I was very excited to attend IGDC, having heard so much about it from my colleagues at Second Quest—and it absolutely lived up to the hype. For me, IGDC 2024 felt like a front-row seat to the incredible evolution of India’s game dev scene and a reminder of just how powerful community and collaboration can be.
For Second Quest, it was a special homecoming. Our co-founder Kinshuk and Chief Creative Officer Yadu have been closely associated with IGDC since its early days as the Nasscom Gaming Forum. The Build Your Own Game (BYOG) jam, which they started through GameDev India in 2011, continues to thrive, and watching the BYOG awards unfold this year was a proud moment for all of us. It felt like a full-circle moment—celebrating creativity, mentoring talent, and paving the way for the future.
Day 1: Pushing the DEI Agenda Forward
Diversity and inclusion are conversations I’ve championed in media, and seeing Yadu lead a panel on DEI in Indian Game Development was particularly meaningful. The discussion, featuring stalwarts like Kumar Chandrasekaran, Lavanya Lakshminarayan, Ranjith Radhakrishnan and Vipasha Joshi, addressed where we stand as an industry and how much further we have to go. The candour of the panelists reminded me of the conversations I’ve had about representation in media—it’s not just a checkbox; it’s foundational to building a better industry.
Day 2: Hard Truths, Big Lessons
One of the most anticipated panels, “The Lies We Tell Ourselves,” struck a chord with everyone in the room. Kinshuk, alongside Joseph Kim, Bhavna Padmanabhan, and Sumit Mehra, dove deep into the uncomfortable truths holding the Indian gaming industry back. The key takeaways were simple yet profound: mediocrity cannot be an option, passion alone isn’t enough, and joy must always remain at the heart of what we create.
As someone new to this space, it was fascinating—and a little humbling—to see the parallels between the media and gaming industries. Both are driven by storytelling, but gaming demands an even deeper connection with the audience, where players are co-creators of their own experiences.
The day ended with the BYOG Awards, where this year’s jury members, Chirag Morab and Marco Pisanu handed out trophies to the winners. Seeing young creators celebrated on such a platform reaffirmed the potential of India’s gaming ecosystem.
Day 3: Building Relationships, Securing the Future
Fundraising has always intrigued me, whether it’s pitching a new campaign in media or seeking investors for a game studio. Kinshuk’s panel on Investor-Publisher Connect reinforced something I’ve believed for years—relationships are the cornerstone of any successful pitch. The insights shared by the panelists weren’t just theoretical; they were practical, actionable, and deeply relevant for a studio like ours navigating its early years.
While Kinshuk discussed the business side, Vivek held a Global Game Jam India roundtable, reflecting on the past and preparing for the future. His passion for nurturing talent and fostering collaboration is something I deeply admire.
What IGDC Meant to Me
For me, IGDC was a masterclass in how industries evolve when people come together with purpose. From DEI conversations to hard-hitting industry critiques, from BYOG celebrations to forging new partnerships, every moment was a learning opportunity. Meeting investors, publishers, and game developers who understand the challenges and opportunities of building a PC-first game in a mobile-first country like India was energizing.
But most importantly, it was inspiring to see how the Indian games community is shaping itself—not just to compete on a global scale but to redefine it. As someone who’s spent years building narratives in media, I can’t wait to see how Second Quest continues to write its story in this incredible industry.
Here’s to what lies ahead. IGDC 2025, we’ll be back—not just with ideas, but with a game we can’t wait to share.
Leave a Reply