The Indian mobile market recently had a holiday – for the first time in its history, the top free Google Play games were headed by a local development: pvp runner Chhota Bheem Race.
However, the project published by Nazara and developed by June Software studio did not last long at the very top of the Indian gaming top: now it is in the sixth position. It is dominated by titles such as Asphalt Nitro, Candy Crush Saga, Subway Surfers, Crazy Block and Temple Run 2.
The appearance of Chhota Bheem Race in the first place in the top (by the way, the game is also doing well on iOS in India – the 11th position) is not a matter of luck. It goes without saying that traffic was poured into the game, it is clear that it corresponded to a certain level of quality. But there were three more fundamental points contributing to the success of the game.
Firstly, it is based on the popular TV series Chhota Bheem in Mowgli’s homeland. The support of a high-profile IP in the promotion is always essential.
Secondly, before Chhota Bheem Race, a runner based on the aforementioned TV series – Chhota Bheem – Jungle Run was already released. It was published by the same Nazara. And the game was also good with indicators. She reached the second place in the Indian gaming top. In other words, the project this time supported the success of not only the series, but also the successful predecessor.
Thirdly, although the novelty is an ideological continuation of Chhota Bheem – Jungle Run, but in fact it is a modified clone of the original NinJump Dash. That is, proven mechanics, proven features were used.
As for Gross, so far everything is so-so. The game is included in revenue only in the gaming Top 200.
In any case, the very fact that there are teams in India that are starting to compete more or less for their home market with companies like King and Gameloft, partly testifies to the gradual maturation of the market.
There are opinions that in a few years the Indian mobile games market will compete with the Chinese and American in terms of money. Of course, along with the growth of local revenues, local development will also grow stronger.
And skepticism is hardly appropriate here, since, for example, the same Chinese mobile market was considered an outsider back in 2011. Today, companies in China are aggressively expanding in Western markets. In Russia alone, six of the ten highest-grossing Google Play games are Chinese.