The Price to Play: Understanding Video Game Piracy in India

From the dimly lit internet cafés in small towns to the bustling tech hubs of India, a silent revolution takes place daily in the form of piracy. While India’s gaming industry is on the rise, with millions of new players entering the market each year, a significant portion of the country’s gaming population still turns to piracy. This illicit underworld of cracked games, torrent downloads, and pirated copies is more than just a rebellious pastime; for many, it’s the only way to access the virtual worlds they crave.

The debate over video game piracy is as old as the gaming industry itself, but in a country like India where economic disparity, access issues, and cultural divides intersect, piracy takes on a unique form. For some, it’s a necessary evil in a market where AAA titles are priced far out of reach, and for others, it's a matter of principle against game publishers who fail to localize or accommodate the Indian market. Yet, for developers and publishers, piracy is a major concern.

Let’s dive into the heart of India’s gaming piracy scene, exploring the motivations of pirates, the devastating effects on the gaming industry, and the ethical gray areas that surround this ongoing battle. We will explore both sides of the equation, revealing the intricate web of factors that make video game piracy in India both a necessity for some and a menace for others.

Video Game Prices in India Are Spiraling Out of Control

For the vast majority of gamers in India, the steep prices of video games are simply out of reach. While gaming is rapidly growing in popularity, it remains largely a luxury hobby. Big-budget AAA titles, which cost around $60 or more in Western markets, are often priced similarly in India despite the difference in disposable income. Considering that the average salary in India is significantly lower than in countries like the United States or Europe, purchasing a game can seem like an extravagance rather than an accessible form of entertainment.

Just recently, Atlus (SEGA) released Metaphor: ReFantazio which is one of the most critically acclaimed games of this year at a staggering price point of INR 5,699 and it is 25% more expensive than the listed price in Vietnam, The Philippines, and Indonesia. This is a trend that has gotten worse in recent years. 

When Bandai Namco initially listed Armored Core VI on the Indian Steam store for INR 2499, it later raised the price to INR 3599, echoing a similar hike seen with Elden Ring. Sony PlayStation titles like Horizon Zero Dawn and God of War have also experienced steep price jumps, with newer releases like Returnal and The Last of Us Part I priced even higher at ₹3999. According to Steam's updated Regional Pricing Recommendations, which raised prices in India by up to 88% in October 2022, a $60 game should be priced at INR 2,400 and a $70 title should be priced at INR 2,800 but games from major publishers are consistently releasing at nearly double the recommended price.

While Valve's recommendations help developers manage pricing across currencies, publishers ultimately decide final prices, with some charging even higher than global rates. The average household income stood at INR 360,000 per annum in 2022-2023 which is a figure that is heavily inflated by the richest 20% of the population. While India is the world’s fifth-largest economy based on gross domestic product (GDP), it ranks 136th when we look at GDP per capita which is a much better indicator of a country’s standard of living. Gamers in India simply do not have the purchasing power.

Rural India accounts for more than 63% of the country’s population according to the World Bank and the country’s National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) revealed that the average rural household income is INR 12,698 per month. Video game publishers need to take a step back and re-evaluate pricing in not just India but most growing markets where games can cost more than 30% of the average salary.