India is no longer a nation of avid gamers. Homegrown AAA titles like those developed by WinZO are leading this charge and showing their potential on an international stage. Gradually India is emerging as the powerhouse of global gaming industry. On February 15, 2024 WinZO announced its top 10 winners from their “Bharat Tech Triumph’ initiative; these winners will represent India at GDC San Francisco by exhibiting their innovative, culturally rich games.
Rising Mobile and Digital Transactions
It is estimated that India’s gaming market is expected to reach 5 billion USD by 2025 with mobile gaming accounting for an astounding 90% of revenue generated. Younger gamers and casual gaming are driving this staggering growth. Furthermore, online transactions’ impact cannot be overemphasized as secure payment solutions have significantly expanded this industry and made gaming accessible to many more players than ever.
COVID-19 and 5G as Catalysts for Change
COVID-19’s spread has resulted in the rapid expansion of India’s gaming industry, particularly home gaming, which has become an everyday leisure activity due to increased home time spent gaming. Furthermore, technological developments in 5G will further drive casual gaming for leisure purposes. Reportedly, India was the highest consumer of online games in the entire world during COVID-19 pandemic.
WinZO’s Bharat Tech Trump
WinZO’s “Bharat Tech Triumph” event is more than an event; it is an homage to India’s flourishing gaming industry. Winning entries ranged from games inspired by mythological elements in Indian mythology, temple simulations and virtual reality cricket – each an indication of India’s rich cultural and technological experience. By encouraging innovation and exporting technological advancements abroad, WinZO aligns with initiatives such as Digital India, Startup India and Make in India.
Kurukshetra (a card-based strategy game), Mumbai Gullies (action-adventure), Shri Ram Mandir (simulation/arcade game), ScarFall (multiplayer battle royale shooting game), and Invrse Cricket (virtual reality) are among the games on the export-list push. Bloom (narrative-driven puzzle), Mayanagari (a 3D open-world gangster game), Unsung Empire: The Cholas (3D action-adventure) and Spook A Boo (physics-based couch co-op game) are also part of the selected games. These games will be showcased at the first-ever India Pavilion at the Game Developers’ Conference in San Francisco, United States, in March.
Nikhil Malankar, founder of GameEon Studios, the studio behind Mumbai Gullies, said such initiatives will help Indian gaming make significant contributions to the world stage.
Indian Gaming Industry in a nutshell
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$3.1 billion: Size of digital gaming market in India (FY2022)
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$7.5 billion: Expected size of the market by FY 2028
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568 million: Totalgamers in India, of which 25 per cent are paying users15.4 billion: Total games downloaded in India, the second-highest figure worldwide, only after China
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$19.2: Average revenue per user
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10-12 hours: Average time spent per gamer per week
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60:40: Male to female gamer ratio
Training Ecosystem in India:
Game Development is no more frowned upon as was the scenario in the previous decade. Union government along with several State Governments are undertaking exciting initiatives to get their share of this exorbitantly profitable industry. In 2022, Indian Finance Minister also announced the formation of AVGC task force to catapult the industry and harness the potential lying latent in this business. Recently, IIT Nagpur has launched BTech in Computer Science course with specialisation in Human-Computer Interaction and Gaming Technology. In addition tot that Backstage Pass, Seamedu and Red Apple Learning are some of the esteemed institutions crafting highly skilled resources for Indian gaming industry.
Also read: E-Gaming Federation Join Hands with Maharashtra Government on Responsible Gaming
Sridhar Muppidi, Chairman, IGDC said, “The Indian Game industry is at a pivotal moment. We are starting to see exponential growth, however, for the industry to reach its true potential, we need a regular pipeline of talent to come into the industry and we believe that this can be achieved with getting students interested in the art of game development.”
In response to this statement, Mr. Arup Roy- Founder and CEO of Red Apple Technologies asserted “Game development training in India is still at its nascent stage. The majority of Indian students are still seeking reliance on tradition and age old career trajectories. Be it in lieu of ignorance or peer pressure, but the results of this predilection is evidently tragic and dangerous not only for new age industries but also for Indian students. Through our training initiatives we have managed to curb a niche in orthodox mindset. Now parents are also showing interest in new age career options. With more students pursuing gaming as profession, India would certainly distinguish itself as the Mecca for global gaming industry.” Furthermore, Red Apple Learning in association with esteemed colleges and universities in Bengal has embarked on a mission to scout local talents and empower them to excel in global platforms.
Conclusion
The Indian gaming industry is experiencing steady expansion, driven by homegrown AAA gaming development, mobile gaming growth and digital transaction. COVID-19 pandemic as well as 5G technologies are driving this growth; and during Game Developer Conference San Francisco India’s winning AAA games will certainly draw international attention which serve as a real-time representation of India’s capabilities on the international gaming stage.
