India, with its rich cultural heritage and vast pool of tech talent, has the potential to become a major player in the global video game industry.

India’s epic stories and mythologies could serve as the foundation for globally appealing narratives, according to a white paper by the Game Developers Association of India (GDAI). Despite currently accounting for 15 per cent of the global player base at about 590 million, the country contributes less than 1 per cent to the $188 billion global gaming market. 

However, the domestic video game sector is expected to experience significant growth, reaching $5 billion by 2028. 

The GDAI has called for building a gaming-focused incubation ecosystem to nurture startups to make ‘Made in India Games for the World’. To capture the $180-200 billion global gaming market, gaming must be recognised as a distinct industry, beyond the broader Animation, VFX, Gaming & Comics (AVGC)  sector.

Incubation centre

The whitepaper called for the establishment of a national Incubator and Gaming Fund to fund gaming startups in a big way.

 “We need to promote four core pillars – knowledge (mentorship), funding, networking, and community support. We should also host global and national events to build industry momentum,” it said.

“This distinction is crucial because gaming uniquely influences business growth, economic potential, cultural soft power on the global stage, digital innovation, and social awareness,” the association said in a white paper.

“A gaming-focused incubation ecosystem will be central to this vision, but it must be part of a broader ecosystem development plan that spans the entire game development lifecycle. It should cover three core phases – bridge funding gaps, and build a skilled workforce,” the whitepaper – Building India’s Gaming Future – Incubation and Ecosystem Development Roadmap said.

The association said that the country should take a cue from successful international initiatives like GameBCN (Spain), Dutch Game Garden (Netherlands), and NEOM (Saudi Arabia) and provide a structured support, and fostering innovation.

Collaboration

GDAI President Sridhar Muppidi said that the association has already taken measures to foster collaboration and innovation to develop the gaming industry. It signed memoranda of understanding with two State Governments (Sikkim and Rajasthan) and 15 universities across the country. 

Talent

The whitepaper called for grooming talent to help the industry tap the global opportunity. “We need to design specialised game design courses in leading institutions and establish new gaming-focused institutes and partnerships with global educational institutions,” the whitepaper said.