Steam has established itself as the dominant PC gaming platform in Southeast Asia, capitalizing on the region’s growing gaming population.
Its strategy focuses on expanding user acquisition through localized pricing, offering competitive, region-specific game prices to make gaming affordable, supporting diverse payment methods, including digital wallets and regional banks, to ensure seamless transactions, and frequent sales, bundle deals, and seasonal discounts to attract and retain users.
“While the market presents immense growth potential, success depends on adapting to shifting regulations, leveraging local partnerships and aligning with regional gaming trends,” Chenyu Cui, Senior Analyst at Omdia, said in a report.
The above chart illustrates mobile gaming market spending and year-on-year growth in Southeast Asia from 2020 to 2029. Key takeaways include:
Spending Trend: Mobile game spending (in blue bars) remains relatively stable from 2020 to 2024, with a noticeable increase from 2025 onwards, peaking around 2028–2029.
Growth Rate: The year-on-year growth rate (purple line) shows a steep decline from 2020 to 2022, turning positive again in 2023 and peaking around 2026. However, after 2026, growth slows down and stabilizes close to zero by 2028–2029.
Market Projection: The data suggests that while total spending on mobile games continues to rise, the growth rate is gradually stabilizing, indicating market maturity.
This analysis highlights a strong but stabilizing mobile gaming market in Southeast Asia, driven by increasing spending but with slower year-over-year growth in the later years.
Steam collaborates with developers and publishers to facilitate global reach and game distribution. It provides a favorable revenue-sharing model, especially for indie developers, encouraging them to publish on the platform.
Localization tools help developers translate and adapt games to improve engagement in Southeast Asian markets. The early access program and community engagement features allow developers to launch games in beta phases and gather community feedback before full release.
While facing competition from Epic Games Store, Microsoft Store, and emerging regional platforms, Steam maintains its edge through a large game library that includes AAA, indie, and free-to-play titles. The Steam Community and Workshop enhance player engagement through user reviews, modding support, and discussion forums. Seamless cross-platform integration, including cloud saves, remote play, and Steam Deck compatibility, provides a unified gaming experience.
Steam stays ahead by aligning with industry shifts such as cloud gaming and remote play, enhancing accessibility for users with lower-end PCs. It continues to strengthen its ecosystem through SteamVR support for virtual reality gaming and collaborates with tournament organizers to foster an esports-friendly environment.
With Southeast Asian governments balancing esports promotion and gaming regulations, Steam adapts by complying with local laws, adjusting game availability and age restrictions based on country-specific regulations. It strengthens regional partnerships by collaborating with local developers and publishers to enhance government relations. Additionally, it implements robust content moderation policies and parental controls to address concerns about online safety and gaming addiction.
Steam’s dominance in the PC gaming market is driven by its adaptive strategies, strong developer support, and focus on regional customization. By continuously evolving with industry trends and regulatory landscapes, Steam remains the preferred platform for gamers and developers in Southeast Asia.
Baburajan Kizhakedath
