How The Fever For The Cricket World Cup Is Boosting Online Gaming

Afghanistan threatening top teams for a semi-final berth, Mohammed Shami’s fierce bowling, Rachin Ravindra and Quinton de Kock’s multiple hundreds, Fakhar Zaman’s hurricane innings against New Zealand, and Sri Lanka’s being rattled for 55 all seem like scenes from a video game with cheat codes on.

Even with those cheat codes, the Glenn Maxwell event at Wankhede Stadium would definitely not go forward.

Thankfully, and perhaps unexpectedly, they are all genuine. However, fans who spend their time at home in front of TVs or mobile devices are employing online games to attempt to replicate the events or to actively participate in the sport.

The online gaming industry’s revenue increased by 35% in 2022, from 101 billion to 135 billion. The “Windows of Opportunity” research from EY and FICCI projects that by the end of 2023, sales will have increased by 24% to 167 billion.

It has been stated that the 2023 ODI World Cup is a major driver for the gaming sector. Ahsan Qizalbash, a Pakistani gamer who plays often, described how big events like the World Cup encourage more people to play these kinds of mobile games.

Cricket is a huge passion for people in Pakistan and India. Let’s not forget about Bangladesh. There is a World Cup-related event in games like Hitwicket. In this manner, people find it more enjoyable. Ahsan predicts that more people would start playing football if the World Cup is soon.

Ahsan used to like playing online games like Ludo Star, but he eventually became tired of them. In March 2023, his nephew then introduced him to Hitwicket, a revolutionary strategy-based mobile cricket game that lets players take on the roles of both manager and captain at the same time.

Ahsan also competed in video game competitions, placing second in one that Hitwicket held in June–July 2023.

The World Cup and other major events have given a boost to online gaming, as Hitwicket co-founder Kashyap Reddy also stated.

All of a sudden, everyone is thinking about cricket and the game is in the air. The best part is that, as a viewer, you begin to think, “I want to do something too,” when you see a match. You attempt to replicate a cricket game that you downloaded. That increases downloads while cricket is in season. And there’s a rise immediately after the event, Reddy adds, when there’s a void and people are itching for material.

Reddy offered some fascinating thoughts as well. “Since the beginning of 2023, the number of downloads has increased by 15% per month. However, a rise of around 23% has been seen, and this is growing this month [October 2023].

The number of online gamers increased by 8% in 2022, from 390 million in 2021 to 421 million, according to the FICCI – EY Report.

Furthermore, many players feel at ease shelling out real money for their gaming experiences. According to an EY poll conducted in 2022, 50% of respondents were prepared to pay to play fantasy sports, while 39% of respondents felt comfortable paying to play real money games.

Even though gaming is often free, Reddy clarified that some individuals are prepared to pay for the experience.

“Everyone wants entertainment, and the best part about mobile gaming is that you can get top-notch stuff for free. Spending is only necessary when you want certain high-end items.

“People want to spend money on adventures. This culture has always been here. similar to what individuals pay on over-the-top (OTT) applications to watch a cricket match or a movie. You don’t mind spending money on it if it’s entertaining you, according to Reddy.

Conversely, Ahsan offered a thought-provoking explanation, claiming that the social connections that these gaming applications provide are the reason why individuals are spending more time playing games.

“I believe that the popularity of gaming is growing with time because it promotes social contact. There, people become friends, which draws people in. A game’s success increases with its social component, according to Ahsan.

Ahsan continued by giving an example of how he gradually gave up other activities to compete in competitions.

I had a terrific time participating in the event in June and July of 2023. Since I had just begun playing in March, I was a very new player. I never imagined that I would get this far. Though I worked on it, my team wasn’t as powerful as it might be.

In order to enhance the caliber of my crew, I had to put in a lot of effort or spend real money. We have worked so hard that we are now able to play the game. 22 to 23 hours are allotted for the game. The office is not very big. Ahsan says, “I have played the game all night, for 22 to 23 hours, and I also bunked office, to strengthen my team.”

Government assistance to the gambling sector

Reddy went on to say that the expansion of the gaming business has also been greatly aided by government backing, citing Hitwicket’s victory in the Aatmanirbhar Bharat App Innovation Challenge as an example of this.

“The government has generally supported and encouraged video gaming in a very good way. Real money and fantasy gaming should be in distinct sections, in my opinion. Casual and mobile gaming is a distinct market. As a component of the IT ecosystem, the government is treating this issue extremely seriously.

“A lot of people who play video games online are not from India. According to Reddy, the government also wants to support Indian developers who create content.

A Special Economic Zone for gaming and animations is also planned by the Telangana government. The business is predicted to grow even more in the future with the government’s strong backing and the growing enthusiasm from gamers.

“I anticipate a rise in gaming. Online gaming will only becoming more popular since it’s linked to income. People also need amusement when they’re worn out from their careers. It will undoubtedly increase if individuals are making money in addition to enjoying themselves, adds Ahsan.

According to Reddy, gaming contests are the way of the future.

“There have been enormous Clash of Clans competitions. Tournaments centered on mobile games are, in my opinion, the way of the future. When these competitions get traction, here is where you will start to see audiences grow to 100 million people, says Reddy, citing one of the best mobile games available right now.