We’re continuing our series called #KnowYourMarket, where we will be exploring the various countries and their mobile gaming community, their significant growth and unique cultural distinctions so game developers get at least a basic understanding about the mobile gaming market in a diverse space like Asia. In knowing, game developers and publishers will be more equipped and attuned to making calculated decisions when interacting with the various demographics that will discover their games.
Last time we covered the mobile gaming market in Indonesia, India and the Philippines. Today, we venture into the Lion City, Singapore!
Singapore is an island country and city state situated among the island and archipelagic countries of Southeast Asia. The country’s territory consists of one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. The Singapore main island is the largest island in the country, followed by Ubin, Tekong-Besar, Brani, Sentosa, Semakau and Sudong.
Ever since becoming a completely sovereign state in the year 1965, numerous land reclamation projects undertaken by the government have increased the total land area of its territory by around 25%. Singapore has four official languages: English, Malay, Mandarin and Tamil, with English being the lingua franca. Its multicultural population and high development rates make it a prime tourist destination for people from all over the world.
Singapore is one of the fastest emerging forces in the global gaming market. In the year 2019, players from the country were estimated to have spent 327.2 million USD on gaming alone. As with several other countries, gaming in Singapore saw a significant rise during the COVID 19 pandemic, with an increased number of people turning towards methods of entertainment that could be enjoyed indoors. A survey conducted in September 2020 recorded that around 47% of the players found themselves gaming much more often than they did before the pandemic. This shows great promise for the gaming industry in the country.
Mobile Gaming in Singapore
Singaporeans are among the most active users of social media in the world. Paired with the fact that Singapore is the most developed country in Southeast Asia, this shows that Singaporeans are a more than ideal audience for game developers worldwide to pitch and sell their games and products.
Studies have shows that a whopping 74% of the urban male population in Singapore consists of active mobile gamers, while urban women are close behind at 68%. Further, roughly 30-35% of these players are likely to spend money on gaming on a regular basis, regardless of gender. Puzzle is the top genre of mobile games, and 33% of them seem to have taken a shine to Candy Crush.
Singapore also seems to have a loyal fanbase for game-related video content online, whether by way of watching gaming streams on live streaming platforms such as Twitch, or following and watching video game channels on YouTube. It has been recorded that 46% of the population, regardless of whether they identify as gamers or not, are fond of watching gaming related content online frequently. However, it is only a minor 6% of this audience that watches gaming content without being a frequent gamer themselves.
The Future of Gaming in Singapore
Singapore’s Tourism Board has begun to embrace gaming as a key part of Singaporean culture, which is a clear sign that gaming is now integral to the population. Game companies from all over the world have begun making a presence at gaming conventions in Singapore such as Gaming Matters, an industry-focused gaming convention in the country. These companies acknowledge the access that the Singaporean public has to global entertainment, and the appreciation that it has for it.
And that concludes part four of our #KnowYourMarket series! Tune in to the next entry as we cover the country of Malaysia!
Are you a Singaporean mobile game developer? Tell us about your experience developing your game in your market! Use #KnowYourMarketSlab in social media or tag slab in your post! We’d love to know your story working in one of the largest gaming markets in Southeast Asia.
