The India Game Developers Conference (IGDC) is scheduled to begin on November 2 at the Hyderabad International Convention Center (HICC) in Hyderabad. The conference, billed as the premier developer event in South Asia, is poised to attract game developers from around the world. With more than 4,000 participants, including 150 distinguished speakers, IGDC 2023 will offer an extensive program comprising more than 100 sessions.
These sessions will cover a range of topics including AI, Web3, art and design, technology, production and career opportunities in the games industry. Notably, major tech giants such as Unreal, Unity, Google and others will also contribute to a dedicated session.
Last year’s edition of IGDC attracted more than 4,000 participants who shared their ideas and expertise with the audience. As India emerges as one of the fastest growing video gaming markets in the world (it is expected to reach $1.6 billion by 2027, with a 5-year CAGR of 17.2 percent , according to data from Niko Partners), it is safe to assume that artists and developers will flock to the conference with enthusiasm.
Here is a brief overview of the main roundtables and presentations planned for IGDC 2023:
In addition to the core program, the upcoming IGDC 2023 event is expected to feature exclusive sessions hosted by conference partners. These sessions include Unreal Developer Day, Xbox Discovery Day, Unity Dev and Google Dev, providing attendees with a unique opportunity to delve deeper into these key aspects of game development.
Further enhancing the scope of the event, various panel discussions are planned, fostering productive discussions between representatives of the gaming industry, government agencies, academia and other policy makers. These discussions are being orchestrated by eminent industry organizations such as Invest India, Start-up India, AIGDF, Primus Partners, MESC and the Game Developers Consortium.
IGDC 2023 will begin with great momentum, as it kicks off with the launch of the ‘Lumikai State of India Gaming Report FY23’. The first day will also feature an engaging panel discussion titled “Analyzing Excellence: Iconic Games Against Their Overlooked Rivals,” which will explore the factors that contribute to the success of certain games and the lessons that can be learned from their less recognized counterparts.
The first day will begin with a panel discussion titled “What makes some games great? An analysis of iconic games compared to their forgotten competitors. What lessons can we learn?” with Mike Fischer of the University of Southern California, Mark Stanley of Games for Change, and Dave Yonamine of MobilityWare. Following this, Vivek Ramachandran of Matrix Partners will provide insights on “Building a VC-backed Gaming Business in India”, followed by additional panel discussions on “Building India to the World” and “the status quo of the gaming market in India”.
Day 2 will begin with Amit Khanduja from Reliance Games discussing “Playing for the Planet: How Video Games Can Benefit People and the Environment”. This will be followed by the first panel discussion of the day, “2024 Predictions,” with Sean (Hyunil) Sohn of Krafton India, Kadri Harma of Sisu Ventures, Jeff Strain of Prytania Media/Dawon Games, Justin Swart of Bitkraft Ventures and Saumya Singh Rathore by Winzo. Abhishek Malpani from Funcel will then share his insights on “Creating a Hit Game in Uncertain Times,” followed by a panel discussion on “Player Compensation: A Market Correction? » led by Manoj Kasyap of VLT Esports, Akhil Kavuturu of Marcos Gaming, Rohit Jagasia of Revenant Esports and Parth Chadha of Stan.
On the third day, a panel discussion titled “India’s Obsession with Shooters: What is it?” » will feature Mayur Bhimjiyani of Hypernova Interactive, Jwalant Gangwar of Super Gaming, Shantanu Tonpe of Uniplay Digital and Ojas Vipat of Mayhem Studios. Next, there will be a short presentation on the topic “Will AI take your jobs?” » by Taewon Yun of Super Evil Megacorp and Mark Stanley of Games for Change. The final panel discussion will focus on ‘The Rise of Grassroots Esports in India’, with insights from Kunwarbir Singh of Lenovo India, Biren Sharma, an esports presenter, and Aviroop Mandal of Futuresmith.
