Thailand is a rising star in the gaming industry, and, much like the rest of Southeast Asia, is a video games hotbed. Despite the language barrier, people enjoy a plethora of mobile, PC, and console titles. Some passionate and skilled gamers are even going pro, competing in esports competitions and biennial meets, like the ongoing SEA Games. According to a survey, four out of five Thais play video games, which is the highest in ASEAN.

Although we’re sure the Thais will rush to the online stores when some of the newest video games become available, they have a few go-to games. With that said, let’s take a look at some of the most popular video games in Thailand, and, who knows, you might end up playing with some of the locals.

Realm of Valor

Known as Arena of Valor internationally, Realm of Valor, or RoV for short, is the highest-grossing mobile game in Thailand. This MOBA (multiplayer online battle arena) is comparable to DOTA 2 and its mobile peers, League of Legends: Wild Rift and Mobile Legends. To put into perspective how passionate Thais are with RoV, note that a Thai team, Talon eSports, won the Arena of Valor World Cup in 2021 and the SEA Games gold medal in 2019.

DOTA 2

DOTA 2 is undoubtedly the most popular esports title in Thailand. It’s not only a favorite pastime of countless youths but also a legit esports title with numerous teams. For example, Ascension Gaming is its top-grossing team, followed by Signature Trust and MEGA esports. Its national esports team is looking to redeem itself and attempt to win the gold medal in this year’s SEA Games after narrowly losing to the Philippines in the final, 3-2, in the 2019 edition.

Garena Free Fire

We honestly expected PUBG to be the top battle royale in Thailand, but Garena Free Fire somehow takes the cake. It is only second to Realm of Valor in terms of popularity and download volumes, with numerous esports players earning thousands. As a testament to how Thais love the game and how skilled they are at it, a Thai team, EVOS Phoenix, won the 2021 Free Fire World Series, $500,000 from the $2,000,000 prize pool.

Ragnarok Online and its many spinoffs

When Ragnarok Online went global, Thais were the first to embrace the game, and they did so with gusto. The franchise is immensely popular, and teams from the country participated in the now discontinued Ragnarok World Championship from 2003 to 2014, with tnRO winning a whopping five times.

Though it’s no longer a lucrative esports title, the nostalgia appeal stays strong. Currently, there are two Ragnarok games that are grossing high in the app stores: Ragnarok Labyrinth NFT and Ragnarok X: Next Generation. The former is an idle crypto game where you can sell, trade, and auction merchandise to other players, while the latter is a traditional mobile MMO.

Apart from the abovementioned games, the other popular titles in Thailand include Free Fire’s rival PUBG Mobile, along with Roblox, Coin Master, and League of Legends. Overall, we can safely say Thais love their games which is leading to the rise of Thai gaming studios and creatives treading a path for themselves in the industry.