From Singapore to Australia, gamers across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region are spending more time in the virtual world than ever before. While the global average hovers around 8.9 hours per week, gamers in APAC are clocking in even higher numbers, revealing a deep-seated passion for gaming in the region.
This is further substantiated by a report from PWC indicating that APAC gaming accounts for nearly half (48%) of the industry’s global revenues and is projected to grow to $181.81 billion by 2028.
China is the largest market, with three out of ten gamers dedicating 11.3 hours every week to gaming.
With APAC being a powerhouse for gaming, how can brands win with both casual gamers and the competitive gaming community?
The APAC casual gaming market is projected to be valued at $180.17 billion by 2028. Smartphones are the most popular gaming device across the region, followed by desktops and consoles.
The integration of AI and machine learning has revolutionized the gaming landscape. It opens new frontiers, with expansive storylines that adapt dynamically to player choices. Non-player characters (NPCs) adjust their behavior accordingly with each encounter, creating personalized and immersive gaming experiences.
Brand sponsorship experiences can therefore be woven into gameplay by incorporating AI-driven elements. As seen in the KFC × PUBG collaboration in Southeast Asia and South Korea, AI-powered NPCs serve as brand ambassadors, guiding gamers through the quest while subtly promoting exclusive items, such as a KFC Gamer Box set meal, redeemable in real life for a limited time.
The emerging trend of mixed reality enhances gaming by merging virtual reality’s immersive digital environment with augmented reality’s real-time modifications. This blends the physical and digital worlds, catering to the preferences of those who like action titles, which are particularly appealing to casual gamers in India.
AI and machine learning enable players to interact with brands in innovative ways, but mixed reality takes engagement to unprecedented levels of immersion and realism. Brands should explore creating physical engagement opportunities that enhance consumer interaction with games, products, or content.
This might involve integrating players into storylines, enabling them to experience narratives as characters, much like the immersive Squid Game virtual experience at Singapore’s Sandbox VR, where participants feel as though they are truly part of the story.
The esports category in APAC is projected to be valued at $1.64 billion by 2028, driven largely by the growth in mobile gaming, which has become a serious platform for competitive gamers. Mobile esports continues to gain traction, with more tournaments, professional leagues, and sponsorships, for titles like PUBG Mobile, Free Fire, and Mobile Legends. In China, over 50% of all esports tournaments are now focused on mobile games. And Disney and Nintendo are recruiting companies like Tencent to develop mobile games for them.
Mobile esports continues to gain traction, with more tournaments, professional leagues, and sponsorships, for titles like PUBG Mobile, Free Fire, and Mobile Legends.
As mobile esports continues to grow, brands are increasingly sponsoring infrastructure and devices to support competitive play. For example, Garena has partnered with Samsung Electronics to serve as the official device provider for the Free Fire World Series (FFWS) Southeast Asia 2024 Fall and 2025 Spring tournaments.
Another key benefit of esports tournaments is the rise of esports athletes and their sense of community. Since the mid-2000s, a robust gaming infrastructure has nurtured a passionate fan base through web platforms, internet cafés, and retail spaces, where small-scale events bring players and fans together.
Brands have seized this opportunity by sponsoring meet-and-greet events with top players, both enhancing their visibility and providing authentic experiences to core audiences. For example, Lenovo LOQ gaming notebooks, designed for professional players and those who admire them, sponsored a series of meet-and-greet events for esports players in India.
Fans in the APAC region not only follow international teams like Evil Geniuses (Canada) and Cloud9 (U.S.) but also demonstrate strong loyalty to regional teams such as EVOS Esports (Indonesia) and DetonatioN Gaming (Japan). Support for regional teams is shown by 84% of Indonesian gaming followers, 76% of Thai followers, and 60% of Singaporean followers.
At esports boot camps, brands support esports teams by providing facilities to help them do better and get more attention in future competitions. In Korea, the esports organization Gen.G took this concept further by working to expand the game’s appeal to an additional audience: K-pop music fans worldwide.
The company appointed renowned rapper and songwriter Jay Park as its executive music and entertainment adviser, asking him to produce music and content that showcases significant moments for the team and the organization.
Then Gen.G extended its outreach to U.S. students by offering an exchange program designed to prepare them for careers in esports. This initiative helps promote Korea’s reputation for esports while extending its cultural influence through new talent and fostering a stronger connection between gaming and Korean culture.
Whether it’s casual gaming or professional esports, distinctive trends have emerged across the two realms of gaming, each offering unique opportunities for brands.
Tapping into casual gaming trends is ideal for fostering deeper engagement and interaction, as it provides more personalized and frequent touchpoints with consumers. But investing in the competitive esports arena enables brands to significantly extend their reach, making a larger impact within these highly engaged communities.
This was originally published in 2025.
