How Indian Gaming Startups Are Embracing 5G Be it a PC gamer or a mobile gamer, 5G's arrival is sure to revolutionize the way one engages with digital games

In October 2022, PM took the stage at the Indian Mobile Congress to officially launch 5G services in the country. A year later, India had over 100 million 5G users. Ericsson in its latest report shared that over 31 million users are expected to switch to 5G by the year's end. But arguably one of the most optimistic and enthusiastic segments of smartphone users are the gamers alone.

According to a report by MoEngage, in association with AppsFlyer and AppsTweak, mobile gaming in India is expected to reach USD 8.6 billion by 2027. Be it a PC gamer or a mobile gamer, 5G's arrival is sure to revolutionize the way one engages with digital games.

According to Gaurav Agarwal, Co-Founder, Gamezop, "Gaming has emerged as one of the most popular forms of entertainment worldwide, with over 3.4 billion people engaging in games across multiple devices. Projections indicate that India will have 700 million gamers by 2025, making the future of the Indian gaming industry incredibly promising." It offers a comprehensive platform for mobile gamers, enabling them to effortlessly discover and play new games without the hassle of installing or uninstalling any apps.

Holistically speaking, the private 5th generation of the mobile network brings in low latency, higher bandwidth, and seamless secure wireless connectivity. But what does it mean for a user to spend a good number of hours a day engaging in games?

"5G networks offer exceptionally low latency and lightning-fast data transfer speeds. This means that online multiplayer games can be played with minimal lag, providing a much smoother and more immersive gaming experience. Gamers will relish the real-time responsiveness, enriching the thrill of competitive gaming," shares Saumya Singh Rathore, Co-Founder, WinZO games, a vernacular social gaming platform with 150 million users.

The majority of 4G networks have a latency rate of 30-40 milliseconds while 5G networks offer a latency rate of just 5 milliseconds. This means the time difference between your input and the game's response is just 5 milliseconds.

Notably, Cloud gaming is being touted as the future of gaming courtesy of 5G. In this, a user is not required to download games; rather, 5G will enable gamers to access and play games using a live-streamed link.

Game streaming is a trend much beloved in the ecosystem and requires require fast and stable network. 5G can help gamers stream their live content on YouTube, Twitch, etc.

"With 5G, live streamers can transmit content in 4K or even 8K resolution, providing users with a more immersive and detailed viewing experience. Both streaming and gaming are intensive on data. 5G technology will unlock new creative opportunities such as the use of innovative tools like AI and AR within the live stream. 5G will enable high-speed streaming with virtually no delay and near-zero latency can ensure a more engaging, crystal clear and interactive live experience," shares Saurabh Pandey, co-founder and CEO, Eloelo. The gaming start-up is a live social entertainment platform which combines audio and video live streams with interactive games to facilitate connections between creators and their audiences. It currently has 25+ live formats, including 12+ games on the app and has 40 million+ downloads to date.

The world of augmented reality and virtual reality is an integral element of the gaming space. Such games have some mandatory network requirements which will be fulfilled by 5G. Everything which happens with AR/VR happens in real-time. With 5G, the processing of such games will stay in the cloud and will also users to experience AR/VR headsets cord-free, providing a real-life experience.

"Esports enthusiasts can now indulge in the luxury of 4K streaming, a feat previously deemed impractical on 4G devices. As more users transition to 5G-capable devices, there's an escalating demand for advanced features. High-speed internet opens the door to real-time interactive 360-degree camera views, multi-stream viewing with customizable angles, and augmented reality overlays on live matches—features that were once only theoretical are now tangible possibilities," share Anirudh Pandita, and Ashwin Suresh, Founders, Loco.

5G will pave the way for better accessibility which goes beyond metros, and into tier 2 and tier 3 cities. Since dominant games require set hardware and software infrastructure, presently it's not possible at large. "5G can provide creators in India with the ability to increase their reach to the remotest part of India and even to the global audiences seamlessly. This opens up opportunities for content creators and expands the user base to include a more diverse audience," adds Pandey.

"From an infrastructure perspective, we find ourselves in a better position than ever before. Devices are becoming smarter and faster, and with the advent of 5G technology, smartphones today have more capabilities than ever before. Consequently, people are spending more time online than ever before, resulting in a surge of apps and websites across various categories," shares Agarwal.

Overall, the anticipation and enthusiasm within the Indian gaming startup landscape for the advent of 5G technology is deeply felt. With the potential to revolutionize the gaming experience by enhancing speed, reducing latency, and enabling new immersive technologies like augmented and virtual reality, 5G stands as a beacon of hope.