Your guide to game growth in South, East Asia, and Pacific regions
July 17, 2024•5 min
The global gaming landscape is rapidly evolving, with new markets emerging and player preferences shifting. For developers seeking to expand their reach, staying informed about these global trends is crucial.
South, East Asia, and the Pacific regions are some of the most promising global video game markets, accounting for 46% of international games revenue. The region is also home to the vast majority of players: in 2023, there were 3.2 billion gamers worldwide, with 1.48 billion players from Asia.
Recognizing this potential, global video game commerce company Xsolla is expanding its payment solution coverage to 4 markets across South, East Asia, and Pacific regions. By offering customers local payment interfaces and payment processing through Maya, PayNow, WeChat Pay HK, JazzCash, and Easypaisa, game developers can reach over 76 million gamers across these markets.
Singapore and the Philippines
If you have considered expanding your reach to Asia, Singapore and the Philippines should spark your interest. Both lean heavily into game development on national levels, with educational institutions boasting new programs geared towards creating the next generation of game developers.
The countries' governments also offer incentives to help fuel the rise of game development studios. The Philippines has the fastest-growing mobile games market, with around 30% of its youthful population positioned in gaming's sweet spot. Singapore boasts over half of the region's gamers and has the highest ARPU, at approximately $98.45 per player in 2023.
Xsolla is pleased to partner with Maya, the #1 digital bank and the top-rated consumer finance app on the Google Play Store and Apple Store. The Philippines' game enthusiasts favor this digital wallet that, as of 2023, claimed 57% of the country's digital banking users.
Launched in 2017, PayNow is leading the charge in peer-to-peer real-time transfers, running over the existing FAST (Fast and Secure Transfers) system (an intrabank service connecting over 24 major banking institutions) launched in 2014. Today, over 80% of Singapore residents and businesses use PayNow as an alternative payment method.
With the addition of PayNow and Maya to Xsolla Payments, you can reach new audiences and provide your new players with the most popular and convenient payment methods. For more of a deep dive into payment options in this region, read our blog post, “CONQUER SOUTHEAST ASIA’S GAMING MARKET WITH PAYNOW AND MAYA.”
Hong Kong
Hong Kong has a unique economy and is quickly becoming one of the world's most significant financial centers and commercial ports. With a thriving gaming ecosystem and strategic location at the heart of Asia, it's no wonder game developers and publishers are eyeing the region's opportunities.
According to a Rakuten Insight survey on online gaming, about 87% of the respondents from Hong Kong aged 16-24 stated that they had played online games. The same study found that about 41% of Hong Kong gamers played online daily.
With the addition of WeChat Pay HK to Xsolla's payment portfolio, you can now expand your game's reach to over 6 million more users. What makes this method especially appealing?
Asia Pacific’s most promising gaming markets
Developers seeking to acquire new paying users have an opportunity to reach over 76 million gamers and lift their conversion rates across these rapidly expanding markets. Pakistan Pakistan's gaming market growth stems from a population showing increasing interest in gaming and the digital space. The country currently ranks as the 46th largest eCommerce market globally, and its mobile POS payments market transaction value is expected to grow to $1.67 billion by 2027. Recent studies suggest that up to 62% of gamers in Pakistan play video games, and over 1,000 game development companies operate in Pakistan. With an extensive track record of helping game developers navigate the complexities of local payment methods worldwide, Xsolla regularly incorporates new emerging payment methods to help developers access new worldwide audiences. For the Pakistan gaming market, Xsolla is launching two new alternative payment methods to meet the nation's growing appetite for gaming. JazzCash and Easypaisa are Pakistan's most favored digital apps, serving more than 18M and 15M registered users, respectively.- Mastercard partner JazzCash is revolutionizing the digital payment landscape in Pakistan. Of the impressive 73.7 million JazzCash subscribers, 29% are women.
- Easypaisa serves 7.4 million unique customers and is the world's third-largest mobile money deployment account.
Singapore and the Philippines
If you have considered expanding your reach to Asia, Singapore and the Philippines should spark your interest. Both lean heavily into game development on national levels, with educational institutions boasting new programs geared towards creating the next generation of game developers.
The countries' governments also offer incentives to help fuel the rise of game development studios. The Philippines has the fastest-growing mobile games market, with around 30% of its youthful population positioned in gaming's sweet spot. Singapore boasts over half of the region's gamers and has the highest ARPU, at approximately $98.45 per player in 2023.
Xsolla is pleased to partner with Maya, the #1 digital bank and the top-rated consumer finance app on the Google Play Store and Apple Store. The Philippines' game enthusiasts favor this digital wallet that, as of 2023, claimed 57% of the country's digital banking users.
Launched in 2017, PayNow is leading the charge in peer-to-peer real-time transfers, running over the existing FAST (Fast and Secure Transfers) system (an intrabank service connecting over 24 major banking institutions) launched in 2014. Today, over 80% of Singapore residents and businesses use PayNow as an alternative payment method.
With the addition of PayNow and Maya to Xsolla Payments, you can reach new audiences and provide your new players with the most popular and convenient payment methods. For more of a deep dive into payment options in this region, read our blog post, “CONQUER SOUTHEAST ASIA’S GAMING MARKET WITH PAYNOW AND MAYA.”
Hong Kong
Hong Kong has a unique economy and is quickly becoming one of the world's most significant financial centers and commercial ports. With a thriving gaming ecosystem and strategic location at the heart of Asia, it's no wonder game developers and publishers are eyeing the region's opportunities.
According to a Rakuten Insight survey on online gaming, about 87% of the respondents from Hong Kong aged 16-24 stated that they had played online games. The same study found that about 41% of Hong Kong gamers played online daily.
With the addition of WeChat Pay HK to Xsolla's payment portfolio, you can now expand your game's reach to over 6 million more users. What makes this method especially appealing?
- Over 5 million Hong Kong residents have an account with WeChat Pay HK.
- Gamers can quickly pay via mobile with ease by scanning a QR code.
- WeChat Pay HK keeps player data safe with advanced security measures.
- WeChat Pay HK promotions help with player engagement and more.
Xsolla Payments
With these alternative payment methods joining the ranks of over 700+ payment methods across 200+ geographies, Xsolla is the perfect partner to help you make your mark on Asia's promising gaming industry. In addition to reaching new audiences and providing your player base with tailored payment options to suit their location and preferences, Xsolla Payments offers:- Fully customizable checkout UI to match your brand and your game.
- Adaptive design compatible across multiple platforms such as mobile, tablet, and PC.
- Up-to-date analytics on the trends and data you care about are the most readily available in your Publisher Account.
Next steps
When you're ready to expand your game's reach to Asia and beyond, Xsolla's payment technology gives you the power to succeed. To get started, chat with one of our game commerce experts for personalized recommendations based on your game's specific needs. Ready to start right away? Jump in and create your Publisher Account today.
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