Omdia: Asia's Game Subscription Market Set to Reach $9.4bn by 2029
Despite the overwhelming dominance of free-to-play (F2P) games, subscription models are experiencing steady growth across Asia's gaming landscape, and are projected to generate $9.4bn in revenue by 2029, according to a new report by Omdia. The report, "The state of game subscription in Asia", reveals that while subscriptions remain a complementary monetization strategy, they are carving out a significant niche, particularly through mobile in-app offerings and enduring PC titles.
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Games subscription market revenue by category, Asia&Oceania, 2019-29
Key highlights from the research include:
- Total game subscription revenue in Asia and Oceania is forecast to grow from $6.5bn in 2025 to $9.4bn by 2029. This growth impressively outpaces the global average for subscription share of content spending.
- Driving this expansion are mobile in-app subscriptions, with revenue rising from $3.6bn in 2025 to $5.8bn by 2029 at a strong 12.7% CAGR. The resources, privileges, and exclusive content included in subscription benefits are ubiquitous in top-grossing Asian mobile games.
- Primarily sustained by veteran MMORPGs with loyal player bases, PC single-game subscriptions remain the second-largest category, projected to generate $1.1bn in 2026.
- Subscriptions are increasingly integrated with loot box mechanics and battle passes to boost player retention and spending. Hybrid subscription packages tailored to individual player behavior are increasingly popular with both players and publishers.
- The rate of adoption of subscription models varies across Asian countries due to diverging gamer preference and differentiation among popular game genres.
- Cloud gaming subscriptions have largely failed to gain traction in Asia beyond partnerships. Limited gamer demand and a lack of innovation in monetization hinder growth in this segment.
"Asia's gaming market is defined by free-to-play, but subscriptions are finding a vital role," said Chenyu Cui, Senior Analyst in Omdia's Games practice. "Mobile in-app subscriptions are the undisputed growth engine, cleverly adapted to enhance retention and spending within the dominant F2P framework. The future lies in hybrid models, deeper UGC integration, and leveraging AI for personalization."
The report, published in July 2025 provides a comprehensive analysis of subscription model adoption, revenue forecasts, regional trends, and publisher strategies across the Asia-Pacific gaming market. It also includes analysis of subscription implementation in leading individual titles.
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Omdia, part of Informa TechTarget, Inc. (NASDAQ:TTGT), is a technology research and advisory group. Our deep knowledge of tech markets grounded in real conversations with industry leaders and hundreds of thousands of data points, make our market intelligence our clients' strategic advantage. From R&D to ROI, we identify the greatest opportunities and move the industry forward.
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