NCoE for AVGC-XR Promises to Reshape India’s Gaming Sector

The National Centre of Excellence (NCoE) for Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics, and Extended Reality (AVGC-XR) is poised to transform India’s gaming industry, much like how the IITs and IIMs revolutionized engineering and management. Approved by the Union Cabinet under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, the NCoE will be established in Mumbai, Maharashtra, as part of the AVGC Task Force initiative from the 2022-23 budget.

Since esports was officially recognized as a ‘multi-sport event’ by the Indian government, the gaming industry has witnessed rapid growth. States are increasingly engaging with the sector, and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has announced the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES), set to take place in New Delhi in February 2025. This summit will include esports tournaments for games like Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), World Cricket Championship (WCC), and eFootball, further demonstrating India’s commitment to fostering a thriving gaming ecosystem.

Empowering Indian Game Developers and Talent

In his Independence Day speech, Prime Minister Modi encouraged Indian game developers to make a global impact. The NCoE will play a pivotal role in this effort by focusing on the creation of intellectual property (IP) rooted in India’s cultural heritage. Pune-based SuperGaming’s Indus Battle Royale, which recently entered open beta, is a shining example of this, highlighting India’s growing influence in the global gaming scene.

Roby John, CEO and Co-founder of SuperGaming, emphasized, “The NCoE’s role as an incubation hub will be a game-changer for startups, much like how the IITs advanced engineering and the IIMs revolutionized management. We believe this center will reshape India’s gaming industry.”

John also stressed the importance of creating IP based on India’s rich culture, a mission aligned with SuperGaming’s Indus, set in an Indo-futuristic universe. “As gaming blurs the lines between entertainment and technology, we expect significant investments from both domestic and international sources, positioning India as a key content hub.”

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Nurturing Future Talent

Prime Minister Modi has actively supported the gaming industry, even engaging with renowned Indian gamers like Animesh Agarwal (8Bit Thug), Naman Mathur (Mortal), and Payal Dhare (PayalGaming) from 8Bit Creatives, a leading esports talent agency.

Animesh Agarwal, CEO and Co-founder of 8Bit Creatives, said, “The NCoE will provide young enthusiasts with access to the latest technology, mentorship, and guidance. This will drive the creation of Made-in-India games that will leave a lasting mark on the global gaming industry.”

Specialized Learning Programs for AVGC-XR

The NCoE will offer training programs for both beginners and professionals, equipping them with advanced AVGC-XR skills. With the rising demand for high-performance PCs, CyberPowerPC’s recent entry into India is perfectly timed to support the growing needs of the gaming industry.

Vishal Parekh, COO of CyberPowerPC India, stated, “The NCoE is a fantastic initiative that will propel India’s animation, VFX, gaming, and comics sectors forward. As technology advances, the youth will have an incredible opportunity to upskill, further boosting India’s position on the global AVGC-XR map.”

Expanding Career Opportunities for Gen-Z

The NCoE aligns with Gen-Z’s interests, expanding career opportunities in AVGC-XR. NODWIN Gaming, a leader in youth entertainment, gaming, and esports, has been catering to this demographic through IPs like Comic Con, DreamHack India, and BGMS.

Akshat Rathee, Co-founder and Managing Director of NODWIN Gaming, remarked, “The NCoE will serve as a beacon for both amateurs and professionals, offering opportunities to hone their skills in animation, VFX, gaming, and comics. This synergy of sectors will lead to incredible experiences and solidify India as a powerhouse in the global AVGC-XR industry.”

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Conclusion

The establishment of the NCoE for AVGC-XR marks a transformative leap for India’s gaming and esports industries, fostering innovation, supporting startups, and nurturing young talent, while positioning India as a global hub for AVGC-XR content.

India Gaming Show 2024, to be held in Pune.

The highly anticipated sixth event of India Gaming Show 2024, jointly arranged with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Indian Digital Gaming Society (IDGS) with the support of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Invest India, MeitY Startup Hub, and Media Entertainment Skill Council is ready to be organized between March 14 and 16 March 2024, on the Messe Global Lawns situated in Pune, Maharashtra. Soaring anticipation for the premier gaming event is expected to be an exciting event celebration of the Indian gaming industry, bringing together gamers as well as industry leaders for an unforgettable gaming experience.

India Gaming Show 2024 is about to celebrate the most recent advancements, innovations and developments in the world of gaming. The visitors can dive into the infinite pool of games, gaming technology and the mind boggling innovations at the display area pf Messe Global Lawns. Pune- the cultural and technological focal point of Maharashtra is certainly a commendable choice both for the organizers and the thousands of flocking visitors from different parts of the country.

