- State governments of Tamil Nadu and Telangana actively engaged with GDAI members and MIB officials.
- Several MoUs were signed between GDAI and state governments.
- Incubator White Paper prepared by GDAI was released.
Following an interesting Day 1, the India Game Developer Conference (IGDC) 2024 Day 2 at the Hyderabad International Convention Centre focused on collaborative efforts between state and central governments to advance India’s video gaming and interactive entertainment sector globally alongside round table discussions, signing of MoUs, panel discussions and more.
India Game Developer Conference (IGDC) 2024 Day 2 Highlights
Key dignitaries, including Mr. D. Sridhar Babu, Telangana IT Minister, and Dr. Palanivel Thiagarajan, Tamil Nadu IT Minister, touched on the importance of the strategic role of state and central cooperation in building up talent, infrastructure, and innovation.
Policy Roundtable Discussions
Day two featured policy roundtables with GDAI board members, gaming industry leaders, and policymakers, including representatives from gaming companies such as Nazara Technologies, Playsimple, SuperGaming, Nodwin Gaming, Mayhem, Lakshya Digital, EA, Winzo, YesGnome, 99 games, and Leela Games. The discussions centered on initiatives to support the Indian video gaming industry’s growth.
Special Secretary of MIB, Smt. Neerja Sekhar voiced enthusiasm for establishing a premier game development school and gaming courses in leading tech, design, and arts colleges. The industry will prepare a detailed project report for the central government, focusing on building skilled talent in game design and development to create world-class creators.
Regional Centers of Excellence (CoE) proposal
The state governments of Tamil Nadu and Telangana actively engaged with GDAI members and MIB officials, proposing the establishment of regional Centers of Excellence (CoEs) for the Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, and Comics (AVGC) sector. These CoEs aim to serve as hubs for research, development, and training in game design and interactive media.
MoUs and Incubator White Paper Launch
Several MoUs (Memorandum of Understanding) were signed between GDAI and state governments, including Rajasthan and Sikkim.
Additionally, Tamil Nadu IT Minister Dr. Palanivel Thiagarajan and Special Secretary of MIB, Neerja Sekhar, released the Incubator White Paper prepared by GDAI. This white paper provides a framework for setting up incubators across India to support IP development and early-stage gaming startups.
Key Panel Discussions on Day Two
- Unlocking the Future: The Government’s Role in Developing Talent for the Games Industry with Panelists: Laiju IP Nair (Dept. of Higher Education, Govt. of Kerala), Mohit Soni (CEO, MESC), Shrikant Sinha (CEO, TASK).
- Bridging the Gap: Evolving Colleges to Build Game Development Talent with Panelists: Chaitanya Chinchlikar (VP, Whistling Woods International), Derek Ham (Director, Carnegie Mellon ETC), Dr. Padmavati.
- Unlocking Growth: The Science of Analytics and User Acquisition with Panelists: Jasmeet Singh (Nukebox Studios), Pankaj Uniyal (SocialPeta), Priyanka Singh (Digital Turbine), Shreyas Mehta (AppsFlyer).
Read the highlights of last year’s edition of the IGDC:
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