The Gaming Market in Uzbekistan

With 14.9 million gamers and a market projected to hit $91.3 million in 2024, Uzbekistan is becoming a serious player in the gaming world! Mobile gaming is leading the charge thanks to the widespread use of smartphones and faster payments, while esports is gaining momentum with local tournaments and gaming hubs. Is Uzbekistan the next big opportunity for game developers? More details in the article.

General Information

The Gaming Market

Uzbekistan is one of the fastest-growing markets for mobile games in the region, according to Hisham Nuhu, head of Tencent Games’ publishing group in the CIS. The country has achieved these impressive results thanks to two important factors. The first is the large number of young people who are actively involved in digital entertainment. The second is the high level of internet penetration, which stands at almost 77%.

Farhod Makhmudov, the head of the OSON payment system, has noted another important aspect influencing the growth of gaming in Uzbekistan. He believes that mobile games have also become even more popular due to the decreasing cost of the internet, its increasing speed, and the simplification of payments for games. This has allowed gamers to pay for games both for PC and mobile faster and more easily. Tencent Games also attaches great importance to the development of payment systems. The publishing group has signed direct contracts with several local service providers and is in talks with the rest of the market.

In addition, Makhmudov noted the importance of the “maturing” player audience. The emergence of several generations of gamers made it possible to cover different segments of the gaming market, which in turn stimulated the growth of the industry.

According to OSON, in 2023 alone, the number of gaming transactions in Uzbekistan increased by 716%, and their volume grew by 126%. The growth of the average amount spent in Uzbekistan’s gaming market is also an important factor. OSON data shows that gamers previously spent no more than $3–4, but this amount has now doubled.

PUBG MOBILE stands out as one of the most popular games in Uzbekistan. This multiplayer game has become a smash hit thanks not only to the global recognition of the genre, but also to the publisher’s close cooperation with local players and bloggers, as well as local tournaments on PUBG MOBILE. OSON backs up the game’s popularity, calling it a “real phenomenon.” According to Makhmudov, PUBG and another gamer favorite, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, accounted for about 287,900 transactions in the first quarter of 2023.

Source: en.wikipedia.org

When it comes to platforms where gamers buy games, the most popular in Uzbekistan is the American online service Steam, which has become the main source of games for many local users.

The future of the gaming market in Uzbekistan looks very promising. Tencent Games is confident that, with the younger population and government support for cyber sports, the gaming industry in the country will only get stronger.

December 6, 2024, saw the opening of GameDevHQ Academy, the first specialized academy in Central Asia aimed at the development of the game industry.

Source: it-park.uz

It was an important step in improving Uzbekistan’s position in the international arena of the game industry, as it created new opportunities for experienced professionals and young talents alike, contributing to the country’s integration into the global game development ecosystem. The Academy will become a catalyst for creating successful startups, attracting investments, and fortifying the creative economy of the country.

Market Development Dynamics

Source: platform.newzoo.com

Gaming Market Size

Source: platform.newzoo.com

Population

Source: datareportal.com, platform.newzoo.com

Number of Gamers

Source: platform.newzoo.com

Player Spending

Source: platform.newzoo.com

Player Profile

According to the U-Report Uzbekistan survey conducted among young people, about 3% of respondents indicated video games as their main free-time activity.

Uzbekistan is witnessing an increase in the popularity of mobile games due to the availability of smartphones and the development of mobile networks. Mobile games attract a wide range of users, offering a variety of genres, from casual puzzles to role-playing and strategy games.

Cyber sports are also gaining momentum in the country. Young people actively participate in local competitions and follow professional tournaments. To support this trend, infrastructure like game centers, cyber arenas, and tournament venues is being created.

