About 2.2 billion people are still offline, according to the ITU Facts and Figures 2025 press release, and GSMA says 3.1 billion more live under mobile internet coverage but don't use it. That's why games that work with no connection are so popular. Even Google's offline Chrome dino game was played 270 million times a month in 2018.
Last checked October 2026.
Offline games are some of the most searched pages on this site, and people often ask me why so many readers want games that work with no internet. The short answer is in the connectivity numbers. A huge share of the world is either offline, on patchy mobile data, or on a phone with very little storage and memory. Here are the numbers behind that, each one from a named source such as ITU, GSMA, Google and Android Developers.
Offline gaming fact table
| What | The number | Source | Refers to |
|---|---|---|---|
| People still offline | 2.2 billion people remain offline | ITU Facts and Figures 2025 press release | 2025 (ITU, published 17 Nov 2025) |
| People using the internet | An estimated 6 billion people, about three-quarters of the world | ITU Facts and Figures 2025 press release | 2025 (ITU, published 17 Nov 2025) |
| Urban vs rural internet use | 85% online in urban areas vs 58% in rural areas | ITU Facts and Figures 2025 press release | 2025 (ITU, published 17 Nov 2025) |
| Where the offline live | 96% of people offline live in low- and middle-income countries | ITU Facts and Figures 2025 press release | 2025 (ITU, published 17 Nov 2025) |
| 5G population coverage | 5G covers an estimated 55% of the world population | ITU Facts and Figures 2025 press release | 2025 (ITU, published 17 Nov 2025) |
| Offline in 2024 (original ITU estimate) | 2.6 billion people, one-third of the world, offline | ITU Facts and Figures 2024 report | 2024 (ITU Facts and Figures 2024, later revised to 2.3 billion) |
| Mobile internet users | 4.7 billion people, 58% of the world, use mobile internet on their own device | GSMA State of Mobile Internet Connectivity 2025 press release | End of 2024 (GSMA report, published 9 Sep 2025) |
| Mobile usage gap | 3.1 billion people live under mobile internet coverage but don't use it (38% of the world) | GSMA State of Mobile Internet Connectivity 2025 press release | End of 2024 (GSMA, published 9 Sep 2025) |
| Mobile coverage gap | Around 300 million people (4%) have no mobile internet coverage | GSMA State of Mobile Internet Connectivity 2025 press release | End of 2024 (GSMA, published 9 Sep 2025) |
| Rural mobile gap in LMICs | Rural adults in LMICs are 25% less likely to use mobile internet than urban adults | GSMA State of Mobile Internet Connectivity 2025 press release | End of 2024 (GSMA, published 9 Sep 2025) |
| Chrome dino game plays | 270 million games played every month | Google, The Keyword | Sep 2018 (Google Keyword blog) |
| Chrome dino game origin | Submitted in September 2014, on all platforms by December 2014 | Google, The Keyword | 2014 (per Google Keyword blog, Sep 2018) |
| Google Play max app download | Up to 34 GB total compressed download per app | Google Play Console Help | Oct 2026 (Play Console Help) |
| Google Play install download cap | 4 GB cumulative for all modules and install-time asset packs; 1.5 GB per asset pack | Google Play Console Help | Oct 2026 (Play Console Help) |
| Google Play legacy APK cap | Apps still published as APKs are limited to 100 MB | Google Play Console Help | Oct 2026 (Play Console Help) |
| Android (Go edition) RAM | Android 13 (Go edition) devices need a minimum of 2 GB RAM; Android 8.1 to 10 Go needed 512 MB | Android Developers | Page updated 26 Feb 2026 (Android Developers) |
| Android (Go edition) launch | Android (Go edition) first announced in 2017 | Android Developers | Page updated 26 Feb 2026 (Android Developers) |
How many people play without a connection
The ITU Facts and Figures 2025 press release puts the number of people still offline at 2.2 billion, with an estimated 6 billion online, about three-quarters of the world. The gap is sharpest outside cities: 85% of people in urban areas are online against 58% in rural areas, and 96% of people who are offline live in low- and middle-income countries.
