Just like farmers in search of fertile land to grow crops, online game developers seek out flourishing internet landscapes where their ideas can thrive. The concept of online colonialism is already being touted, with western powerhouses flocking to places like Africa and India. This is because the internet is beginning to boom in these regions.
They may be behind the west by several years, but the growth over the next decade should be exponential. This means that opportunities are rife for those who jump on board early.
India looks set to become a major player in the years ahead, thanks to it being the second-largest online market in the world behind China. In addition to major companies targeting the subcontinent, there will also be an increase in the number of local developers cropping up and becoming big names. There are already a few studios to keep an eye out for.
How are Western Developers Targeting Indian Players?
The astonishing spike in internet availability in India hasn’t gone unnoticed, and projections suggest that the country will have 1.5 billion internet users by 2040. Therefore, it represents an untapped gold mine for gaming companies to break into. There are certain western games that have already gone down well with Indian audiences and haven’t required many alterations for these players. PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, for instance, is one of the most popular games in the country in 2021.
Some developers that have moved in on the Indian market have opted to create fresh content for players in the country. These games are slightly different from what they’d offered in western markets. An example of this is the Lucky 7 game online. Evolution Gaming, one of the behemoths of the iGaming industry, developed it by taking inspiration from a classic Indian card game. It has been successful on the subcontinent and will inspire other developers to employ similar tactics to win players over.
Who are the Main Developers Emerging in India?
In the overall timeline of gaming, India is way behind some of the industry leaders. Countries like Japan, South Korea, the USA, and Canada have all had a significant head start thanks to the accessibility of technology and investment into the infrastructure needed to progress. India looks set to regain some ground over the next few decades, though, thanks to the influx of modern technology and investment in the country.
Unanimous Studios is one of the better-established game companies in India, having been founded in 2008. It prides itself on being an early pioneer of new technology and is always seeking ways to innovate. Some of its best-known games are Pirate Miner and Feed the Camel. Up to now, it has mainly focused on mobile as this has been the predominant platform in India.
But it wouldn’t be surprising to see it expand in other ways in the future. Timuz is another successful Indian game developer. Incepted in 2010, it has published games across a broad range of genres including RPG and racing. It boasts more than 500 million downloads and has been able to reach players in more than 175 countries.
The rapid rise of these Indian developers should inspire others to follow suit. Thanks to the greater accessibility of the internet and the technology needed to create games in the country, it is likely to become a hotbed over the next ten years. The investment of outside developers and big brands will also help push the industry forward.