Snackable hybrid casual gaming is on the rise in India, a new report has said. The report titled “Mobile Gaming Trends 2024” has been released by free-to-play India and Southeast Asian gaming platform Nostra.
The platform said that it has now surpassed 115 million active users on its platform that engage in short-duration games that can be enjoyed during brief breaks throughout the day. The platform has witnessed a 41 per cent increase in active users between July 2023 and March 2024, primarily driven by growing interest in snackable games that do not require downloading. Gamers on Nostra engage in these quick sessions multiple times daily, averaging about 11 minutes per session, exploring up to three different games each day, and returning to their favourite titles up to four times a day. Notably, 72 per cent of women gamers play daily and multiple times a day, a frequency on par with that of male gamers.
Another compelling trend that the platform experienced is a substantial increase among young gamers, particularly those aged 18 to 24. Between July 2023 and March 2024, there was a 21 per cent rise in young gamers, who now make up 71 per cent of Nostra’s user base. Casual games (32 per cent) are their top choice, followed by arcade (31 per cent) and racing (17 per cent). Casual games continue to be a favourite among women gamers as well.
Casual games have become a global unifier, transcending economic and cultural barriers, the report said. Nostra is available on Glance, a smart lock screen platform that provides personalised content recommendations to users across India, Southeast Asia, the US, and Japan. This year, Nostra reported that 32 per cent of its users engage with casual games, making it the most popular category on the Glance smart lock screen—a significant increase from nine per cent in the previous year.
The report found that nearly 50 per cent of the users are attracted to the platform’s unique feature, which allows gameplay on the lock screen without the need for downloads.
Nostra general manager and vice president Deepak Venkataramani said, “Unlike traditional gaming that demands long hours of play, we understand that for most, gaming is about those 10-minute breaks between activities. With nearly 50 per cent of users appreciating our No Download option and 46 per cent valuing the ability to launch games from their lock screens, we’re redefining convenience and accessibility in gaming.”
