At the recent Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, India showcased its burgeoning gaming industry, featuring a dedicated pavilion that highlighted Indian storytelling and culture while also addressing key challenges such as funding for developers.
India is positioning itself as a significant contributor to the global gaming industry, leveraging its participation in the Game Developers Conference (GDC) held from March 9 to March 13, 2023, at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. This annual event has established itself as a central hub for developers, investors, and industry leaders, featuring over 700 sessions, more than 1,100 speakers, and hundreds of exhibitors.
Among the prominent highlights of the conference was India’s dedicated pavilion, which showcased various gaming companies focusing on narratives rooted in Indian culture and storytelling. The pavilion was inaugurated by Dr. K. Srikar Reddy, the Consul General of India in San Francisco, who framed India’s presence as part of a larger national strategy to enhance its digital economy.
Government Support and Market Growth
Dr. Reddy remarked, “The Government of India, Ministry of Information Broadcasting, supported the setting up of the India Pavilion at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco. Eight Indian game development companies exhibited at the festival. They have developed wonderful games based on Indian stories, Indian epics, and they got a lot of exposure.” This initiative reflects a concerted effort by the Indian government to foster growth in the gaming sector.
India’s gaming market has reportedly reached a size of $5 billion, employing approximately 66,000 individuals across various roles in the industry. Dr. Reddy noted the presence of nearly 2,000 gaming companies in India and indicated that government investments in workforce development through specialized institutes are expected to propel the market to double its size to $10 billion by 2031.
“The government is promoting the digital economy in India, and this is also part of the digital economy,” Dr. Reddy stated, highlighting that the country boasts over 550 million 5G users, with 80% of mobile users engaging in digital gaming. He also mentioned the anticipated gradual growth of console and PC gaming segments.
Challenges for Indian Developers
Despite the optimistic outlook, Indian developers attending the conference expressed concerns regarding funding. Sowmitri Maluchuru, founder of AUM – The Game, shared insights about his studio’s project, which emphasizes themes of global unity while navigating resource limitations. “We got the opportunity to showcase at the Waves India Pavilion at GDC,” he said. “Out of around 1,000 studios across India, we were fortunate to secure third place.”
Maluchuru explained that his game, AUM, is designed as a cross-platform, free-to-play experience that promotes unity across the globe. He further noted, “We’ve spent over $100,000 over five years, completely bootstrapped with support from family and friends. But for a game of this scale, even $1–2 million would make a huge difference in quality.”
Mannat Jain, co-founder of Kalp Studio, highlighted the importance of culturally specific storytelling in game design. Her studio is developing a game called Rahi, which centers on the life of an auto rickshaw driver in the 1990s, an experience she notes is often underrepresented in the gaming world.
“We chose an autorickshaw because it’s such a uniquely Indian experience,” Jain said. She pointed to the competitive nature of securing early-stage funding, which remains limited through government-backed programs.
Yasaswy Sarma Veluri, co-founder of 5th Ocean Studios, emphasized the need for games that align with Indian social gaming habits. His studio focuses on multiplayer games, with their flagship project being a street cricket game designed to replicate informal play in India. Veluri noted, “The real challenge in India isn’t adoption, it’s funding. You can’t release a half-finished product and expect people to engage.”
Building Global Connections
Rudra Gesota, founder of OverTheMoon Studios, stated that Indian developers are increasingly aiming to cater to global audiences. His studio has produced mobile games that have found success in markets like South Korea and Japan. “Our approach has always been to build in India for a global audience rather than just focusing on the domestic market,” Gesota said.
He noted that attending GDC has significantly helped strengthen international partnerships and provided valuable insights into global trends. “There is huge potential, and we are focused on building sustainable, profitable games that can compete internationally,” he added, acknowledging the industry’s evolving landscape.
As India continues to make strides in the gaming sector, the combination of government support, a growing talent pool, and a rich tradition of storytelling positions the nation as both a hub for game development and a creative powerhouse on the global stage.
