Traditional ideas of Australian recreation are built around sun-soaked images of beaches, surfers, cricket, and the footie field. As with the rest of the planet, however, the Earth’s smallest continent has also fallen in love with online gaming.
In 2021, the gaming industry turned over more than $220 million in Australia. In a nation of less than 27 million residents, 17 million are regular online gamers in some form.
The latest figures suggest this phenomenal popularity is only increasing as each year passes. According to research in 2022, around 75% of Australians played online games that year.
Excellent internet infrastructure, high average income, and huge suburban populations drive easy access and high demand for gaming in Australia. With smartphones and mobile devices now ubiquitous, the popularity of online games has only increased.
From eSports to sandbox games to multiplayer role-playing fantasies, there is an online game to suit every Australian player. Even pokies have increased in popularity since the transition online and Skycity online casino has some great bonuses available in New Zealand and Australia to be redeemed on some of the best pokies games.
With all these choices, what are the most played online games in Australia?
- Fortnite
Searched for almost half a million times a month, the online battle royale Fortnite is currently Australia’s favourite game. Popular across all ages, Fortnite appeals to Australia’s competitive nature and offers something for both solo and team players.
Fortnite draws players into its world and creates absorbing situations with never-ending challenges. It is also extremely social and community building between people in disparate locations is a huge part of its appeal.
- Minecraft
While traditionally a game for younger players, seemingly unfathomable to parents, Minecraft’s appeal is growing along with its original audience. The second most searched-for game in Australia is an open-ended sandbox with almost limitless potential.
Minecraft offers familiarity to Australian players with a selection of worlds inspired by the nation’s natural environments. It then captivates its audience by fuelling gamified creativity in both solo play and team formats.
- Casino
The most popular form of casino game in Australia and New Zealand, by far, is pokies. Once exclusively found in hotels and bars, these simple but engaging slot games have adapted perfectly to the online world.
Other casino games include poker, blackjack, roulette, and craps and are all available in many themes and formats online. These adult games can be played without payment just for fun or include real money wagering as they would offline.
- League of Legends
At its core, League of Legends is a multiplayer battle game in which players must attack each other’s bases. It also features army building, resource management, and complex tactical choices throughout its preparation and battle phases.
While popular all over the world, League of Legends has become a particular favourite with games in Australia. Today, the game has its own franchised Australian league allowing players to test their skills in a formal competition.
- Overwatch
Complex and open-ended games are one of the great developments of modern gaming, but sometimes simple is best. Overwatch is a classic-style first-person shooter with fast action, smooth gameplay, and high-quality graphics.
Free to play with a strong social aspect and team play modes, Overwatch is now thoroughly established with Australian gamers. Available for all major brands and devices, easy cross-platform play has been a huge boost to Overwatch’s appeal.
- Dota 2
Similar to League of Legends, Dota 2 is a battle game in which players develop their champion through tasks. It can be as complex or simple as each player desires with both short and long sessions of play possible.
Popular across Australia, Dota 2 can be played alone but there are also opportunities to form teams and enter competitions. For most players, Dota 2 is a casual pastime, for some elite players, it has become a professional career.
- Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
Back in the 1990s, the idea of earning a million dollars playing a first-person shooter was unthinkable. In 2023, 24 people have now done exactly that playing Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.
An engaging and highly adaptable game in which players can choose environments, characters, and weapons, CS: GO is extremely popular. Though Danish players are currently dominating tournaments, it feels like only a matter of time until an Australian breaks through.
- Fallout 4
Statistically, Australia is one of the safest places in the world from the likely consequences of nuclear war. Perhaps that is why the post-apocalyptic survival game Fallout 4 has been embraced by Australian players without reservation,
It is an open-world role-playing game in which players have to survive alone against mutants, raiders, and the harsh landscape. Over 13 million copies of Fallout 4 have been sold worldwide, and a significant number have been bought in Australia.
These are just some of the most popular online games in Australia at the start of 2023. With new releases and variations being created all the time, we expect this landscape to continue changing quickly.
Why not try some of them yourself and find out what all the fuss is about?
