Browser Gaming is eating into the App Store's Dominance. Here's why it matters

The conventional wisdom in gaming on mobile has been simple for a decade: if you want to reach casual players, you need to publish your app on either App store or Google Play. But a growing body of market data and a shifting regulatory landscape suggest that equation is changing, and browser-based gaming is emerging as a serious alternative.

The global browser games market is projected to reach $9.07 billion by 2030. For India, where 90% of the country's 532 million gamers play on smartphones and mobile data plans have become increasingly cheaper with better connectivity, the implications are significant. Browser gaming lowers the barrier compared to app-based gaming, simply open your browser and play instantly. But it also sidesteps something else entirely: the app store commission.

The 30% problem

Apple's standard App Store commission sits at 30% of every in-app transaction. Google Play charges the same. For game developers, especially independent studios working with thin margins, that cut is punishing.

In a survey by Aptoide found that 84% of mobile game developers believe the current app store duopoly is unsustainable, with 51% citing high platform fees as their primary complaint. The frustration is structural: developers are boxed into two distribution channels that command premium commissions for the privilege of access.

Browser games operate outside this system entirely. There is no 30% fee and often the distribution and marketing is handled by the browser platform not the developer.

Browser platforms more than just distributors

Poki is among the growing number of browser gaming platforms. Silently the platform has grown and is now in the top 100 visited websites in the world.

For developers, the appeal is straightforward: the volume is there, and the steep 30% app store commission is not. What also sets web gaming platforms apart is that they function more like publishing partners than distribution storefronts. This is not unique to Poki. Other browser platforms operate with a similar setup, supporting developers through the process with quality assurance, user acquisition, and optimisation. Some offer free playtesting tools that show developers real footage of players interacting with their game, surfacing exactly where drop-offs occur.

The model works because it aligns incentives differently from an app store. Instead of charging developers for the right to distribute, browser platforms grow by helping developers build better games that retain players longer.

India's browser gaming opportunity

India's gaming market hit is projected to reach $9.1 billion by 2029, driven by a gamer base that is expected to grow to 952 million.

But there is a paradox at the heart of these numbers. India accounts for roughly 20% of the global gaming user base but generates only about 1.1% of global gaming revenue. The gap points to a monetisation problem, and it is a problem that browser gaming's ad-supported model may be better suited to solve than the in-app purchase models that dominate app stores.

In a market where the vast majority of players will never pay for a game directly, advertising revenue is the realistic path to profitability. Browser gaming platforms are built around this model from the ground up, making them a more natural fit for the Indian market than the freemium-to-premium conversion funnels that work in the US or Europe.

Note to readers: This article is part of Mint’s paid consumer connect Initiative. Mint assumes no editorial involvement or responsibility for errors, omissions, or content accuracy.

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