most significant impacts of being gaming content creators is their ability to cultivate deep engagement and trust factor among their audience and how successfully they have been building vibrant communities. Unlike traditional media, gaming creators interact directly with their audiences through live chats, broadcast channels, social media, and community events and have a strong understanding of their audience.

This direct interaction also creates a sense of belonging among fans, who feel personally connected to their favorite creators. Consequently, this loyal and highly engaged audience is more likely to invest time and money into games and related content.

As per the recent FICCI-EY report, the rise in popularity of gaming influencers, who amass significant followings on social media and short video platforms, has played a pivotal role in attracting new cohorts of players. Furthermore, the report also highlights a notable increase in viewership of game streamers from 20% to 25%, especially in Tier-II cities.

Gaming content creators also play a pivotal role in driving game sales and increasing popularity. Their recommendations, reviews, and gameplay serve as powerful and authentic endorsements that can significantly influence their followers’ purchasing decisions.

When a popular creator streams a new game, it often leads to a surge in sales as fans rush to experience it for themselves. The loyalty built by creators among younger demographics often surpasses the effectiveness as well as the impact of traditional advertising methods.

Expanding the audience base

The most prominent gaming creators are often exceptional storytellers, crafting compelling narratives around their gameplay. Creators frequently use story mode games, with their intricate plots and character development, to deeply engage audiences and enhance viewer loyalty.

On the other hand, through competitive games like BGMI (Battlegrounds Mobile India) and Valorant, gamers captivate viewers with high-stakes and fast-paced action. When top creators and prominent players share insights, strategies, and highlights from these games, they attract significant viewer interest and help expand the gaming audience with accessibility and appeal to a broader demography.

Through their gaming content, creators also introduce games to people who might not otherwise consider themselves gamers. By offering an exciting and engaging perspective on games, gaming creators have broadened the gaming market, attracting more casual gamers from diverse demographics, thus contributing to the industry’s growth and diversity.

Brand collaborations and economic impact

Brand collaborations and sponsorships play a significant role in powering the economic engine of the gaming market. Gaming creators are becoming the preferred channel for both endemic and non-endemic brands.

Companies and corporations from various sectors such as tech, fashion, automobiles, and food collaborate with gaming content creators to tap into their broad and dedicated audiences. These collaborations involve brands like MG, Hero, Mamaearth, Netflix, IQOO, Meta, and many others.

Additionally, mainstream sports organizations and players are increasingly immersing themselves in the Indian gaming ecosystem. This was exemplified by IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders’ recent collaboration with renowned gamers such as Mortal, PayalGaming, K18, and Mamba.

These collaborations are mutually beneficial as brands gain access to new, lucrative markets, while creators get opportunity of new avenues of earning and access to exclusive content. Top gaming creators in India have the ability to earn over $1 million a year from brand endorsements and content curation on platforms like YouTube and Instagram.

Furthermore, the economic impact of gaming content creators extends far beyond game sales. The demand for high-quality content has also created peripheral jobs such as in production, editing, graphic design, and other related fields, stimulating economic activity across the industry.