- The 16th Edition of IGDC is set to take place at HICC, Hyderabad from November 13-15, 2024
Monday, September 02, 2024: The India Game Developer Conference (IGDC) is set to return for its 16th annual edition, promising to be bigger, grander, and more action-packed than ever before. As South Asia’s largest and oldest gaming conference, IGDC will take place at HICC, Hyderabad, from November 13 to 15, 2024, drawing in over 5,000 attendees and featuring more than 250 speakers.
The conference will dive deep into all aspects of gaming, offering over 150 sessions led by industry experts. Among the confirmed marquee speakers is Jordan Weisman, the visionary behind iconic franchises like BattleTech, MechWarrior, and Shadowrun. Joining him are other industry luminaries such as Tim Morten, the creative force behind StarCraft II and Stormgate, Bryce Johnson, the co-inventor of the Xbox Adaptive Controller, and Jaeho Hwang, the mastermind behind the 2023 hit Dave the Diver and Evil Factory. These distinguished speakers will be joined by representatives from major gaming companies and investment funds, making IGDC 2024 a must-attend event.
This year’s IGDC will showcase an expansive expo area with over 100 booths. The conference will also feature the highly anticipated IGDC Awards Night, the Indie Initiative, Policy Round Tables, Workshops, and much more.
One of the conference’s standout features is the exclusive ‘Investor-Publisher Connect’ session, an invite-only platform that could attract over 100 investors and publishers this year. The session provides a unique opportunity for studios and developers seeking investment or publishing deals to connect with potential partners. Last year, this platform facilitated over 1,800 curated meetings with more than 70 investors and publishers.
As India’s largest game development expo, the IGDC exhibition space will host Indie Developers, board games, booths for gaming and allied companies, as well as sponsor booths, country pavilions, tables for award nominees, and finalists of the Build Your Own Game (BYOG) competition. The Indie Zone will spotlight 40 Indie developers, with 20 receiving free tables courtesy of Microsoft Xbox. This is a golden opportunity for Indies to showcase their games, access mentorship, and pitch to investors and publishers.
The IGDC Awards will reach new heights this year with the introduction of the ‘International Game Award.’ With ten award categories and two special jury awards, the competition will be fierce. Entries must be submitted by September 10, 2024, with nominees to be announced on October 28, 2024. The grand awards ceremony will take place on November 14, 2024, in Hyderabad.
IGDC has also launched the Young Indie Scholarship Program to support unemployed game or vertical slice creators. The program aims to support at least 100 young developers annually, starting with a batch of 25 this year. Selected applicants will receive an IGDC ticket, accommodation, travel expenses, and mentorship, and will be required to volunteer for a day at IGDC 2024.
This initiative aligns with India’s emergence as the world’s largest gaming market, with an estimated 568 million gamers. A recent report highlights that gaming app downloads in India have reached a staggering 9.5 billion, accounting for about 20% of the global total.
Mr. Sridhar Muppidi, President of GDAI, stated, “With over 442 million gamers and an industry growing at a remarkable 30% annually, India’s vibrant youth, widespread smartphone adoption, and a thriving digital ecosystem have propelled it into one of the world’s fastest-emerging gaming markets. The IGDC serves as the ideal platform for this dynamic ecosystem, where industry leaders, developers, and innovators can come together to collaborate, share insights, and shape the future of gaming in India and beyond.”
Unlike the United States and China, India’s gaming market is predominantly driven by smartphones, contributing nearly 90% of the total market, compared to just 37% in the US. “The shift to multiplayer gaming within India, alongside the growing demand for content in vernacular languages and Indian themes, has further fueled this trend,” added Mr. Sridhar.
Internet penetration in rural areas and the increasing number of enabling apps are further accelerating this growth, making localization ever more crucial.
To purchase tickets and register, please visit IGDC Registration.
Industry Support:
The IGDC is backed by a host of industry sponsors and partners. Epic Games – Unreal Engine serves as the powered-by sponsor, Nazara is the platinum sponsor, Krafton is the diamond sponsor, AWS is the gold sponsor, Xsolla is the silver sponsor, and Xbox is the Indie sponsor. Lakshya Digital is the diversity and inclusion partner, and Winzo is the bronze sponsor.
Additionally, various international organizations have partnered with GDAI & IGDC, including the International Game Developer Association, European Game Developer Federation, Dutch Games Association, Devcom Conference, Tokyo Games Show, GamesIndustry.biz, and others like Prinknest, Student Tribe, and Design Championship by ICT 360.
