Indian Gaming Industry Sees Surge in Global Competitiveness with Homegrown AAA Titles
New Delhi, December [date] - The Indian gaming industry has reached a new high as several homegrown companies are now producing high-quality, heavy-budget, and globally-competitive games.
The emergence of these flagship titles marks a significant shift for the industry, which was previously focused on casual games. Last month saw the launch of two high-profile AAA (Artificially Attuned Action) games - Indus Battle Royale and Rage Effect: Mobile.
Indus Battle Royale from SuperGaming has garnered close to 5 million downloads on Android and iOS platforms since its release in October, while Rage Effect: Mobile crossed 120,000 pre-registrations in its open beta version. The former game is a battle royale game that resonated with local audiences and has announced a year-long esports tournament with a Rs 2.5-crore prize pool to support upcoming gaming talent.
"We're proud to be creating games that resonate with local audiences while competing globally," said Roby John, co-founder and CEO of SuperGaming. "Our game has attracted significant investment from leading investors like Bandai Namco, Akatsuki Entertainment, Skycatcher, and 1Up Ventures."
Another Indian gaming company, Dot9 Games, is set to release its first-person shooter (FPS) game - Fearless and United Guards (FAU-G): Domination - early next year. The game has already generated buzz with 90% of the audience resonating with its Indian military themes at a recent playtest in Gurugram.
The emergence of high-budget titles from India marks a positive shift in the industry, according to Roland Landers, spokesperson of All India Game Developers' Forum (AIGDF). "We're seeing several studios secure large-scale investments and develop AAA-quality games, showing their commitment to meet global standards."
Funding remains a major challenge for Indian game developers. According to Vaibhav Chavan, founder and CEO of UnderDOGS, a Mumbai-based gaming studio, the industry needs more success stories to boost confidence.
However, government support is seen as vital to India's AAA gaming aspirations. AIGDF representatives suggest that financial support through grants, tax incentives, and skill development initiatives can significantly boost the industry. Additionally, establishing a trusted certification programme for Indian games could enhance consumer confidence and position Indian studios as high-quality content producers.
WinZO, a leading skill-based social gaming platform, has launched an initiative to help homegrown gaming startups grow on a global level by showcasing their products at international conferences.