The India Game Developers Conference (IGDC) is all set to commence on November 2 at the Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC) in Hyderabad. This conference, billed as South Asia's premier developer event, is poised to attract game developers from around the world. With more than 4,000 participants, including 150 distinguished speakers, the IGDC 2023 will offer an extensive program featuring over 100 sessions.
These sessions will encompass a range of topics, including AI, Web3, art and design, technology, production, and career opportunities in the gaming industry. Notably, leading tech giants such as Unreal, Unity, Google, and others will also contribute to a dedicated session.
Last year's edition of IGDC drew over 4,000 attendees who shared their insights and expertise with the audience. With India emerging as one of the fastest-growing gaming markets in the world (forecast to reach $1.6 billion by 2027, growing at a 5-year CAGR of 17.2 per cent, as per Niko Partners data), it's safe to speculate that artists and developers will flock to the conference with gusto.
Here's a brief overview of key panel discussions and presentations scheduled for IGDC 2023:
In addition to the core program, the upcoming IGDC 2023 event is set to feature exclusive sessions hosted by conference partners. These sessions include Unreal Developer Day, Xbox Discovery Day, Unity Dev, and Google Dev, offering attendees a unique opportunity to delve deeper into these key aspects of game development.
Further enhancing the event's scope, various Round Tables are scheduled to take place, fostering productive discussions between representatives from the gaming industry, government bodies, academia, and other policymakers. These discussions are orchestrated by prominent industry organisations like Invest India, Start-up India, AIGDF, Primus Partners, MESC, and the Consortium of game developers.
IGDC 2023 will commence with great momentum, as it kicks off with the launch of the 'Lumikai State of India Gaming Report FY23.' Day 1 will also feature a captivating panel discussion titled "Analysing the Excellence: Iconic Games vs Their Overlooked Rivals," which will explore the factors that contribute to the success of certain games and what lessons can be drawn from their less-recognised counterparts.
Day 1 will kick off with a panel discussion titled "What makes some games great? An analysis of iconic games versus their forgotten competition. What lessons can be learned?" featuring Mike Fischer from the University of Southern California, Mark Stanley of Games for Change, and Dave Yonamine from MobilityWare. Following this, Vivek Ramachandran of Matrix Partners will provide insights on "Building a VC-Backable Gaming Business from India," followed by additional panel discussions on "Building from India to the World" and "The India Gaming Market Status Quo."
Day 2 will commence with Amit Khanduja from Reliance Games discussing "Playing for the Planet: How Video Games Can Deliver for People and The Environment." This will be followed by the first panel discussion of the day, "Predictions 2024," featuring Sean (Hyunil) Sohn from Krafton India, Kadri Harma of Sisu Ventures, Jeff Strain from Prytania Media/Dawon Games, Justin Swart from Bitkraft Ventures, and Saumya Singh Rathore from Winzo. Abhishek Malpani from Funcel will then share insights on "Making a Hit Game in These Uncertain Times," followed by a panel discussion on "Player Compensation: A Market Correction?" led by Manoj Kasyap from VLT Esports, Akhil Kavuturu of Marcos Gaming, Rohit Jagasia from Revenant Esports, and Parth Chadha from Stan.
On Day 3, a panel discussion titled "India's Obsession with Shooters: What's the Fad About?" will feature Mayur Bhimjiyani from Hypernova Interactive, Jwalant Gangwar of Super Gaming, Shantanu Tonpe from Uniplay Digital, and Ojas Vipat of Mayhem Studios. Following this, there will be a brief presentation on "Is AI Going to Take Your Jobs?" by Taewon Yun from Super Evil Megacorp and Mark Stanley from Games for Change. The final panel discussion will focus on the "Rise of Grassroot Esports in India," with insights from Kunwarbir Singh of Lenovo India, Biren Sharma, an Esports Caster, and Aviroop Mandal from Futuresmith.