APAC Gaming Market Growth Accelerates, GamesBeat Report Finds

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 19 (Bernama) -- Xsolla, a global video game commerce company, has announced the release of GamesBeat’s latest report, Creating Opportunities for Video Games in Asia, the second instalment of the GamesBeat Reports series.

Curated by GamesBeat’s editorial team and authored by Editorial Director Dean Takahashi, writer Rachel Kaser and the GamesBeat Partnerships group with contributions from the Xsolla APAC team, the report analyses the rapidly growing Asia-Pacific (APAC) region and its expanding influence on the global games industry.

The study focuses on three key ecosystems — Japan, South Korea and Southeast Asia — whose combined strengths are setting new benchmarks for innovation, monetisation and cultural relevance across interactive entertainment.

Xsolla Chief Marketing and Growth Officer, Berkley Egenes in a statement said APAC represents one of the most dynamic frontiers in gaming, and partnering with GamesBeat on this report underscores its shared mission to help developers and publishers understand the regional nuances and trends critical to success.

Meanwhile, Takahashi said: “From Japan’s narrative depth and Korea’s esports mastery to Southeast Asia’s mobile revolution, this region is writing the next chapter of interactive entertainment.”

According to the report, Asia is now the world’s largest and most diverse gaming market, with more than 286 million gamers across six core Southeast Asian markets, a mobile gaming sector valued at US$14.8 billion in 2025, and industry growth rates nearly twice as fast as those in Western markets. (US$1=RM4.15)

In Japan, the gaming market was valued at US$26.3 billion in 2024 and is projected to exceed US$60.5 billion by 2033, driven by the popularity of mobile role-playing games (RPGs), puzzle games and long-standing franchises such as Pokémon and Final Fantasy.

Meanwhile, South Korea continues to dominate the esports landscape, generating US$69 million in 2024 and forecast to reach US$237 million by 2030, supported by the expansion of mobile-first competitive gaming.

Southeast Asia remains a global mobile gaming hub, with esports revenue projected to surpass US$350 million by 2025. The region’s popularity is underscored by titles such as Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, which drew more than five million concurrent viewers during its 2024 World Championship.

The GamesBeat Reports series aims to highlight how regional markets are shaping global gaming trends. This latest edition follows the inaugural State of the Industry: Dubai Report released in August, continuing efforts to expand global understanding of evolving gaming ecosystems.

-- BERNAMA