Meta targets India’s gaming sector, expects 700M gamers by 2028

• Meta is setting its sights on India’s gaming industry, expecting it to reach 700 million gamers by 2028.

• The tech giant plans to bolster the sector with platforms like Facebook Gaming and Instagram, aiming to create jobs and contribute to India’s digital economy.

• Additionally, Meta’s Quest mixed reality headsets could offer Indian developers a chance to create immersive experiences for global audiences.

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This growth is expected to create around 300,000 jobs

What’s the story

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, is eyeing India’s booming gaming industry.

Addressing the Indian Gaming Convention 2024 in New Delhi today, Sandhya Devanathan, Vice President and Head of India at Meta, said the country is expected to have a whopping 700 million gamers by 2028.

“India is a key part of Meta’s global gaming strategy, and we’re committed to fostering innovation and growth within the developer community here,” she added.

Meta’s commitment to India’s gaming ecosystem

Devanathan stressed Meta’s commitment to nurturing innovation in India’s gaming industry. The company hopes to strengthen the Indian gaming ecosystem with platforms such as Facebook Gaming and Instagram, offering creators opportunities for engagement and efficient content monetization.

India’s digital initiatives could drive $8T economy

Devanathan also emphasized the economic impact of India’s digital initiatives, including gaming.

She said these efforts could help transform India into an $8 trillion economy, with $1 trillion coming from digital projects like gaming.

This growth is expected to create around 300,000 jobs across sectors from brands to start-ups and content creators.

Meta’s advertising tools to aid business growth

Devanathan emphasized the need for advertising for developers and creators looking to grow their businesses, especially in markets such as India.

“Our platforms provide the tools needed to reach a global audience and grow sustainably through effective monetization,” she said.

Prior to her current role, Devanathan headed Meta’s gaming division in the Asia Pacific (APAC) market, one of its largest verticals globally.

Gaming’s influence on consumer behavior and online shopping

During her speech, Devanathan also touched upon the important role gaming will play in shaping consumer behavior, especially online shopping.

She noted, “200 billion reels are played daily across Facebook and Instagram, and 20 crore (200 million) people shop online in India—a number expected to grow significantly.”

This data highlights how gaming is becoming intertwined with India’s digital lifestyle and commercial landscape.

Meta Quest 3: A potential game-changer for Indian developers

Devanathan was hopeful about Meta’s Quest mixed reality headsets for Indian developers. Although these devices are not available in India, she sees them as a major opportunity.

“Meta Quest 3 represents a massive opportunity for indie developers here to create immersive experiences for global audiences,” she said.

This comes after Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg unveiled the first functional prototype of its augmented reality glasses, Orion, and announced an entry-level variant of its Quest line of mixed-reality headsets, the Quest 3S.

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