The year before, ITU Facts and Figures 2024 estimated 2.6 billion people offline, one-third of the world, and ITU later revised that to 2.3 billion. So if you see different offline totals quoted, check the year and whether it's the original or revised estimate.
Being covered isn't the same as being connected. The GSMA State of Mobile Internet Connectivity 2025 press release says 4.7 billion people, 58% of the world, use mobile internet on their own device, while 3.1 billion live under mobile internet coverage but don't use it. Around 300 million people (4%) have no mobile internet coverage at all, and rural adults in LMICs are 25% less likely to use mobile internet than urban adults.
That's the audience for offline games: people who can download a game once on Wi-Fi or at a friend's house, then play for weeks without spending data. My main collection of free offline games you can download is built for exactly that reader.
The most played offline game you already have
If you use Chrome, you've got an offline game built in. Google, The Keyword said in September 2018 that the dino game was played 270 million times every month. According to the same post, it was submitted in September 2014 and was on all platforms by December 2014. It's a neat reminder that the moment the connection drops is a moment people want something to do.
Why game size and phone memory matter
Storage is the other half of the story. Google Play Console Help allows up to 34 GB total compressed download per app, with a 4 GB cap on what installs up front and 1.5 GB per asset pack. Apps still published as APKs are limited to 100 MB. In practice that means many big games keep downloading content after install, which is no use if you're about to go offline.
Low-end phones make this worse. Android Developers says Android (Go edition) was first announced in 2017, and that Android 13 (Go edition) devices need a minimum of 2 GB RAM, while Android 8.1 to 10 Go needed 512 MB. If that's your phone, look for small games that finish downloading in one go. I keep lists of small offline Android games and offline PC games for low-memory laptops for that reason.
How to read these offline gaming numbers
- Offline and not using mobile internet are different measures. ITU counts people not using the internet at all. GSMA counts people who aren't using mobile internet on their own device. They don't add up to the same total, and they aren't meant to.
- Estimates get revised. ITU revised its own 2024 number, so always quote the year and the source.
- A size limit is a ceiling, not a typical size. The Google Play caps tell you the largest a download can be, not how big most games are.
- The dino game number is a snapshot. Google gave it in 2018 and hasn't been quoted with a newer count here, so keep the date with it.
- None of this tells you which game is best. These are context numbers. For picks, use the lists below.
Offline game lists on this site
If you're choosing what to download before you lose signal, these lists are the place to start: offline adventure games for Android, offline multiplayer games for two players, offline cricket games with no Wi-Fi, word games that work with no internet and offline games for a Chromebook.
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Where these numbers come from
Every number on this page comes from one of these named sources. I haven't linked them, so search the source name if you want to read the original.
- ITU Facts and Figures 2025 press release
- ITU Facts and Figures 2024 report
- GSMA State of Mobile Internet Connectivity 2025 press release
- Google, The Keyword
- Google Play Console Help
- Android Developers
Related: Best Free Offline RPG Games for Low End PC No Internet.
I keep every related walkthrough in the Free Games to Play Offline and Online: Every Guide in One Place (2026).
Frequently asked questions
How many people in the world are offline?
The ITU Facts and Figures 2025 press release puts it at 2.2 billion people, with an estimated 6 billion online.
How many times is the Chrome dino game played?
Google, The Keyword said in September 2018 that it was played 270 million times every month.
What is the biggest game you can download from Google Play?
Google Play Console Help allows up to 34 GB total compressed download per app, with 4 GB for what installs up front.
How much RAM does an Android Go phone have?
Android Developers says Android 13 (Go edition) devices need a minimum of 2 GB RAM. Older Go versions needed 512 MB.
Why do so many people search for offline games?
Because so many people have limited or no connection. GSMA says 3.1 billion people live under mobile internet coverage but don't use it, and ITU counts 2.2 billion offline.
