The ways that gaming is continuing to grow in Hungary
Gaming, and perhaps more specifically, mobile gaming, has been rapidly increasing in popularity worldwide. And Hungary is no exception. With the considerable growth in the smartphone market and fast and more stable internet, the number of people playing mobile games has exploded.
It’s not just mobile apps and gaming that people are making the most of. PCs are more affordable, and most come with the ability to play games thanks to a general upgrade in components like graphics cards and processors.
What does the gaming market look like in Hungary?
It is estimated that Hungary’s gaming market could see a huge HUF 100 billion by the end of 2023. A huge 59% of Hungarians between 18 and 65 play video games as a means of entertainment. In terms of population, that is approximately 3.5 million people. The spend on games is much lower in terms of percentage, around 31% buy games, 21% make in-game purchases, and 29% buy hardware and accessories (Reacty Digital).
The largest market, according to Statista, is the mobile gaming market. Statista also reports that the number of gamers will rise to 4.5 million by 2027.
What has made gaming so popular in Hungary?
It is not just Hungary that has seen a huge increase in the amount of people who are now gaming in their spare time. Since the introduction of the internet and more affordable devices, in combination with game streaming services, bingo slots, gaming apps, and free games, a rise was expected.
Everything is in place for the people of Hungary to enjoy high-quality gaming.
Hungary also has plenty of regulations that protect the player, and game providers are expected to adhere to them. Gamers in Hungary know that there are no unfair advantages given to others, and all platforms used must have cheating prevention technology and measures.
What does the future of gaming look like in Hungary?
As devices are lighter and faster, and developers have access to better build environments, the games people play are getting more advanced. The technology industry and the gaming industry move forward as one, and with Hungary’s gaming market growing rapidly – and having healthy predictions, the gaming future of Hungary looks good.
The typical eSports and MMORPG games are popular in Hungary, including League of Legends and World of Warcraft. In 2018, the V4 Future Sports Festival took place in Budapest, and that was the first eSports event held there. Other Central European countries like Slovakia and Poland have since joined in with the tournaments. In order of the most popular eSports games (Statista):
- League of Legends
- Counter-Strike Global Offensive
- Valorant
- Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege
- Call of Duty
- Fortnite
But eSports aren’t the only popular games in Hungary. Some of the most popular games have been developed in Hungary itself, including Abandoned Places: A Time for Heroes, Ace Combat Advance, and The Adventures of Batman and Robin.
What will contribute to the growth of gaming in Hungary?
eNet released a study that showed one of the most popular ways to play games in Hungary is via mobile devices. Where once a smartphone was designed for communications first and ‘fun stuff’ after, there has been a shift in that. With more mobile devices like smartphones being designed with gaming in mind first, an increase in mobile gaming is likely.
The study showed that 70% of gamers preferred to play using their phones and enjoyed games like Candy Crush, Solitaire, and Casino games.
As mentioned above, Hungary has been the home for the development of some very popular games, and this is due to there being an increase in gaming start-up companies in Hungary.
And perhaps more exciting than just standard game developers, there are several companies that are focused on the Metaverse, which is a developing technology offering interesting new ways to play games.
With the introduction of UGC and AI plus in-game transactions, Hungarian gaming is set to be a lot of fun – and make use of the newest gaming tech.
Aside from the general increase in technology, the economic growth of Hungary is directly contributing to the growth of the gaming industry.
As consumers have more disposable income, a portion of gamers invest more money into their hobbies – meaning hardware and games.
With the increase in eSports popularity, more gamers are likely to spend out on ensuring their gaming rig is worthy of a seat at the table – or, at the very least, they can play their most loved games without lag.
All in all the gaming market in Hungary is set for growth from all angles, from vibrant and innovative (and globally recognized) developers to an increase in mobile technology and better internet, plus disposable income.
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