6 Indian video-game studios to take note of

With a flourishing gaming industry in India, these studios are on their way to creating the best games the country has to offer

In India, there is no dearth of talent when it comes to developing technology for gaming. From building cutting-edge digital products to being part of some of the biggest gaming studios in the world today, some of the best games you're playing right now are being created in India. According to a Mordor Intelligence report, the Indian gaming market is said to be valued at $1.02 billion in 2020, and it is expected to reach $4.88 billion by 2026, registering a CAGR of 20.83 per cent over the forecast period of 2021–2026. India has one of the world’s highest demographics of young people who are likely to drive the gaming market through higher disposable incomes, the introduction of new gaming genres and the rapidly increasing number of smartphone and tablet users.

In 2020, data from NASSCOM had estimated that the Indian mobile gaming market would reach 628 million users. This means that the country would rank fifth among the world’s top mobile gaming markets, with over 220 million gamers spending an average of 42 minutes per day on games on their mobile phones.

The country has one of the largest gaming populations in the world, connected with capable smartphones and a robust 4G network. Several gaming giants including PUBG, Call of Duty and many more are looking at India as a growing market. While the gaming industry is flourishing in India, a large chunk of the industry is focused on gambling games as well as fantasy sports.

In the midst of all of this, there are a handful of homegrown studios determined to throw their hats in the ring, to not only put Indian gaming studios on the world map but also create the next prolific game that represents the very best that India has to offer.

Nodding Heads Games

One of the most prominent gaming studios that has grabbed attention across the world is Nodding Heads Games. It is best known for its genre-breaking adventure game Raji: An Ancient Epic which has received over 30 accolades both locally and overseas. Founded by Avichal Singh, Shruti Ghosh and Ian Maude, it comprises a small team operating out of Pune, putting India on the global map in an indie success story. Inspired by Hindu folklore and the medieval architecture of Rajasthan, Raji tells the story of a young girl facing off against demons to rescue her brother. It is a game praised for its cultural representation and unique art style. We're excited to see what's next from Nodding Heads Games.

Bombay Play

Founded by ex-Zynga and Moonfrog veterans in the gaming industry, Abhas Saroha and Oliver Jones, Bombay Play's mission of bringing billions of smiles by creating the future of gaming is on a roll. It comprises a healthy library of puzzle games that use traditional dice and card games in innovative, social ways, such as Card Party games to Card Wars. The company was recently infused with healthy investments from Lumkai, Playco and Leo Capital.

SuperGaming

This Pune-based start-up has been seeing meteoric success, and it has some big plans up its sleeve. SuperGaming is known for its games such as MaskGun, with over 500 million global downloads worldwide. It is now coming up with its own Battle Royale, which, with every reveal, looks like it's ready to take on the world. It is a Series A-funded company based out of India and Singapore with a track record of building hundreds of multiplayer games with 150 million global installs. While the game Indus is still in its infancy, it looks incredible with every art reveal and tech test.

Mayhem Studios

The Battle Royale multiplayer genre keeps on gaining momentum, and Mayhem Studios is riding that wave with a AAA Battle Royale video game titled Underworld Gang Wars. It borrows heavily from Indian street culture, with a massive map depicting locations that are more in tune with an Indian audience. Led by CEO Ojas Viput, Mayhem is almost ready to launch Underworld Gang Wars, which is open for pre-registrations now.

Lucid Labs

On its website, New Delhi-based Lucid Labs proudly states that they make games (not) for the masses. It is an all-remote, multi-country studio that builds some incredible indie experiences, and light-hearted and casual games. Just have a look at the game Possessions on Apple Arcade, replete with a colourful and heartfelt art style. Recently winning GDC India in November 2021, Stay, Mum is another delightful game on iOS. Lucid Labs is indeed a breath of fresh air and now part of Google Indie Games Accelerator.

Flying Robot Studios

Established by Satyajit Chakraborty in 2012 in Kolkata, Flying Robot Studios stands out with its cheeky homage to the classic Giant Robot series. The studio has been bagging a lot of awards including Nasscom's Game of the Year 2016. Their latest game Tea Garden Simulator is a meditational experience for tea aficionados out there, now on Steam Early Access. The other games include Missing: A Complete Saga and Warfront Defenders.

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