Southeast Asia is a big market, consisting of eleven countries, where each of them plays a unique role in making this market a huge one. Recently, this market has emerged as a hub for the mobile gaming industry. Games have taken the whole world by waves, particularly the Southeast Asian region. The influx of games, their genres, their number, and gaming events are a few of the biggest reasons behind Southeast Asia being recognized as a mobile gaming market. Other than that, the affordability factor of mobile phones is also behind the surge of mobile gaming.
The unique experience that mobile gaming provides to gamers is the reason behind its rise. In this read, we are going to delve into the Southeast Asian market in terms of its mobile gaming industry. We will be talking about the current situation as well as the key points that will be driving this growth in the near future. And how the role of translation and localization is raising the accessibility of these mobile games is just beyond words.
As per the calculation of Newzoo, the Southeast Asian mobile gaming market is going to reach above $40 billion with an annual growth rate of 13%. Newzoo is a gaming research platform that collects data about PC, console, and mobile gaming. This organization provides data on games and gamers. And through its intelligent insights, gaming companies figure out market trends, consumer preferences, predictive and comparative analysis, revenue projection, data modeling solutions, and many more.
Revenue Southeast Asian Mobile Gaming Market Generated Over the Years
The main reason behind this surge in revenue is the enhanced use of mobile phones. And this increasing use will further lead to an increased number of gamers, more than 50%, in the industry in the next five years. And who knows with this irregular rate of influx, this 50% increase might happen in just two years.
Southeast Asia consists of eleven countries, Burma (Myanmar), Timor-Leste, Laos, the Philippines, Thailand, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Vietnam. Each country has its own contribution to the Southeast Asian mobile gaming market. All of these countries are part of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Southeast Asian Countries Generating Revenue on Their Mobile Games Market
Stats surely confirm how fast the mobile gaming industry is in both technology and generating profit. The Southeast Asian region is where you will find people with different cultures, speaking multiple languages. Hence, in this diverse market, differences in culture and language, bring changes in consumer preferences and their demands. In this market, mobile gaming is not just a means to entertainment, rather now it has become a lifestyle. As per the stats in 2019, the rise of mobile games was estimated at $49 billion in Southeast Asia alone. Right now the most played mobile gaming apps in this region are Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Plants vs. Zombies, and Clash Royale with percentages of 44%, 27%, and 33% respectively.
Every year the bar of mobile gaming keeps on rising and there are multiple factors that drive this bar. So let's get into these details.
The factor of gender plays a very important role in building the future of mobile gaming in Southeast Asia. Initially, this industry was run by male figures in almost every position, from developers to gamers. The high gender gap in this industry is being closed in Southeast Asia where the ratio of female gamers is more than male ones, 53% women and 43% men gamers. Quite a ratio, right?
One more thing, a common conception around mobile gaming is that Gen Z is more into mobile gaming. While in Southeast Asia, the situation is different. From the age of 45 to 54 years, male gamers are 14% while women are taking charge at 25%. In Gen Z, female gamers are 14% while male ones are 12%. So Southeast Asia is really ending the gender difference debate in this industry. And not only is the gender debate ending, but also the gender pay gap differences are decreasing.
Gaming genres play another important role in enhancing the number of mobile gamers in Southeast Asia. The most popular gaming genre in Southeast Asia is Strategy games. And the ratio goes like this:
Mobile Phones (39%)PC (32%)Consoles (29%)In these games, players have to out-wit their opponents by forming strategies. Physical challenges are uncommon in strategy games. These are mind games that require extreme focus and sharp-mindedness. Shooter games are also popular here with a noticeable player percentage. Games like League of Legends and FIFA have their separate SEA (South East Asia) fanbase.
Issues like data privacy, copyright infringement, and the potential for misuse of AI-generated content raise ethical concerns. Many AI models are trained on massive datasets and store the previously used information to produce more and better results. This raises questions about the legality of using copyrighted works to create new content. When an AI generates content based on copyrighted material, this creates legal uncertainties for both AI developers and content creators.
In order to support in-app purchases, in-app advertising, and paid downloads, publishers have used indirect or subsidy-based monetization tactics. By enabling in-app purchases, game developers pique the interest of the gamers. In the long run, gamers are more addicted to these games as they have not only invested their time but also their money. Gamers also become eligible for exclusive benefits and game features. In Southeast Asia, Malaysia and Thailand are the ones fully supporting in-app purchasing culture.
The great revenue generation of the Thai and Malay mobile gaming market comes from in-app purchases. And now Indonesia is also rising in this field as more than 50% of Southeast Asian gamers are from Indonesia.
Here technological advancement refers to how efficient our smartphone processors are and how they are supporting heavy games. Since the start of mobile gaming, the number of gamers has risen exponentially. Surely the credit also goes to phones that are eligible enough to support gaming apps.
More than 3 billion gamers worldwide go for mobile gaming rather than PC and consoles. These phones are pocket-sized powerhouses that are responsible for driving the growth of Southeast Asia’s mobile gaming market. Smartphones are becoming competent gaming devices because of improved processing power and graphical capabilities.
