Gaming
India’s gaming industry gets its own showcase
MUMBAI: India’s gaming sector is finally getting the spotlight it craves. On 29-30 November, Mumbai will host GamingCon Bharat 2025, the country’s largest gaming festival and industry conference. The Indian Game Publishers and Developers Association (IGPDA), which represents the country’s only video-games-focused industry body, expects over 10,000 gamers, developers, publishers, investors and policymakers to descend on the Nesco Bombay Exhibition Centre.
The event marks a coming-of-age moment for an industry that has long operated in the shadow of its western counterparts. GamingCon Bharat splits into two distinct experiences: a consumer festival showcasing Indian-made titles like Mukti, Age of Bhaarat and Ludo King, alongside esports tournaments featuring FAU-G: Domination and Indus Battle Royale; and the IGPDA India Gaming Conference, a business summit tackling AI, cloud gaming and policy frameworks.
That last bit matters. Following India’s Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, senior government officials and politicians will engage directly with industry leaders. The timing is deliberate. India’s gaming market is booming, but lacks the infrastructure and policy support that turned Montreal and Poland into gaming powerhouses with franchises like Assassin’s Creed and The Witcher.
Industry heavyweights are bullish. Nazara Technologies chief executive and founding member of IGPDA Nitesh Mittersain calls it “the launchpad for India’s next-gaming success stories.” Ncore Game founder Vishal Gondal says it’s “where India’s gaming future begins.” Gametion founder & chief executive Vikash Jaiswal puts it bluntly: “The world has Gamescom, we have GamingCon.”
The festival will feature 100-plus exhibitors across eight fan zones and stages, a cosplay competition, and a developer showcase spotlighting homegrown intellectual property. For an industry desperate to prove it can create culturally relevant games with global appeal, GamingCon Bharat represents both challenge and opportunity. Whether India can translate this ambition into the next breakout hit remains to be seen. But at least now it has a stage to try.
Gaming
Konami concludes successful eFootball India campaign
Campaign featuring Rinku Singh, Varun Chakravarthy and other stars boosts engagement ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026.
MUMBAI: When cricket meets football in the virtual world, even the biggest fans can’t help but score and Konami’s latest eFootball campaign in India has clearly hit the back of the net. Konami Digital Entertainment has successfully wrapped up its India campaign for eFootball, which brought together cricketers Rinku Singh and Varun Chakravarthy, actors Naslen Gafoor and Chandu Salim Kumar, and footballers Sahal Abdul Samad and Shubhasish Bose. The multi-star campaign generated strong excitement across gaming, football, and creator communities through social content, fan participation, and in-game engagement.
Building on the initial launch that featured a limited-time Lionel Messi card, the campaign united fan communities, lifestyle creators, football creators, and competitive eFootball influencers. It significantly expanded the game’s visibility and deepened engagement with fans across the country.
The campaign also saw thousands of entries submitted as part of its social media engagement challenge, reflecting high levels of community enthusiasm and active creator involvement.
Looking ahead, Konami plans to build on this momentum with more eFootball experiences for Indian fans as the FIFA World Cup 2026 approaches. With global attention on the tournament set to rise, India will remain a key market for deepening community engagement and bringing fans closer to the action.
In a country that lives and breathes sport, Konami has shown that mixing real-world stars with virtual thrills is a winning formula leaving fans eagerly waiting for the next goal.