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Attractions of the event

This year the prime attractions of The India Gaming Show 2024 are about to be the cutting edge gaming exhibits by Sony PlayStation, Krafton, OnePlus, Western Digital, Jet Group, Samsung, Philips and other game changing organizations. Visitors will get to witness hundreds of new games and intriguing advancements in gaming industry. A wide array of booths demonstrating updated gaming accessories, software and hardware. The dedicated pavilion will be installed for academia, where students and youngsters can get to know about skill development, emerging technologies and professional insights on global gaming industry.

Esports in India Gaming Show 2024

Esports tournaments by Nodwin Gaming, Jet Sky Esports across various gaming platforms pledge to be an unforgettable experience for competitive gamers. Furthermore, exciting gifts will certainly make this event a one of its kind for winning gamers.

Gaming industry’s future, trends, challenges, opportunities shall be discussed by imminent industry experts and thought leaders in engaging panel discussions. In addition to that, attendees are expected to gain crucial knowledge and insights from these informative sessions.

The 6th Edition of The India Gaming Show will be a congregation of artists, designers, gamers, business investors, developers, recruiters, business experts, media professionals, financial organizations, legal firms, gaming communities and last but not the least game dev studios of myriad size and potential. Attendees might also become a part of leading game dev communities.

“The India Gaming Show 2024 is not just a showcase of the latest gaming trends but a celebration of the thriving gaming community in India. We are thrilled to bring together gaming enthusiasts, industry leaders and innovators to Pune, Maharashtra for an unforgettable experience.”- asserted by Mr. Rajan Navani, President of Indian Digital Gaming Society.

Register for India Gaming Show

The event registration is already open to the public. Delegate passes can be bought online from the official website: https://gamingshow.in/.

 

NODWIN Expands Portfolio, Supports Freaks 4U Again for Domination in the eSports Market.

Nazara Technologies’ esports subsidiary NODWIN Gaming will invest EUR 8 Million (INR 71.8 Cr) into German marketing services company Freaks 4U Gaming GmbH which specializes in gaming and esports marketing services. Just days ago, NODWIN Gaming invested an amount equivalent to INR 33.26 Cr in Freaks 4U Gaming GmbH through convertible notes.

Under this agreement, NODWIN and Freaks 4U Gaming will begin sharing resources from each other’s key regions, including staff as well as equipment and facilities. Furthermore, NODWIN will have access to Freaks 4U Gaming’s network across advanced markets as well as PC ecosystem services provided by Freaks 4U Gaming; Freaks 4U Gaming in turn will gain access to NODWIN’s market-leading network and facility capabilities in mobile youth culture and esports ecosystems according to filing. NODWIN will appoint Niels Wolter of Madison Solar Consulting as part of Freaks 4U Gaming advisory board in order to advise them on strategy, operations and integration between both companies in order to create synergies.

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NODWIN was established by Akshat Rathee and Gautam Virk in 2014 as an esports, game development firm offering Valorant as its primary product alongside PUBG. Over time the firm has expanded globally across South Asia, Singapore, Middle East and Turkey. Partnership between professional esports teams, athletes and content creators; it is supported by entities like Nazara, KRAFTON Inc, Sony Group Corporation and JetSynthesys.

Parent company also raised new capital of INR 515 crore from investors like Zerodha’s Nikhil Kamal and SBI Mutual Fund, according to Inc42’s reporting. CEO Nitish Mittersain stated in response that these funds will be utilized in gaming studios that create high-quality games designed for both Indian and global markets.

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Freaks 4U in Berlin is an esports and games marketing agency with expertise ranging from strategic consultation to offline and online activations – boasting what they claim is advanced broadcasting capabilities. Michael Haenisch, CEO of Freaks 4U Gaming, said “Under Rathee’s leadership, NODWIN has become a force to be reckoned with in the emerging market and the global landscape of gaming and esports.” Rathee said, “Our collaborative journey with Freaks is growing stronger, especially in the realms of PC and mobile gaming. We hold continuous admiration for the team at Freaks as we jointly explore new avenues for cooperation.”

NODWIN has recently embarked on an aggressive growth strategy through acquisitions and investments, most recently announced by their full stake purchase of Comic Con India for INR 55 crore ($6 Million) through cash and stock exchange transactions. The company made headlines last year when it acquired 51% in mediatech startup Branded for $1.3 Million through a cash-only deal that cost them only $0.9 Million. NODWIN also acquired stakes in Branded during April. Furthermore, their gaming accessories company Wings acquired 35% ownership for INR 10.01 Cr. Additionally, NODWIN purchased 100% ownership in Planet Superheroes back in January 2022.