Malaysia Esports Mobile Revenue Hit USD 15.48 Million in 2024, Growing at 24.03% CAGR
Mobile and tablets dominate Malaysia's esports market, accounting for nearly half of total revenue of USD 31.55 million.
By Rajesh Iyer·November 17, 2025·4 min readOrionmano Industries
Mobile and tablets dominate Malaysia's esports market, accounting for nearly half of total revenue of USD 31.55 million.
Malaysia's Esports Market Reached USD 31.55 Million in 2024
Mobile and tablets generated USD 15.48 million of Malaysia's USD 31.55 million esports revenue in 2024, making it the largest and fastest-growing platform segment, driven by high smartphone penetration and affordable data plans. The overall Malaysia esports market was valued at USD 31.55 million in 2024, according to DataBridge Market Research, and is forecast to reach USD 119.28 million by 2032, expanding at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 23.55% over the 2025–2032 forecast period. The study period spans 2024–2032, with historical data extending from 2016–2023, providing a decade-long view of the market's evolution. Within this landscape, mobile and tablets have been identified as both the largest and fastest-growing e-platform segment, underscoring the structural shift toward portable, always-connected gaming in Southeast Asia's third-largest economy.
Mobile and Tablets: The Dominant Platform Segment
Mobile and tablets revenue in Malaysia esports reached USD 15.48 million in 2024, capturing 49% of the total market. This segment is the largest e-platform, outpacing both PC and console in revenue contribution. It is also the fastest-growing, with a CAGR of 24.03% over the forecast period 2025–2032—a full half-point above the overall market's growth trajectory. Smartphone penetration stood at 97.4% of the population as of early 2024, according to IMARC Group, a figure that effectively saturates the addressable user base. Affordable data plans and freemium business models have accelerated mobile esports adoption among Gen Z and millennials, who represent the core demographic for competitive mobile gaming titles. The combination of near-universal device access and low financial barriers to entry has created a virtuous cycle: larger player pools feed more competitive tournaments, which in turn attract greater sponsorship and viewership investment.
Exhibit
Malaysia Esports Revenue by Platform, 2024 (USD Million)
Mobile and tablets account for 49% of total esports revenue.
The revenue composition of Malaysia's esports market reveals where mobile segment earnings concentrate. Sponsorships and direct advertisements generated USD 19.22 million in 2024, the largest revenue stream across all platforms, reflecting brand appetite for esports audiences—particularly the mobile-first, younger demographic that is otherwise difficult to reach through traditional media. Media rights is the fastest-growing revenue stream with a CAGR of 23.63% (2025–2032), indicating a maturing market where broadcast and streaming rights are commanding higher valuation as viewership scales.
By game genre, First/Third Person Shooters (FPS/TPS) led with USD 7.99 million in 2024 revenue, making it both the largest and fastest-growing genre at 24.86% CAGR. The dominance of FPS/TPS is significant because mobile esports have been a primary growth vector for this genre globally; titles such as PUBG Mobile, Call of Duty: Mobile, and Free Fire have built substantial competitive ecosystems in Malaysia, with local tournaments, streaming content, and dedicated player communities. Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) and battle royale sub-genres also contribute meaningfully to the mobile esports revenue pool, though the available data does not provide a disaggregated breakdown by platform within each genre.
Growth Drivers: Smartphone Penetration and Digital Infrastructure
The sustainability of Malaysia's mobile esports revenue growth rests on several structural factors. Internet penetration in Malaysia reached 97.4% in early 2024, according to IMARC Group, effectively connecting nearly the entire population to online gaming ecosystems. Mobile gaming is the prevailing mode, ahead of PC and console, driven by smartphone accessibility—a device category where Malaysia's market has seen consistent price competition and upgrades through the mid-range segment. According to IMARC, the broader Malaysia gaming market, encompassing all devices, was valued at USD 1,100.7 million in 2025 and is forecast to reach USD 2,287.2 million by 2034 at a CAGR of 8.04%, providing a wider tailwind for mobile esports as a sub-sector of that larger spend.
Global and local esports-supportive mobile titles are expanding the user base among younger demographics. The freemium business model—free to download with in-app purchases—lowers the participation barrier for competitive play, while app-store economies and in-game monetization generate substantial revenue within the mobile esports ecosystem. Social connectivity features built into these titles, such as in-game chat, friend lists, and squad-based matchmaking, reinforce player retention and organic user acquisition. With 97.4% internet penetration and a mobile-first audience, Malaysia's esports mobile revenue is positioned to sustain a 24.03% CAGR, driving the overall market toward USD 119.28 million by 2032. The combination of the fastest-growing platform segment, the fastest-growing revenue stream in media rights, and the fastest-growing game genre in FPS/TPS creates a three-engine growth profile that will likely continue attracting both local and international investment into Malaysia's esports infrastructure.
