Christy Balita
Research expert covering the Philippines
Online gaming in the Philippines - statistics & facts
From being a hobby that most parents try to restrict, gamers and gaming enthusiasts in the Philippines now has a chance to gain a degree in game development and even a professional career in eSports. This 1.9 billion U.S. dollar industry has evolved from a hobby for casual gamers to a professional career path, as some universities are now offering a bachelor's program on eSports. Spending about two hours per session per day, Filipino online gamers usually enjoy role-playing games using their smartphones, gaming consoles, or personal computers (PCs). The growing interest in online gaming also paved the way for professional gamers to be recognized not only in the Philippines but across the globe through tournaments and multi-sport events.
The accessibility of smartphones over PCs and gaming consoles paved the way for a mobile-first online gaming market in the Philippines. Gaming publishers also adapted a mobile version of their games to cater to this growing audience. Finally, gaming transformed from a hobby into a professional career with a significant potential.
A mobile-first online gaming market
Thanks to the availability of affordable smartphones, the gaming community in the Philippines predominantly uses their mobile phones when playing video games. With mobile gaming, players have the flexibility to play their games whenever and wherever they want, in comparison to personal computers and gaming consoles. The growing mobile gaming population has since created opportunities for Filipino mobile game publishers, especially on Google Play. However, Filipino mobile apps have yet to see their games being widely played, as the market remains saturated by foreign-made games with higher downloads. In 2023, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang was the most downloaded mobile gaming app in the Philippines, followed by Roblox.Popularity of role-playing games
When it comes to gaming genres, Filipino online gamers have a strong affinity for role-playing games, including MMORPGs, or massively multiplayer online role-playing games. The interest of Filipino gamers in such genres started in 2003 with the arrival of Ragnarok Online, which became an instant hit in internet cafés. As mobile gaming gradually overtook PC gaming, mobile game versions of popular games across genres, such as League of Legends, Call of Duty, DOTA 2, and Fortnite, were developed to cater to these gamers. This is in addition to mobile-first games such as PUBG and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang. Casual games such as Tetris and Plant vs. Zombies, as well as casino and card games, are also popular among Filipino gamers.The rise of e-sports: competitive gaming for online gamers
While leisure remains the main motivation for playing online games, a growing industry for professional video gaming leagues has advanced recently. eSports are competitive video game events played by professional gamers in a league or tournament setting. As of September 2024, there were 313 professional Filipino players active in eSports tournaments. Despite being in its nascent stage, Philippine eSports teams and players have made a name for themselves by winning tournaments and earning prize money. Filipino professional gamers also took home medals from eSports competitions during the SEA games in 2022 in Vietnam.The accessibility of smartphones over PCs and gaming consoles paved the way for a mobile-first online gaming market in the Philippines. Gaming publishers also adapted a mobile version of their games to cater to this growing audience. Finally, gaming transformed from a hobby into a professional career with a significant potential.
