The Rise of Indie Games developed by Indians

When thinking of video games, India might not be the first country that comes to mind. But it is one of the fastest-growing markets in the world, both in terms of mainstream and indie games.

According to analysts, there could be over half a billion gamers in India by the end of 2024.

The majority are playing on mobile phones and tablets and in India, the industry is mostly known for fantasy sports games that let you assemble imaginary teams based on real players.

Despite gambling concerns, they’re big business.

The country’s three largest video game startups – Game 24X7, Dream11 and Mobile Premier League – all provide some kind of fantasy sports experience and are valued at over $1 billion.

But there is hope that several indie games making waves could inspire a creative boom.

Summer Game Fest

The Summer Game Fest (SGF) is an annual showcase of new and upcoming video games.

During the 2024 event, audiences saw glimpses of a few story-driven titles from South Asian developers.

One title was Detective Dotson by Gujarat-based Masala Games, which is about a failed Bollywood actor who becomes a detective.

Masala Games’ CEO Shalin Shodhan said the focus on unique stories is “bucking the trend” in India’s games industry.

He wants video games to become an “interactive cultural export” but admitted he’s found creating new intellectual property difficult.

Shalin told BBC Asian Network:

“There really isn’t anything in the marketplace to make stories about India.”

“If you think about how much intellectual property there is in film in India, it is really surprising to think nothing indigenous exists as an original entertainment property in games.

“It’s almost like the Indian audience accepted that we’re just going to play games from outside.”

The Palace on the Hill

Another game that was shown at SGF was The Palace on the Hill, a farming simulator set in rural India.

Mala Sen, of Niku Games, says indie games like this and Detective Dotson are what “India needed”.

She said: “We know that there are a lot of people in India who want games where characters and setting are relatable to them.”

Success of South Asian Teams in the West

In recent years, games developed by South Asian teams based in Western countries have been finding critical praise and commercial success.

One game is Venba.

It is a cooking simulator that highlights a migrant family reconnecting with their heritage through food.

At the 2024 Bafta Game Awards, it became the first game of its kind to win an award.

Canada-based Visai Games, which developed the title, was revealed as one of the first beneficiaries of a new fund set up by Among Us developer Innersloth to boost fellow indie developers.

This will go towards their upcoming project based on ancient Tamil legends.

Project Dosa was another game that was awarded funding by the scheme. The game sees players control robots, cook Indian food and fight lawyers.

The title was developed by Outerloop and its previous game, Thirsty Suitors, was also highly praised and nominated for a Bafta award in 2024.

Indrani Ganguly, of Duronto Games, says these games resonate with global players and this helps perceptions from the wider industry.

She said: “Finally, people are starting to see we’re not just a place for outsource work.

“We’re moving from India being a technical space to more of a creative hub.

“I’m not 100% seeing a shift but that’s more of a mindset thing.

“People who are able to make these kinds of games have always existed but now there is funding and resource opportunities available to be able to act on these creative visions.”

Meanwhile, UK-based Charu Desodt says the success of games like Venba has been thanks to their commitment to authenticity.

She said: “They make me feel very proud.

“We’re coming to a point where the industry is growing massively, both in terms of hours spent gaming but more importantly in the variety of the games.

“When you have authentic local stories told from the heart, that’s something everyone can relate to.”

Charu says funding for “unique and quirky stories has been an issue” but recent successes such as Venba and Thirsty Suitors have shown there is an interest in South Asian stories told by South Asian developers.

These successes have led to some of gaming’s biggest companies also paying attention.

In 2023, Sony launched its India Hero Project with an aim to “unearth and empower India’s brightest game development talents” through mentorship and funding.

Its first group of games included Fishbowl, Mukti and Suri: the Seventh Note.

Meanwhile, Ubisoft’s Indie Series has supported Thousand Star Studios in creating Aikyam, a Bollywood-inspired fantasy roleplaying game set to be released later in 2024.

According to Charu, video games and their interactivity allow people to “understand a concept on a very deep level”.

She said: “It’s not just about me appreciating my South Asian roots but its about other people really connecting with the authenticity of that experience.

“It takes time for an industry to evolve and mature.

“We’re in the early days as an industry as a whole, even in the west.

“But people now have access to technology and India is also a nation that loves to tell stories.”