OS Distribution

Source: gs.statcounter.com

Average Internet Speed

Source: www.speedtest.net

Popular Social Media

Source: datareportal.com

Appfigures’ Top Chart of Free Mobile Games in Uzbekistan

1. 456 Run Challenge: Clash 3D · Amobear Studio
2. I Am Security · NEW FOLDER GAMES
3. FPS Strike Ops : Modern Arena · FPS Shooter & Action Game
4. Extreme Car Driving Simulator · AxesInMotion Racing
5. Gym Idle Clicker: Fitness Hero · Sun Global
6. Stickman Party 234 MiniGames · PlayMax Game Studio
7. Special Forces Group 2 · ForgeGames Mobile
8. Mini Games: Calm & Relax · Unicorn Studio Official
9. Mob Control · VOODOO
10. 100+ Offline Games No WiFi Fun · Fun Offline Games
11. Minicraft · Casual Game Center
12. EA SPORTS FC™ Mobile Soccer · Electronic Arts Inc.
13. Pizza Ready! · Supercent, Inc.
14. Dream League Soccer 2025 · First Touch Games Ltd.
15. Mobile Legends: Bang Bang · Moonton
16. Block Blast! · Hungry Studio
17. PUBG MOBILE · Level Infinite
18. Subway Surfers · SYBO Games
19. Satisfying Coloring · GamesToPlaySimulation
20. Hole.io · VOODOO
21. Football League 2025 · MOBILE SOCCER
22. Car Race · iKame Games – Zego Studio
23. IslandCraft: 3D Crafting Game · RS Gamer
24. Save The Pets · Bravestars Games
25. Race Master 3D – Car Racing · SayGames Ltd
26. Roblox · Roblox Corporation
27. My Talking Tom 2 · Outfit7 Limited
28. Tile Club – Match Puzzle Game · GamoVation
29. Beat Racing · BADSNOWBALL HONGKONG LIMITED
30. Craftsman: Building Craft · StarGame12

Source: appfigures.com

Appfigures’ Top Chart of Box Office Mobile Games in Uzbekistan

1. eFootball™ · KONAMI
2. PUBG MOBILE · Level Infinite
3. Texas Hold’em Poker: Pokerist · KamaGames
4. Mobile Legends: Bang Bang · Moonton
5. Whiteout Survival · Century Games PTE. LTD.
6. Roblox · Roblox Corporation
7. Archero 2 · Habby
8. Royal Match · Dream Games, Ltd.
9. Gardenscapes · Playrix
10. Clash of Clans · Supercell
11. Brawl Stars · Supercell
12. Call of Duty: Mobile Season 2 · Activision Publishing, Inc.
13. Lords Mobile: Coca-Cola Impact · IGG Inc.
14. Lineage2M · NCSoft
15. Total Battle: Tactical Wars · Scorewarrior
16. EA SPORTS FC™ Mobile Soccer · Electronic Arts Inc.
17. Vikings: War of Clans PVP · Plarium LLC
18. Standoff 2 · AXLEBOLT LTD
19. Age of Origins · CamelStudio
20. World of Tanks Blitz™ · Wargaming Group
21. Last War:Survival Game · FUNFLY PTE. LTD.
22. Hero Wars: Alliance · NEXTERS GLOBAL LTD
23. Free Fire · Garena International I
24. Play Seka with friends! · Fortegames
25. Homescapes · Playrix
26. Top Heroes: Kingdom Saga · RiverGame
27. RAID: Shadow Legends · Plarium Global Ltd
28. Dream League Soccer 2025 · First Touch Games Ltd.
29. Poker Games: World Poker Club · Crazy Panda Limited
30. Game of Thrones: Legends RPG · Zynga

Source: appfigures.com

Our localization projects

With the rapid growth of the gaming industry in Uzbekistan, localization has become a key factor in making games more accessible and engaging for local players.

At Allcorrect, we take pride in delivering localization services that resonate with players in any language, including Uzbek. In one of our recent projects, we localized PUBG MOBILE, which we also translated into Uzbek.

PUBG MOBILE, a battle royale sensation, has taken the world by storm, boasting over 1 billion downloads globally and a dedicated player base. Its intense survival gameplay, strategic combat, and constant updates keep it among the top-grossing mobile games worldwide.