Mobile esports is thriving in Asia, more than in any other region in the world. According to statistics provided by Niko Partners, there are a few factors that have made this possible. These include:

A Huge & Growing Mobile Population

The breakneck speed of mobile penetration has been a powerful catalyst for the growth of mobile esports. Markets like China, India, and Southeast Asia are already making a dramatic impact on mobile gaming.

There are over 850 million mobile gamers in China and Southeast Asia in 2019, generating over US$28 billion in annual mobile gaming revenue. Southeast Asia has 50 percent more mobile gamers than PC. Even in China, mobile gamers outnumber PC gamers two to one.

World-Class Mobile Technology & Infrastructure

New developments are bringing mobile games up to speed, including better smartphone hardware, cloud gaming, and 5G networks. In addition, greater bandwidth and faster download speeds also contribute, as more and more countries in Southeast Asia plan to roll out 5G in 2020.

Dedicated gaming mobile phones with enhanced features, such as ultra-fast displays, high-speed processors, and console-inspired designs, give mobile gamers a competitive edge.

Widespread Cyber Cafes, Events & Sponsorships

Existing cybercafes have been used to host mobile esports in key markets, and their popularity has inspired new development and intensified market competition.

Growing Prize Pools For Mobile Esports Competitions

Driven by mobile esports competitions, the prize pool value for esports competitions in Southeast Asia grew 244 percent between 2018 and 2019. 68 percent of global mobile esports game revenue in 2019 was driven by Asia alone with US$13 billion.