*“Skill Development in the Video Gaming Sector to get massive uplift by the formation of Indian Institute of Creative technology“ says Mr. Sanjay Jaju, Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Govt. of India at*
*India Game Developer Conference (IDGC) 2024*
-Over 6000+ Participants including Gaming Developers, Gaming Studios, Industry Experts and Gaming Enthusiasts Converge on first day of IGDC 2024--
*Hyderabad, November 13, 2024:* Gaming experts from across the globe have converged at HICC Hyderabad as the three-day India Game Developer Conference (IGDC) an initiative of Game Developer Association of India. Kicked off in its 16th annual avatar, the high octane event has seen an overwhelming response with over 6000 plus attendees on day 1 of the event. The expo at IGDC also kicked off with over 100+ global and local gaming developers & publishers showcasing giving visitors an immersive & interactive entertainment.
The highlight of day one of IDGC 2024 was the participation of Mr. Sanjay Jaju, Secretary, Ministry of
Information and Broadcasting, Govt. of India in the Policy Meetings with the founders & CXOs of the leading video gaming & interactive entertainment companies present in India.
Addressing the media at IGDC 2024, Mr. Sanjay Jaju shared that the Union Government is cognizant of the fact that the Govt is aware of the difference between video gaming & interactive entertainment industry Versus real money gaming industry. Shri Jaju emphasised that video gaming industry is essentially led by content and creativity and MIB ministry would work with the Game Developer Association of India to create high quality talent at scale in India so that India can dominate the global gaming space.
The Game Developer Association of India (GDAI) was also officially launched today with a mission to unify, promote, and elevate India’s growing video gaming and interactive entertainment industry. Talking on the sidelines of IGDC 2024, Mr. Sridhar Muppidi, Chairperson, GDAI said, “As an apex body representing video game developers, video gaming studios, and other stakeholders from the video gaming industry, GDAI seeks to provide a cohesive platform for industry growth, policy advocacy, and strategic collaborations with various ministries to position India as a global leader in the gaming sector.”
GDAI was established in response to the rapid expansion of India’s video gaming industry, which now serves a user base of over 500 million plus gamers and generates close to 10,000 crore of revenues for the global and local video gaming companies. Despite this growth, the sector has faced challenges related to differentiated recognition from real money gaming, policy support on talent creation and skilling, and a lack of funding support for the nascent ecosystem to grow.
“Our vision is to establish India as a premier destination for game development and interactive entertainment, while ensuring the industry receives the recognition and support it deserves. Currently, the sector falls under multiple regulatory bodies, leading to fragmented oversight and inconsistent policy support. We believe that the I&B Ministry is best suited to serve as the nodal authority for the gaming industry, given its role in overseeing entertainment content and media.” added Sridhar Muppidi, Chairperson, GDAI.
Day one at IGDC 2024 saw some interesting Panel Discussions including: Level Up Game Development Using Generative AI; Powering Global Gaming: Strategic Investments and Market Dominance; Web Games: The Game Changer Revolutionizing the Gaming Landscape and the panel on “India Gaming Market Status Quo” which had Keerti Singh, Co-Founder, VP Growth, HItwicket; Roby John, CEO, Super Gaming, Sean Sohn, CEO, Krafton Inc. India as panelists.
Sri. Sanjay Jaju was also a speaker on Day One and spoke on “Shaping the Future: Insights and Vision for the Game Industry.” Some of the other speakers on Day one at IGDC included Wilhelm That, Senior VP and General Manager, Scopely on A Call to Action and Lessons from India’s top games & Monopoly Go, Abhimanyu Kumar, Co-Founder, Naavik on Five Key Emerging Trends in Mobile F2P amongst other gaming luminaries.
About Game Developer Association of India (GDAI):
Determined to build a globally recognised ecosystem for game developers, studios and industry professionals, GDAI is forging ahead with its mission to foster innovation, sustainability and excellence in digital game creation. Since its inception over a decade ago, GDAI has been continuously striving to promote excellence in this cutting-edge field and aiming to elevate India’s game development industry on the global stage. The Association offers the necessary resources, mentorship and skill development while stressing on innovation and inclusion as well as upholding ethical standards in the gaming industry.