India is one of the fastest growing gaming markets in the world.
Analysts believe there could be more than half a billion players in the nation by the end of this year, according to the BBC.
Most are playing on mobile phones and tablets, with the country’s three largest video game startups – Game 24X7, Dream11 and Mobile Premier League –providing fantasy sport experiences which are valued at more $1 billion.
But “indie”-style games are also on the rise.
‘Venba’, a cooking sim that told the story of a migrant family reconnecting with their heritage through food, became the first game of its kind to take home a Bafta Game Award this year.
The BBC said Canada-based Visai Games which developed the title was revealed during the Summer Games Fest in Los Angeles as one of the first beneficiaries of a new fund set up by ‘Among Us’ developer Innersloth to boost fellow indie developers.
It added: “This will go towards their new, unnamed project based on ancient Tamil legends.”
Another title awarded funding by the scheme was Project Dosa, from developer Outerloop, that sees players pilot giant robots, cook Indian food and fight lawyers.
Its previous game ‘Thirsty Suitors’ was also highly praised and nominated for a Bafta award this year.
Mumbai-based Indrani Ganguly from Duronto Games 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 per cent 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.”
