As border tensions continue to escalate between India and China, the Indian government in a swift move has banned PUBG Mobile and 117 other Chinese apps. This is just the push that the Indian Video Games industry needed to fast track its growth.
First things first, India’s ban on PUBG shouldn’t be portrayed as a fact that Prime Minister Modi is against online games. The ban was clearly taken with China in mind. That said, this is the golden opportunity for the Indian Video Gaming industry to cash in on the ban.
The Prime Minister last month, had stated that India should lead the digital gaming sector through developing games inspired by its culture and folk tales as he stressed for focus on technology and innovation.
E-sports has become a huge industry in the world and as news trickled in of the Indian government banning PUBG, avid gamers are increasingly on the lookout for Indian alternatives for PUBG. Since 2014, the Indian Gaming industry has attracted around $350 million in investments from venture capital firms with a CAGR of 22 per cent according to a recent report.
The report added that the Indian gaming industry is currently valued at $930 million and is expected to grow at 41 per cent annually. The report further added that by 2024, the gaming industry in India is set to be valued at $3,750 million.
At present, there are over 400 gaming startups in India but somehow India is yet to develop AAA quality games which is down to the risk factor, as the AAA quality games like GTA or Call of Duty require a lot of investment and time. E-sports has witnessed tremendous user growth but are yet to crack the code of profitability.
Over the years, games like The Witcher and God of War have gone on to become extremely popular with Netflix releasing a web series based on The Witcher starring Henry Cavill which broke quite a few viewing records on the platform.
India has a rich set of culture and folk tales with the storyline more than capable of challenging the likes of The Witcher and God of War. With the right mix of time and investment, along with the support of the Indian audience, the Indian Video Gaming industry can finally achieve its potential.