IGDC 2025: Leveling Up in India's Gaming Scene

IGDC 2025 was the best version of the conference I've attended. Not because it was bigger — though it was — but because the conversations had more substance.

Three years ago, the dominant question at game dev gatherings in India was "is this viable here?" That question seems largely settled now. Studios are shipping, players are spending, and the ecosystem has enough depth that the conversations have moved to the next level: talent pipelines, IP development, cross-platform strategy, regional language markets.

A few things stood out:

The education gap is closing. There were more colleges represented this year than I've ever seen. Some were there specifically to connect students with studios for internships and placements. The fact that T&P departments are taking game dev seriously is a meaningful shift.

XR is converging with gaming. Several studios that would have called themselves "game studios" a few years ago now describe themselves as "interactive experience studios." The line between game development and XR application development is blurring in interesting ways.

The indie scene is growing up. Small teams are shipping games with real production values, finding audiences, and — crucially — making money. Not "VC money" money, but "sustainable creative business" money. That's a different kind of health.

I came back energized and with a longer list of people to stay in touch with than I had going in. That's usually the sign of a good conference.

If you're a student considering game development in India, I'd say: the ground is more fertile than it's ever been. Now is a reasonable time to bet on it.