Karnataka Eyes Top Spot as Asia’s Animation and Gaming Powerhouse

During a special address at the second edition of the Indian Gaming Convention (IGC), Shri Priyank Kharge, Karnataka’s Minister of Information Technology and Biotechnology, expressed the state’s ambition to lead the gaming and animation industry. Kharge stated, “Karnataka has all that is needed to ensure that we become the gaming and animation capital of not only this country but also of Asia.”

Shri Priyank Kharge, Minister of Information Technology and Biotechnology for Karnataka, outlined the state’s ambitious plans to lead in this rapidly growing sector. Below are the key highlights.

Karnataka’s Technology Leadership

• Fourth Largest Technology Cluster Globally : Bengaluru and Karnataka are recognized as the fourth largest technology clusters in the world.
• 27 Centers of Excellence : Karnataka operates over 27 centers of excellence, driving innovation and technology.
• New Centre of Excellence for Gaming : A specialized center of excellence dedicated to gaming is in development to foster growth in the sector.
• eSports Olympics : Plans to host India’s first government-sponsored eSports Olympics are underway, reflecting the state’s commitment to innovation and leadership.

Karnataka’s Innovation and Startup Ecosystem

• Gaming Accelerator : By the end of the financial year, Karnataka will launch a gaming accelerator to support startups and innovative ideas.
• AVGC Policy : The recently announced Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, and Comics (AVGC) policy aims to foster more intellectual property (IP) development in Karnataka.
• Support for Startups : Through the Elevate program, Karnataka offers a grant of ₹50 lakh to gaming and animation startups. In 2023, the state funded around 30 AVGC sector startups, with overall funding for 983 startups.

Theme of IGC 2024  

• “India—the Next Superpower in Gaming” emphasizes India’s growth trajectory to becoming a global leader in gaming.

India’s Gaming Market 

• The global AVGC market is valued at $366 billion, with gaming accounting for 54% and animation/visual effects contributing 46%.
• India has the world’s second-largest gaming community with 42.5 crore gamers.
• The online gaming sector grew 28% between 2020-2023, reaching a market size of ₹16,428 crore in 2023. This is expected to double in the next four years.

India’s Gaming Ecosystem and Contributions

• Gaming Startups: India had 1,400 online gaming startups in 2023.
• Gaming Apps: In 2023, 430 crore gaming apps were downloaded in India.
• In-game Purchases: In-game purchases and deposits amounted to ₹8,370 crore through UPI transactions in 2023.

Major Partners of IGC 2024

• Title Partner: Meta
• Gold Partners: Salesforce, Veve
• Silver Partners: Google Cloud, Bureau
• Lanyard Partner: Moloco
• GameTech Enabler: Singhtek
• Knowledge Partner: PwC

IAMAI’s Role in India’s Digital Economy

• The Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) is a not-for-profit industry body with over 580 members, including startups and multinational corporations.
• IAMAI plays a pivotal role in shaping India’s digital economy by advocating for fair competition, progressive laws, and consumer safety.
• The association’s core activities focus on public policy, business-to-business conferences, start-up promotion, and consumer trust.

About IGC

Aim :  Indian Gaming Convention aims to be the most comprehensive conference for India’s online gaming sector.

• The premier conference is tailored for regulators, founders, entrepreneurs, investors, marketers, game developers, service providers, and more. 
• It will feature a diverse program including keynote presentations, fireside chats, panel discussions, Entertainment zones, interactive stalls areas, and networking opportunities.
• By fostering collaboration and dialogue among key players, this conference seeks to redefine the gaming ecosystem of India, providing insights and strategies to propel the industry forward in an increasingly competitive global landscape.