Mobile gaming industry growth in Indonesia

The mobile gaming industry is rapidly spreading out around the world, especially in the Asia-Pacific region.  For instance, Indonesia leads the charge of the mobile gaming industry in Southeast Asia. Let’s briefly outline the surge of downloads and revenues in Indonesia for 2024. According to SensorTower's analysis, mobile game downloads in Indonesia increased significantly by 10% between January and August. 

Mobile game downloads in Southeast Asia from January to August 2024

Indonesia is a country located in the Asia-Pacific region, with a quite big population of 270 million people. Nowadays, the Asian-Pacific region contains 53% of global players. Moreover, the bar graphs from the NEWZOO  reveal data that there were 2,848 million mobile players projected in 2024. 

Global player forecast 2022-2027

A significant amount of players — 1,809 million came from Central and Southeast Asian countries.  

Global players 2024 (per region)

According to the  NEWZOO research, Indonesia took the fourth place in the ranking of “Global Gamer Study”.  Additionally, the latest analysis was given by StatistaResearchDepartment in February of 2025. The analysis describes the current situation and changes in the mobile gaming segment in Indonesia. The Indonesian mobile market counts 76.92 million users.

Summarizing the research allows us to vividly understand the mobile game's popularity in Indonesia. This raises the question of the causes of popularity. Let’s dive into the key reasons. 

Smartphones: affordable access for all. 

Indonesia is a modern and friendly-technology country. Digital adaptation evolves rapidly, making it hard for people to live without it. Smartphones are capable of integrating functions that are extremely convenient for users. A smartphone serves as a personal assistant, offering valuable and entertaining features. The widespread adoption of smartphones in Indonesia is driven by obtainable prices, a variety of options, and access to Asian brands. For example, Oppo, Xiaomi, Realme and Vivo are ambassadors of the mobile vendor market in Indonesia. The prices range from Rp 1.460.700 and Rp 6.492.000 allowing people to choose an appropriate mobile phone. The average price of a PC is Rp 21.060. 200, while the price for a console starts at Rp 1.700.800. When we compare the prices of mobile phones, consoles, and PCs in Indonesia, it's clear that PCs and consoles are more expensive than mobile phones. As a result, many Indonesian gamers choose to play exclusively mobile games. 

  Widespread Internet Connectivity 

The Internet is launching quickly and qualitatively in Indonesia. Indonesia is one of the most advanced countries with the most internet users. Recent research indicates that Indonesia ranks fourth in terms of its digital population.

Countries with the largest digital populations in the world as of February 2025

The increase in mobile game downloads illustrates the changing preferences of users in Indonesia. Several factors contribute to this shift: a high level of internet penetration, the widespread availability of 4G and pilot projects for 5G, a robust ecosystem of mobile apps, and the rise of user-generated content that engages an ever-growing audience throughout the country.

The government backing

The first attempts were made in 2018 by President Joko Widodo. He noticed the enormous potential of the digital industry. The assimilation of digital optimization plays a crucial role in the prosperity of the economy. Thus the government set the goal of boosting digital transformation across the manufacturing sectors, including food and beverage, textiles, automotive, chemicals and electronics. As mentioned previously, electronic devices have enhanced their functions and contributed to the success of the advanced gaming industry. 

In 2024, President Joko Widodo published  Presidential Regulation Number 19 to quicken and strengthen the National Ecosystem Gaming Industry. Let’s briefly observe the main points of the regulation: 

• Supporting the digital infrastructure: this point is pursued by enhancing cloud services and quickening internet connection.

• Human resources development: the second point discusses educational programs that form partnerships with universities and vocational institutions to develop a skilled workforce in game design, coding, and digital art.

• Intellectual property safety: this aspect focuses on strengthening legal frameworks to protect local game developers' intellectual property rights, reducing piracy, and promoting the creation of original content.

• Market system and global competitiveness: it concerns that the government keeps an eye on supporting Indonesian games to enter international markets, building global platforms, and investing in esports.

At least the Indonesian gaming industry, particularly mobile gaming, is progressing, and the government recognizes its full potential.

Young generation 

The young generation in Indonesia is enthusiastically embracing mobile gaming, which has evolved into more than just a hobby — it's become a lifestyle. With the powerful capabilities of cheap smartphones and fast internet access, Indonesian gamers are fully immersed in a virtual world. According to Deloitte research, the majority of Indonesian gamers belong to Generation Z, which encompasses a remarkable 34 to 35 million individuals, primarily comprised of students and first-time employees. This demographic has a unique opportunity to express themselves and create new identities through gaming, as they can customize characters, skins, and weapons to fit their preferences. 

Moreover, mobile games facilitate social interaction and help foster a sense of community and camaraderie among players in the esports realm. The rise of esports and competitive gaming also presents unmissable opportunities for young people to develop skills and pursue careers in this growing industry. All in all, these factors influence mobile gaming popularity among young gamers. 

Conclusion 

This article discusses the reasons behind the popularity of the mobile game industry in Indonesia. Here are the major points summarized:

• The mobile gaming industry is rapidly gaining traction in Indonesia and it counts 76.92 million users. 

• The diversity of mobile phones available at affordable prices enables a large number of people to access mobile games. 

• The Internet in Indonesia is widespread, high-quality, and fast, allowing users to easily download and play mobile games.

• The Indonesian government has proposed measures to support and enhance the gaming industry.

• Furthermore, the majority of Indonesia's population is young, which contributes to a growing interest in the virtual world. 

To sum up, the mobile gaming industry is in bloom around the world, but Indonesia is striving to achieve better results. 

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