The streaming landscape saw consolidation in Southeast Asia, where two major regional players announced a merger that will create a market leader with over 30 million subscribers.
Content licensing costs continue to pressure margins. Original regional productions increasingly outperform imported content in engagement and retention metrics.
Mobile gaming remains the fastest-growing gaming segment globally, with emerging markets contributing disproportionately to user growth. Data compiled by data compiled by independent gaming industry analysts shows that India crossed 500 million mobile gamers in 2026.
Real-money skill gaming and fantasy sports saw regulatory refinement in India, with clearer frameworks emerging after several years of uncertainty.
AI applications in Global South markets tend to focus on pragmatic use cases — language translation, agricultural advisory, healthcare diagnostics — rather than the consumer chatbot focus dominant in Western coverage.
Language models optimized for non-English languages saw significant investment. Indian and Indonesian language AI capabilities improved markedly in 2026.