JioGames crosses 5 million downloads as casual gaming apps peak in India
Reliance's casual gaming app JioGames has hit five million downloads in a year. The app, a part of Jio Platforms, is still in beta.
Reliance's under-discovered casual gaming app JioGames has crossed five million installs in a year. The Android-only app is still in beta, and is restricted to Jio users.
JioGames offers a selection of instant games across genres such as Racing, Action, Casual, Sports, Arcade, Board, Platform, Adventure, Educational, and Strategy. Users can also play skill-based games.
At present, JioGames lists about 30-odd free games, and new titles are added every week. The app displays the best scores of players on community leaderboards. It also offers 'Editor's Choice' and 'Recommended for You' games similar to Google Play Games.
Users have to log in to JioGames with their Jio SIM or Jio ID. Non-Jio users are redirected to the log in page, which asks for a Jio number.
The app is compatible with mobile devices running Android 4.4 or above.
JioGames also lets users track their favourites and recently played games.
It will soon add social gaming features, where users can invite their friends to join through Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, or email.
Rise of casual gaming apps
Even though JioGames is among the less-publicised Jio apps, it is evident that Reliance wants to make the most of the current growth in casual gaming.
The coronavirus lockdown has, in fact, prompted users around the world to download games by the hordes. Gaming contributed 45 percent to all app downloads on Google Play Store in Q1 2020, revealed App Annie.
Since 2019, casual gaming has surged in India, drawing players from all age and gender groups, unlike categories like action or adventure games. About 20 percent casual gamers in India are women, according to the All India Gaming Federation.
Among India's most-downloaded apps across (gaming and non-gaming) categories is Ludo King, developed by Mumbai-based Gametion Technologies
A separate report by the Indian Federation of Sports Gaming estimates that India has 300 million online gamers, 60 percent of whom are below the age of 24. JioGames' selection of bright, fun, and fast-paced games is evidently aimed at this audience.
Reliance is yet to make a formal launch announcement on JioGames.
Edited by Saheli Sen Gupta