Southeast Asia Gaming - Market Share Analysis, Industry Trends & Statistics, Growth Forecasts (2026 - 2031)
Market Report I 2026-02-09 I 120 Pages I Mordor Intelligence
Southeast Asia Gaming Market Analysis
Southeast Asia gaming market size in 2026 is estimated at USD 14.86 billion, growing from 2025 value of USD 14.83 billion with 2031 projections showing USD 15 billion, growing at 0.19% CAGR over 2026-2031. Robust user engagement continues, yet saturated addressable audiences, tightening regulations, and currency volatility restrain top-line expansion. Mobile titles retain primacy as 5G coverage improves playability and cloud-based delivery, but low-spec devices cap average revenue per user and limit premium content uptake. Localized payment ecosystems anchored in digital wallets and carrier billing reduce friction for micro-transactions and help offset credit-card under-penetration. Intensifying rivalry among regional champions such as Garena and global publishers, including Tencent and NetEase, accelerates content localization, esports sponsorship, and hybrid monetization experiments. Government esports programs and tax incentives spur professionalization, though compliance costs and content-approval delays temper immediate returns.
Southeast Asia Gaming Market Trends and Insights
Rising Mobile-Internet Penetration and Affordable Smartphones
Indonesia achieved 99.4% smartphone adoption among internet users by 2024, with 96% of players favoring mobile titles. Budget Android devices priced below USD 150 broadened gamer demographics, bringing Vietnam's user base to 54 million and sustaining 9% annual growth. Publishers respond by optimizing asset size, frame rates, and battery consumption to accommodate entry-level hardware, ensuring reach but limiting premium graphics and monetization depth. Lightweight builds cut data costs and improve playability on 3G fallback connections, reinforcing the Southeast Asia gaming market's mobile-first orientation. Yet low disposable income segments restrain in-app purchase intensity, keeping ARPU below USD 15 across most markets. Device vendors collaborating with telcos on gaming-bundled data plans aim to elevate engagement and nudge users toward higher-end handsets.
5G Rollout Enabling Low-Latency Competitive Gaming
Malaysia's 5G network covered 80.2% of the population by December 2024, boosting median download speeds to 105.36 Mbps from 45.57 Mbps a year earlier. Singapore ranks among Asia's fastest for mobile throughput, while Thailand's 5G footprint spans over 90% of urban centers. Low-latency connectivity cuts lag to sub-30 ms, a threshold critical for MOBA and battle-royale esports. TM Global deployed edge facilities to shrink server round-trips, demonstrating 40% latency reduction in pilot cloud-gaming sessions. Telcos bundle data-free game passes and co-host tournaments to popularize 5G services. Rural coverage gaps and spectrum-auction delays in Indonesia temper uniform gains, but government digital-inclusion mandates aim to close disparities by 2027.
Low-Spec Device Base Limits High-Fidelity Titles
Entry-level smartphones with 3 GB RAM or less still account for 52% of handsets in Indonesia and the Philippines. Developers invest in asset-streaming and adaptive-resolution technology to maintain playability, but visual downgrades dilute potential for premium cosmetics and season-pass upselling. Testing matrices encompass over 600 device models, inflating QA budgets by up to 35%. The constraint sustains dominance of casual and hyper-casual genres, keeping average session times under 30 minutes and depressing ad-view CPMs. Hardware upgrades will occur gradually as income levels rise, but near-term monetization upside remains capped.
Other drivers and restraints analyzed in the detailed report include:
Increasing Adoption of Digital Wallets and Carrier BillingGovernment Support for Esports and Tax IncentivesStringent Content Regulations and Approval Delays
For complete list of drivers and restraints, kindly check the Table Of Contents.
Segment Analysis
Mobile titles generated 70.78% of 2025 revenues, confirming the Southeast Asia gaming market dependence on handheld devices. The segment still posts mid-single-digit user growth as rural smartphone diffusion progresses, but monetization intensity plateaus. Cloud gaming, although only 1.8% of revenue, records the fastest 0.95% CAGR, benefitting from 5G rollouts and edge-compute partnerships. The Southeast Asia gaming market size for cloud services is projected to surpass USD 365 million by 2031, translating to 2.43% of overall spend. Hybrid models allowing session hand-off between mobile and cloud strengthen retention. PC cafe revenue slips amid higher electricity prices, yet cafes reposition as esports arenas, drawing sponsorship from peripheral brands. Console adoption lags due to USD 400+ hardware pricing and limited official distribution channels, though gray-market imports feed niche enthusiast communities.
Hardware subsidies tied to telco contracts and cloud-streamed console libraries attempt to lower the entry barrier. Content strategy increasingly revolves around cross-platform progression, letting players grind on mobile and enjoy premium visuals in the cafe or at home. Publishers leverage cloud-rendered demos to market upcoming mobile ports, reducing APK download friction and highlighting flagship experiences that were previously inaccessible to low-spec device owners.
