In the rapidly evolving landscape of digital entertainment, the hypercasual gaming genre has emerged as a true game-changer. Characterized by its simplicity, intuitive gameplay, and universal appeal, it has experienced exponential growth since the release of Flappy Bird in 2013. This genre now accounts for over 25% of all game downloads worldwide, with a nearly 20% surge in Q2 2022. It has found a fertile market in India’s dynamic digital industry.
The hypercasual gaming industry traces its roots back to 2013, with the introduction of Flappy Bird. Known for its short levels and straightforward gameplay, this game set the stage for the rise of the hypercasual genre. From 2013 to 2016, the industry underwent a significant shift as hypercasual games utilized cross-promotion campaigns and organic installations for expansion. By 2017, hypercasual games began adopting growth strategies similar to other genres, incorporating paid user acquisition for scaling. Despite having lower Lifetime Value (LTV) compared to casual or mid-core games, hypercasual games proved to be profitable at scale, attracting more publishers to the genre.
The evolution of the hypercasual genre in India has been non-linear, with the emergence of sub-genres offering further avenues for growth. ASMR hypercasual games rose to prominence in 2019, while 2021 introduced TikTok-inspired concepts. Over time, hypercasual games have expanded their content depth, featuring more complex levels, larger volumes of content, and new progression methods. Additionally, metagame features, such as awarding skins for progression instead of default monetization, have added an extra layer of depth.
As the hypercasual genre evolved, so did the processes of game development, monetization, and marketing. Faster development cycles, improved quality execution, and more accurate marketability prediction tools have become trademarks of the genre. Alongside these developments, monetization methods have deepened, creating more opportunities for in-app purchases and rewarding video monetization.
Currently, the global hypercasual market generates revenue of $2-2.5 billion annually and accounts for approximately 17 billion installs. Notably, the hypercasual genre now represents over 25% of all game downloads, experiencing a significant increase of nearly 20% in Q2 2022. This remarkable growth fuels the broader mobile gaming market, highlighting the symbiotic relationship between hypercasual and non-hypercasual genres.
Looking ahead, the future of the hypercasual gaming industry in India revolves around two main themes: the continued demand for short-form entertainment and the emergence of hybrid-casual games. The popularity of short-form content platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts underscores the growing desire for bite-sized entertainment, which hypercasual games are perfectly positioned to provide. Furthermore, I anticipate that ads-based monetization will become less attractive in the future due to Android and iOS’ privacy-first changes and general user sentiment against interruptive ads. Bundled hyper/hybrid casual gaming experiences, which may include social/multiplayer features behind a paywall, could provide alternative monetization channels.
However, as costs rise and the need for higher LTV becomes essential, the hybrid-casual genre is expected to emerge alongside hypercasual games. This new genre combines the core features of traditional hypercasual games—quick prototyping, engaging gameplay, high marketability, and short sessions—with deeper gameplay, a greater reliance on in-app purchases, and more advanced LiveOps. The hybrid monetization strategy optimizes ad revenue for quick returns and leverages in-game purchases for enhanced retention and LTV.
Just as there is a TikTok for short videos, I anticipate the future development of a TikTok-like platform for hypercasual games, offering a deep and personalized catalog of diverse pick-up-and-play games that also provide social experiences. Another area of innovation that I expect to see more of is brand engagement driven through hyper/hybrid casual games.
With advancements in HTML5 and WebGL, I also foresee hypercasual and hybridcasual games becoming instant-play, eliminating the need for app downloads.
Together, these shifts indicate that hypercasual games have the potential to make India’s billion smartphone users into gamers.
BY: Abhishek Nag, Partner, Lightspeed
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Alex Smith is a writer and editor with over 10 years of experience. He has written extensively on a variety of topics, including technology, business, and personal finance. His work has been published in a number of magazines and newspapers, and he is also the author of two books. Alex is passionate about helping people learn and grow, and he believes that writing is a powerful tool for communication and understanding.
