First-ever Indian pavilion inaugurated at the Game Developers Conference 2024 in San Francisco

First-ever Indian pavilion inaugurated at the Game Developers Conference 2024 in San Francisco

A new dimension in the bilateral relationship of India and the US has been unveiled by the opening of the first India pavilion at the prestigious Game Developers Conference 2024. The opening ceremony also marked the launch of “India Gaming Market Report”. The US India Strategic and Partnership Forum and WinZO worked collaboratively to make this project a grand success. According to India Gaming Market Report, India’s gambling market is expected grow from USD 3,1 billion in the year 2023 to USD 6.1 billion in the year 2028.

Game developers conference 2024 at san francisco logo
game developers conference 2024

USISPF CEO and President Mukesh Aghi said the inauguration marks a milestone in Indo-US relations. Mr. Aghi also added, “The online gaming sector in India is burgeoning and initiatives such as these would go a long way in fostering collaboration between the two nations, including investment, innovation and content. We envision a future where our combined creativity fuels the next wave of gaming excellence.”

WinZO cofounders Paavan Nanda and Saumya Singh Rathore as well as India’s Consul general in San Francisco K Srikar Reddy & Deputy Consul Rakesh Adlakha attended the event. Mr. Reddy elucidated India’s significant potential in digital realm due to the dividend of youthful population and the traditional prowess of compelling storytelling for fomenting the gaming industry.

India’s Consul general in San Francisco K Srikar Reddy also stated, “Each participant present at the India pavilion today serves as a digital ambassador, showcasing not only their work but also representing India on the global stage. It’s gratifying to witness companies like WinZO actively supporting and collaborating with game developers, enabling them to export their content and gain global recognition.”

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According to the India Gaming Market Report, the Indian gaming industry presently employs 1,00,000 employees, with growing digital penetration and changing dynamics of technology, India is expected to create more than 2,50,000 jobs in the coming decade. India’s gaming market is estimated to grow from USD 3.1 Billion in 2023 up to USD 6 Billion in 2028. India’s internet user base is expected to reach 1.2 billion in 2028 from 881 million users in 2023.

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The report predicted that the number of online gamers would increase from 568,000,000 in the year 2023 to 893,000,000 by 2028. India’s market share is 1.1% of the global gaming industry and there are now more than 1,400 gaming companies in India. This number has increased from 25, in 2015, upto over 1,400 in 2023. India Gaming Market Report also asserted that India’s share of app downloads on mobile devices is 17 percent which posits a conducive environment for gaming technologies in India.

Conclusion: Technology is changing like never before. Gaming technology blended with spatial computing, quantum computing are revolutionizing each and every industries around the globe. Consequently, the job market is also witnessing a drastic change every year.

Indian Gaming Industry Going Global with Homegrown AAA Titles

Indian Gaming Industry Going Global with Homegrown AAA Titles

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

  • $3.1 billion: Size of digital gaming market in India (FY2022)

  • $7.5 billion: Expected size of the market by FY 2028

  • 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

  • $19.2: Average revenue per user

  • 10-12 hours: Average time spent per gamer per week

  • 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.

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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.