The Southeast Asia Gaming Market Report is Segmented by Platform (Mobile, PC, Console, and Cloud/Game-Streaming), Revenue Model (Free-To-Play, Premium/Pay-to-Play, Subscription, and More), Game Genre (MOBA/Strategy, Shooter and Battle Royale, Role-Playing Games, Casual and Puzzle, and More), and Country. The Market Forecasts are Provided in Terms of Value (USD).
List of Companies Covered in this Report:
Asiasoft Corporation Public Company Limited IGG Inc. Com2uS Holdings Corporation Netmarble Corporation Tencent Holdings Limited Bandai Namco Entertainment Asia Pte. Ltd. Sea Limited Nintendo Co., Ltd. Sony Group Corporation NetEase, Inc. VNG Corporation Garena Online Private Limited Gravity Co., Ltd. Sky Mavis Pte. Ltd. Shanghai Moonton Technology Co., Ltd. Electronic Arts Inc. Activision Blizzard, Inc. Ubisoft Entertainment SA Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd. Supercell Oy Rovio Entertainment Corporation Roblox Corporation Epic Games, Inc. Valve Corporation Riot Games, Inc. KRAFTON, Inc.
Additional Benefits:
The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format
3 months of analyst support
1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Study Assumptions and Market Definition
1.2 Scope of the Study
2 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
4 MARKET LANDSCAPE
4.1 Market Overview
4.2 Market Drivers
4.2.1 Rising mobile?internet penetration and affordable smartphones
4.2.2 5G rollout enabling low-latency competitive gaming
4.2.3 Increasing adoption of digital wallets and carrier billing
4.2.4 Government support for esports and tax incentives
4.2.5 Emergence of out-of-app alternative distribution channels
4.2.6 Surging cloud-gaming cafes in tier-2 SEA cities
4.3 Market Restraints
4.3.1 Low-spec device base limits high-fidelity titles
4.3.2 Stringent content regulations and approval delays
4.3.3 Volatile local currencies hurt IAP pricing
4.3.4 Rising digital-payment fraud and chargebacks
4.4 Regulatory Landscape
4.5 Technological Outlook
4.6 Porter's Five Forces Analysis
4.6.1 Bargaining Power of Suppliers
4.6.2 Bargaining Power of Consumers
4.6.3 Threat of New Entrants
4.6.4 Threat of Substitutes
4.6.5 Intensity of Competitive Rivalry
4.7 Impact of Macroeconomic Trends on the Market
5 MARKET SIZE AND GROWTH FORECASTS (VALUE)
5.1 By Platform
5.1.1 Mobile
5.1.2 PC
5.1.3 Console
5.1.4 Cloud/Game-Streaming
5.2 By Revenue Model
5.2.1 Free-to-Play (F2P)
5.2.2 Premium / Pay-to-Play
5.2.3 Subscription
5.2.4 In-Game Advertising
5.2.5 Hybrid and Web3 / Play-to-Earn
5.3 By Game Genre
5.3.1 MOBA / Strategy
5.3.2 Shooter and Battle Royale
5.3.3 Role-Playing Games (RPG)
5.3.4 Casual and Puzzle
5.3.5 Simulation and Sports
5.3.6 Other Game Genre
5.4 By Country
5.4.1 Indonesia
5.4.2 Malaysia
5.4.3 Philippines
5.4.4 Singapore
5.4.5 Thailand
5.4.6 Vietnam
5.4.7 Rest of Southeast Asia
6 COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
6.1 Market Concentration
6.2 Strategic Moves
6.3 Market Share Analysis
6.4 Company Profiles (includes Global level Overview, Market level overview, Core Segments, Financials as available, Strategic Information, Market Rank/Share for key companies, Products and Services, and Recent Developments)
6.4.1 Asiasoft Corporation Public Company Limited
6.4.2 IGG Inc.
6.4.3 Com2uS Holdings Corporation
6.4.4 Netmarble Corporation
6.4.5 Tencent Holdings Limited
6.4.6 Bandai Namco Entertainment Asia Pte. Ltd.
6.4.7 Sea Limited
6.4.8 Nintendo Co., Ltd.
6.4.9 Sony Group Corporation
6.4.10 NetEase, Inc.
6.4.11 VNG Corporation
6.4.12 Garena Online Private Limited
6.4.13 Gravity Co., Ltd.
6.4.14 Sky Mavis Pte. Ltd.
6.4.15 Shanghai Moonton Technology Co., Ltd.
6.4.16 Electronic Arts Inc.
6.4.17 Activision Blizzard, Inc.
6.4.18 Ubisoft Entertainment SA
6.4.19 Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd.
6.4.20 Supercell Oy
6.4.21 Rovio Entertainment Corporation
6.4.22 Roblox Corporation
6.4.23 Epic Games, Inc.
6.4.24 Valve Corporation
6.4.25 Riot Games, Inc.
6.4.26 KRAFTON, Inc.
7 MARKET OPPORTUNITIES AND FUTURE OUTLOOK
7.1 White-Space and Unmet-Need Assessment
Content is provided by our partners and every effort is made to make Market Report details as clear as possible. If you are not sure the exact content you require is included in this study you can Contact us to double check. To do this you can:
Use the ‘? ASK A QUESTION’ below the license / prices and to the right of this box. This will come directly to our team who will work on dealing with your request as soon as possible.
