SEMrush Study: India’s Favorite Pastime Amidst Lockdown Is Playing PUBG, Minecraft, Fortnight

SEMrush study has found that during the lockdown, gaming has burst out into the open. In May, there has been a massive upsurge in the number of searches for games online. As per SEMrush study, in May, the number of people playing games like PUBG, Minecraft, Fortnight Battle Royale, League of Legends, Counter-Strike, World of Warcraft, and Clash of Clans, in lakhs, was 22, 8.2, 8.5, 1.5, 1.5, 1.1, and 1.1. From January and April, these numbers represent a percentage increase of 49%, 124%, 173%, 29%, 78%, 12%, and 22% respectively for each game.

The study also captured which gaming tournament Indians are playing the most. These games are the International, Dreamhack, Fortnite World Cup, Counter-Strike, Pokeman World Championships, Intel Extreme Masters, and League of Legends World Championship. From January to April, the percentage change in the number of searches for these games was 81%, 0%, 22%, 84%, 255%, -22%, and 50%. The study also tracked how many times leading consoles were searched between January and April. It found that the most searched console in April was Nintendo Switch followed by Xbox 1, Playstation 4, and Wii u. Each console was searched, in lakhs, 1.1, .49, .49, and .02 times. From January to April, the percentage increase in the number of times the respective consoles were searched was 122%, 123%, 123%, and 53%.

In addition to consoles, the study also tracked which online games Indians prefer to play. It found a stupendous surge in online searches for Mobile Premier League (MPL). From January to April 2020, there was a 406% increase in the number of searches on MPL. The study found that when it comes to mobile games, Indians favorites are PUBG Mobile, Subway Surfers, Ludo King, Garena Free Fire, Temple Run, Angry Birds, and Clash of Clans. Each game respectively was searched for, in lakhs, 10, 8.2, 18, 2, 2.4, 1.6, and 1.1 times. From January to April 2020, the percentage increase in the number of times these games, respectively, were searched was 49%, 83%, 508%, 49%, 49%, 82%, and 22%.

Speaking about the results of the study Fernando Angulo, Head of Communications said "We've got our finger on the pulse of Indians. We've discovered that gaming is enormous and likely to get bigger in the coming months. That’s because the players who developed a penchant for games like PUBG, Minecraft and others during the lockdown, are likely to become devout gamers. Gaming is not only exciting; it's a difficult habit to break. Once you're hooked, you're a goner, at least until you reach your forties. We've also found that mobile games in India attract younger players, many of whom are children. There has been a surge in searches for games like Subway Surfers, Temple Run, and Angry Birds. Each of these games is specially made for children. So while teenagers and adults in India play games like PUBH, Minecraft, and Counterstrike on their computer or laptops, children are more likely to play games on mobile devices. We’ve also figured out that the most popular gaming console in India is the Nintendo Switch and that the Xbox 1 and Playstation 4 are neck-in-neck.  

He further added, "Our study will prove invaluable to game developers. They now have a clear idea about the real size of the gaming market and how large it will be once lockdowns end. Developers who want to reach young audiences know for which platform they should develop games. Those who want to attract older audiences know the platform their target demographic is likely to use. Our study also reveals the kinds of games audiences prefer. Younger players prefer endless games that are simple to play but engrossing. Older gamers enjoy games that offer a first-person perspective and are loaded with action".