The Ram Mandir effect: Downloads of spiritual games surge in India, developers look to make 'temple run'
By Sunita Iyer | First Published Mar 1, 2024, 3:22 PM ISTThe article discusses the rise of spiritual gaming following the opening of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, highlighting trends, market projections, and the intersection of technology and spirituality in India's mobile gaming industry.
The recent opening of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya has sparked a wave of religious fervor, prompting Indian gaming companies to explore the realm of spiritual gaming. A report by The Economic Times indicates that developers are keen on creating the 'temple run' experience. Since the Pran Pratishtha ceremony on January 22, there has been a notable surge in downloads of temple-focused apps, nearly doubling their previous numbers, as per the report. This uptick has fueled excitement among developers, who foresee a lucrative market emerging for religious and spiritual-themed gaming content.
Interestingly, even users who previously had little interest in digital gaming are now displaying enthusiasm for these offerings, according to the report. The trend suggests a growing intersection between technology and spirituality in the gaming sphere.
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FunStop Games, a casual gaming studio supported by InfoEdge Ventures, is capitalizing on the trend. Their Shri Ram Mandir Game app, launched on January 12, has already garnered an impressive five million downloads across various app stores.
Furthermore, older games with religious themes are experiencing a resurgence in popularity amid this trend. For instance, the Ram Mandir Darshan Game, which premiered on July 8, 2021, and has accumulated 100,000 downloads on the Play Store, saw a spike of approximately 54,000 downloads in the past 30 days alone, according to data from App Magic, an app analytics firm.
According to a report by Statista, India’s mobile gaming industry is on track for significant growth, with revenue projected to reach US$151.60 million by 2024. This surge is expected to continue, with an annual growth rate of 7.02% from 2024 to 2027, resulting in a projected market volume of US$185.80 million by the end of 2027.
The expansion of the mobile games market is not just evident in revenue but also in user numbers. Forecasts project that the user base will surge to 239.6 million by 2027. Estimates suggest that user penetration, which currently sits at 14.6% in 2024, is expected to rise to 16.3% by 2027.
This exponential growth trajectory highlights the evolving gaming preferences and consumption patterns among Indian consumers. With the increasing availability of affordable smartphones and expanding internet connectivity, mobile gaming has become a favored form of entertainment across diverse demographics. Currently, spiritual gaming appears to be the prevailing trend in the gaming landscape.
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