Write to directly on support@scotts-international.com with details. Please include as much information as possible including the name of report or link so our staff will be able to work on you request.
Telephone us directly on 0048 603 394 346 and an experienced member of team will be on hand to answer.
With the vast majority of our partners we can obtain Sample Pages to support your decision. This is something we can arrange without revealing your personal details.
It is important to note that we will not be able to provide you the exact data or statistics such as Market Size and Forecasts. Sample pages usually confirm the layout or the Categories included in Charts and Graphs, excluding specific data.
To ask for Sample Pages by contact us through ‘? ASK A QUESTION’, support@scotts-international.com, or by telephoning 0048 603 394 346.
Whilst we try to make our online platform as easy to use as possible there is always the possibility that a better alternative has not been found in your search.
To avoid this possibility Contact us through ‘? ASK A QUESTION’, support@scotts-international.com, or by telephoning 0048 603 394 346 and a Senior Team Member can review your requirements and send a list of possibilities with opinions and recommendations.
All prices are set by our partners and should be exactly the same as those listed on their own websites. We work on a Revenue share basis ensuring that you never pay more than what is offered elsewhere.
Should you find the price cheaper on another platform we recommend you to Contact us as we should be able to match this price. You can Contact us though through ‘? ASK A QUESTION’, support@scotts-international.com, or by telephoning 0048 603 394 346.
As we work in close partnership with our Partners from time to time we can secure discounts and assist with negotiations, this is part of our personalised service to you.
Discounts can sometimes be arranged for speedily placed orders; multiple report purchases or Higher License purchases.
To check if a Discount is possible please Contact our experienced team through ‘? ASK A QUESTION’, support@scotts-international.com, or by telephoning 0048 603 394 346.
Most Market Reports on our platform are listed in USD or EURO based on the wishes of our Partners. To avoid currency fluctuations and potential price differentiations we do not offer the possibility to change the currency online.
Should you wish to pay in a different currency to that advertised online we do accept payments in USD, EURO, GBP and PLN. The price will be calculated based on the relevant exchange rate taken from our National Bank.
To pay in a different above currency to that advertised online please Contact our team and a quotation will be sent within a couple of hours with payment details.
License options vary from Partner to Partner as is usually based on the number of Users that will benefitting from the report. It is very important that License ordered is not breached as this could have potential negative consequences for you individually or your employer.
If you have questions or need confirmation about the specific license we recommend you to Contact us and a detailed explanation will be provided.
The Global Site License is the most comprehensive license available. By selecting this license, the Market Report can be shared with other ‘Allowed Users’ and any other member of staff from the same organisation regardless of geographic location.
It is important to note that this may exclude Parent Companies or Subsidiaries.
If you have questions or need confirmation about the specific license we recommend you to Contact us and a detailed explanation will be provided.
The most common format is PDF, however in certain circumstances data may be present in Excel format or Online, especially in the case of Database or Directories. In addition, for certain higher license options a CD may also be provided.
If you have questions or need clarification about the specific formats we recommend you to Contact us and a detailed explanation will be provided.
Delivery is fulfilled by our partners directly. Once an order has been placed we inform the partner by sharing the delivery email details given in the order process.
Delivery is usually made within 24 hours of an order being placed, however it may take longer should your order be placed prior to the weekend or if otherwise specified on the Market Report details page. Additionally, if details have been not fully completed in the Order process a delay in delivery is possible.
If a delay in delivery is expected you will be informed about it immediately.
As most Market Reports are delivered in PDF format we almost never have to add additional Shipping Charges. If, however you are ordering a Higher License service or a specific delivery format (e.g. CD version) charges may apply.
If you are concerned about additional Shipping Charges we recommend you to Contact us to double check.
We work in Partnership with PayU to ensure payments are made securely in a fast and effortless way. PayU is the e-payments division of Naspers.
Naspers operates in over 133 International Markets and ranks 3rd Globally in terms of the number of e-commerce customers served.
For more information on PayU please visit: https://www.payu.pl/en/about-us
If you require an invoice prior to payment, this is possible. To ensure a speedy delivery of the Market Report we require all relevant company details and you agree to maximum payment terms of 30 days from receipt of order.
With our regular clients deliver of the Market Report can be made prior to receiving payment, however in some circumstances we may ask for payment to be received before arranging for the Market Report to be delivered.
We have specifically partnered with leading International companies to protect your privacy by using different technologies and processes to ensure security.
Everything submitted to Scotts International is encrypted via SSL (Secure Socket Layer) and all personal information provided to Scotts International is stored on computer systems with limited access in controlled environments.
We partner with PayU (https://www.payu.pl/en/about-us) to ensure all credit card payments are made securely in a fast and effortless way.
PayU offers 250+ various payment channels and eWallet services across 4 continents allowing buyers to pay electronically, whether on a computer or a mobile device.