Prior to gaming, Southeast Asia was known for clothing, textile, and tourism. However, in the last five years, there has been a shift to the influx of games and gamers which has made the world see this market from a different perspective. Foreign investment in Southeast Asia is another reason behind the growth. For example, Chinese video gaming company miHoYo opened “Cognosphere Pte. Ltd” and Japanese company Sony opened “PlayStation Studios Malaysia” in Southeast Asia.
In the Philippines, Indonesia, and Thailand the rising factor of smartphone adoption is one cause behind the rise of mobile gaming. Talking about the whole Southeast Asian region, the smartphone adoption rate reached 78 percent in 2023 acording to Stista). And by 2030, this percentage will go up to 90%, following the current rate. This enhancement in the use of smartphones allows the use of apps, especially gaming apps.
The Southeast Asian market is also called the mobile-first market, based on its smartphone adoption rate. Being a country with a huge esports fan base and now rising phone use, this region has become quite promising for gaming companies.
The role of government policies is very evident when it comes to raising the standard of the SEA market. The Indonesian government has launched a scheme, Game Fund. Through this scheme, the government imposes fewer rules and regulations on foreign game developers so that they can enter the Indonesian gaming market and develop games here. The initial target for this scheme is to generate US$40 million annually. Right now Indonesia is ranked number 3 in the Asian gaming sector, right after China and India. And after the success of this scheme, Indonesia will most probably come in the 2nd or 1st place in the Asian continent. Other than that, Asosiasi Game Indonesia (AGI) is an Indonesian organization whose aim is to expedite the growth of the Indonesian gaming industry.
While in Singapore, the government induces incubator programs, and tax incentives and allows grants to foreign game investors and companies to make them a successful business in Singapore. The Malaysian government's DICE (Digital Content Ecosystem) policy attracts foreign gaming investments in the country and facilitates the growth of the gaming sector.
Right now, the reason behind the worldwide fame of games is not just because of how immersive the experience they provide or how awesome their graphics and display are. The reason is how they have emerged from being a pleasurable activity to a full-fledged career. And now esports gaming competitions are a cherry on the top. Games are now providing a complete career opportunity where professional gamers participate in global gaming competitions and represent their countries. Games like Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, PUBG Mobile, and Free Fire are ruling the mobile gaming world in the SEA market while providing access to high-stakes gaming competitions. JL Gaming and Miaw Aug from Indonesia, Kristine Santamena and Vigor Gaming from the Philippines, and Nam Blue from Vietnam are a few of the names that rule the SEA gaming market with their skilled mobile gaming skills. These gamers have also taken part in worldwide esports tournaments and made huge money by winning several competitions.
One in three Southeast Asian smartphone owners play mobile games at least once every seven days, according to a recent Google poll. This highly suggests what would be the future of mobile gaming in Southeast Asia. The factors that we discussed above in detail are the main reasons that showcase the future outlook of mobile gaming in Southeast Asia. Other than that, education also plays a very vital role. It showcases how games are even considered necessary in student life as they are not just a break from studies but also build critical skills in children. Games are a regular practice in Indonesian, Vietnamese, and Philippine schools. Such attention towards gamhames makes them demandable in the SEA market.
Continuous mobile usage and internet penetration are a constant factor in raising the demand for mobile gaming apps. And let’s not forget how 5G technology is bringing revolution in the Southeast Asian gaming sector by lowering latency rates and enhancing download speeds. With continuous app updates and glorifying visuals of games, we can expect that the revenue predicted for the year 2029, $4.43 billion, can be much bigger. Mobile games will be more user-friendly, take less time to download, and won't linguistically and culturally hinder gamers.
When games are accessible in multiple languages and adaptable for different cultures, that's when their demand rises on a global scale. Initially, games are created for one market to cater to that specific audience in every way possible. With the passage of time as the game gains its fame, it is demanded globally but language and culture remain the two permanent hurdles. This is where gaming companies reach out to a professional gaming translation company and hire professional translators equipped to do the job. These translators not only translate games but also localize them for your target market. Game localization, if done right, can help unleash your global potential and make your game a huge success across different regions.
The mobile gaming community has been popular in the SEA market for a long time now. This fame allowed Southeast Asia to host its first esports tournament in 2019 in the Philippines. The Chinese mobile game “Mobile Legends: Bang Bang” was the star of the show. This Chinese game was translated into 14 languages to remove linguistic barriers. And for the cultural adaptation, the Chinese gaming company added characters from Southeast Asian heritage to make the game appealing to the audience. Such as Minsitthar from Myanmar’s culture who spoke Burmese, Badang from Malaysia who spoke Malay and Lapu Lapu from the Philippines who spoke both English and Filipino. These characters were the heroes of Southeast Asian cultural folktales.
Mobile gaming is definitely the new trend in the gaming sector. Southeast Asia is a promising region for gaming companies because of their rising number of gamers, interest in a variety of gaming genres, and not to forget continuous technological advancements. We can proudly say that the future of mobile gaming in Southeast Asia is very bright. With continuous government support through tax incentives and incubator programs, gaming companies are successfully opening in the SEA market. With game localization, the accessibility of gaming apps has become easier for the Southeast Asian audience. As the game resonates with the culture and language of gamers, they are more inclined towards the games.
At Mars Translation, we provide you with exceptional translations and localization services that take your game to the global market in no time. We have the tools, technologies, and expertise needed to make your game a global hit. Get in touch for free consultation!
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