First ever Gaming India Pavilion at GDC unveiled by Consulate General of India, and US-India Strategic Partnership Forum CEO jointly

New Delhi, 21st March 2024: Officials from the Consulate of India to San Francisco, including Dr. K. Srikar Reddy, the Consul General and Mr. Rakesh Adlakha, the Deputy Consul General of India in San Francisco along with the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) President and CEO Dr. Mukesh Aghi, unveiled the first ever India Pavilion at the Game Developer Conference today. The pavilion is set up by WinZO, India’s biggest gaming platform, in partnership with India Game Developer Conference (IGDC) and gaming and sports media platform Nazara. The India Pavilion serves as a vibrant hub for showcasing India’s prowess in the gaming ecosystem and saw a diverse array of game tech, from gaming giants of India like WinZO to indie game development studios. The Pavillion showcased a wide array of games  inspired by Indian culture, stories, and epics such as Ramayana, Mahabharata, Bollywood-based action-adventure games, a temple construction simulation, a virtual reality cricket experience, to name a few. These games were the winners of WinZO’s flagship 'Bharat Tech Triumph' initiative, aimed at promoting the export of Indian-made technology worldwide. 

The grand event also saw the release of the "India Gaming Opportunity: Robust Fundamentals To Power Continued Growth" report, co-authored by the India-based body Interactive Entertainment and Innovation Council (IEIC) and WinZO. The comprehensive report, launched at the prestigious Game Developer Conference, highlights the Indian gaming industry’s remarkable growth trajectory, underscored by a robust influx of $2.8 billion from investors since 2017, signaling strong confidence in the sector’s dynamic future. Prominent contributors to this investment surge include names of global repute such as Tiger Global Management, Texas Pacific Group (TPG), Peak XV Partners (formerly Sequoia), Technology Crossover Ventures (TCV), Accel Partners, and Light Speed Ventures

“We are witnessing a seismic shift in the global landscape. India’s participation in the GDC is a testament to how far the country’s technology & innovation ecosystem has come. From Honorable Prime Minister’s clarion call in 2015 for India to be a startup Nation to today, in 2024, India ranks number three globally for total startup output.” remarked Paavan Nanda, co-founder of WinZO. “ A global exposure is what we aspired for to build world class products that are made in India for the world. We are fortunate to create the opportunity for our peers through this initiative. ”

WinZO, a series-C funded venture, has raised $100 million from Marquee gaming and entertainment investors such as Griffin Gaming partners, Courtside ventures, Maker’s fund, all of whom made their first investment in the Indian start-up ecosystem through WinZO.

“The inauguration of India Pavilion here today marks a significant milestone in the Indo-US relationship. The online gaming sector in India is burgeoning and initiatives such as these would go a long way fostering collaboration between the two nations including investment, innovation and content. We envision a future where our combined creativity fuels the next wave of gaming excellence and cultural exchange," said Aghi. 

“Each participant present at the India Pavilion today serves as a digital ambassador, showcasing not only their individual work but also representing India on the global stage. It's gratifying to witness companies like WinZO actively supporting and collaborating with game developers, enabling them to export their content and gain global recognition," said Dr Reddy. 

From a global perspective, India stands out as the largest gaming market, boasting an impressive user base of 568 million and 9.5 billion gaming app downloads in 2023. This dominance is demonstrated  by India contributing approximately 20% of the world’s total mobile game downloads, surpassing even the combined downloads of the next two largest markets – the US and Brazil. The IEIC and WinZO report projects market expansion of India’s online skill gaming from US$3.1 billion in 2023 to US$6 billion by 2028. The report also highlights that early investments by international studios are translating into talent proliferation now. India boasts over 1,168 universities and 45,473 colleges, ensuring the continued fulfillment of human resource needs across various industries, including online gaming. Indian gaming professionals have garnered global acclaim for their exceptional technical expertise, contributing significantly to the success of gaming platforms and companies in India. However, the recent GST increase is expected to slow down job creation potential in the online gaming industry, although India’s strong talent pool and thriving ecosystem position the country as a global gaming powerhouse. 

The number of Indian gaming companies has surged from 25 in 2015 to over 1400 in 2023, highlighting the sector’s robust growth fundamentals. The Indian Gaming Market is set to witness as many as 10 Unicorns and 5 Decacorns by 2028. Despite recent tax policy changes and an anticipated slowdown in user base monetization, investors continue to scout investment opportunities and shape the online gaming space in India through early-stage investments as many online gaming companies build for global audiences. The monetization models in the gaming market of India are very different from other markets; yet, the international investors are optimistic about the future prospects of the Indian gaming industry on the back of innovative monetization models, such as microtransactions (or sachet-like pricing as low as INR 1 per game) facilitated by the United Payment Interface (UPI). The global gaming industry is on track to surpass US$300 billion by 2026. 

With its unparalleled growth trajectory, diverse talent pool, and visionary leadership, India is poised to redefine the future of interactive entertainment on the global stage. The India Gaming Report 2024 highlighted the innovation, creativity, and excellence in gaming, positioning India as a global leader poised to generate high-quality jobs and propel economic growth in the coming years. India is transitioning from being a net importer of gaming titles to becoming an exporter of Indian culture, heritage, content and IP.

About WinZO

WinZO is the largest interactive entertainment platform in India. Launched in early 2018, the Company partners with third-party developers to host games on their Android app, where users can enjoy personalized multiplayer gameplay experiences. The platform is available in 12 languages such as English, Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi, Bengali, and Bhojpuri, with over 175 million registered users in India and Brazil. The WinZO platform facilitates over 4 billion micro-transactions per month across a portfolio of 100+ games. WinZO is focused on building an enthusiastic community of gamers and gaming influencers in Tier 2 – 5 cities in India. The Company envisions a future where the WinZO platform can deliver a culturally relevant and enjoyable experience in the Indian gaming ecosystem, monetized through a unique micro-transaction model.​​