The Indian gaming industry and eSports are taking a huge hit when it comes to going global.
India’s gaming industry has seen a lot of rise recently with new titles coming out. Being ranked the world’s 5th largest GDP in 2024, there has been a lot of new advancement in eSports and the gaming industry. We have also seen many Indian developers getting recognition on international levels with several gaming giants investing their time and money to make India-dedicated games. So, let’s uncover the performance of the Indian gaming industry in 2024 and what lies ahead.
Major Game Announcements
One of the major events that happened in the first quarter of 2024 was the Game Development Conference 2024 (GDC 2024). It started from March 18 to March 22 and revealed many new and exciting gaming projects from India.
On top of the list, we have Mumbai Gullies, an open-world game with great graphics that took the conference by storm with its beautiful portrayal of Mumbai City. Even key figures from the Sony company have shown interest in this game, making it one of the most interesting new releases.
Joining Mumbai Gullies, we also had Kurukshetra, Shri Ram Mandir, ScarFall, and Invrse Cricket, presenting a vibrant tapestry of India's stories.
Apart from GDC, we also got an announcement on five India Hero Project games coming to PlayStation. The games included in this list are Meteora: The Race Against Space Time, Requital: Gates of Blood, Fishbowl, Mukti, and Suri: The Seventh Note.
A key highlight among all these is Mukti, a unique exploration title that will hit the world soon. While there is no release date, it is one of the most interesting titles by underDOGs. Another popular title is Meteora: The Race Against Space-Time. Big Boot Games is developing it and has one of the most interesting space settings for survival.
Not to forget Fishbowl which has been getting global recognition since 2023 for its story that follows the daily life of twenty-one-year-old Alo, with a rather nostalgic and melancholic vibe, set in the urban landscape of India.
However, Holy Cow Productions has done something unique with Gates of Blood. This game is a 2D side-scrolling title that brings the nostalgic gaming touch and mixes it up with the Indian culture and a lot of powerful beasts.
Most Highlighted Indian Game Developers
Now let’s talk about some gaming studios that have been slaying it when it comes to hyping up the world with their release.
Firstly, we have GameEon by Nikhil Malankar. The studio is developing the all-new Mumbai Gullies, which is being loved by the audience and will have its first demo live this summer.
underDOGs studio has also been making its mark as an innovative gaming studio that is releasing a unique gaming concept with Mukti being its latest venture.
We also have Niku Games, a small indie studio that is currently working on The Palace on the Hill, an open-world adventure game set in 90s rural India. Having made several small mobile games based on ideas of Indian culture, the studio is now focusing on The Palace on the Hill, with the title getting its own Steam store page.
Lastly, many other studios like 99Games (creators of Star Chef), imissmyfriend (Fishbowl), Blacklight Studio (Ludo Superstar), Playbae (In My Shadow), and more are constantly making history on a global scale. All of these gaming studios are doing an amazing job in catering to the Indian gaming industry in a way where it’s helping gamers with unique games and developers with new jobs.
What Lies Ahead
When it comes to eSports, India is only seeing growth. The eSports industry alone will grow to as much as US$143.2m by 2028. The growth of the Indian gaming industry is certainly an interesting one. Companies like Sony are now taking huge initiatives like the India Hero Project to make the Indian gaming industry a little better. There are currently 5 titles in the list and it will increase to more games in the near future.
In 2024, the revenue in the Esports market is forecasted to reach US$124.8m. Moreover, by 2028, this industry is projected to grow to as much as US$166.3m, giving an annual growth rate of 7.44%. Also, the Indian player base is so vast that studios are now planning Indian-specific versions of their titles. For example, KRAFTON has already released BGMI, Bullet Echo India, Garuda Saga, Indian factions in Road to Valor: Empires, and much more.
Furthermore, recently, there was a gaming meetup of top Indian gamers with Prime Minister Modi. The meetup included 8bitthug, MortaLyt, Mythpat, SkRossi, Gcttirth, PAYALGaming, and GamerFleet.
All of these are India’s top gamers and their meeting with the PM went like a breeze. They gave unique insights to the PM so he could implement new ideas and improve India’s economy by understanding the role of gamers, developers, and eSports in the country. PM Modi also gave unique insights and ideas on the type of games to be developed, showcasing his support for the Indian gaming industry and its future.
Overall, this year is going to be the most exciting for the Indian gaming industry and eSports is taking a huge hit when it comes to going global.