Bengaluru: The India Game Developer Conference 2026 (IGDC 2026), organised by the Game Developer Association of India (GDAI), India’s apex industry body for game development, will return for its 18th edition from October 28 to 31 at the Chennai Trade Centre.
Powered by ELCOT in partnership with Nazara Technologies, KRAFTON India and Tencent, the four-day India Game Developer Conference 2026 will focus on championing indie game development and bringing together developers, publishers, investors and other stakeholders from across the gaming ecosystem.
The India Game Developer Conference 2026 will bring together leading figures from the global and Indian gaming economy, highlighting India’s emergence as a billion-dollar gaming powerhouse.
Across its 17 previous editions, IGDC has served as an epicentre for India’s game development ecosystem, connecting creators, studios, investors and publishers.
The 18th edition of the India Game Developer Conference 2026 is expected to attract more than 10,000 attendees and over 90 speakers. The conference will also feature an expo showcasing global and indie innovators from the gaming industry.
With India’s gaming sector projected to reach $2.4 billion in revenue by 2029 and the country’s gamer community exceeding 550 million, the India Game Developer Conference 2026 will build on GDAI’s mission to expand innovation, access and opportunity across the country.
At the core of the India Game Developer Conference 2026 is a focus on giving independent developers the ecosystem and connections needed to move from making games to building sustainable, globally ambitious businesses.
What to Expect at India Game Developer Conference 2026
The first two days of the India Game Developer Conference 2026 will feature a line-up of global voices from the video gaming world, including experts in technology, design, investing, publishing and education.
The 18th edition of IGDC will spotlight 60 exceptional indie developers and studios while also celebrating women shaping the future of games.
The India Game Developer Conference 2026 will feature a range of initiatives aimed at supporting indie game developers and fostering industry connections.
One of the key initiatives will be Investor–Publisher (IP) Connect, which will feature 32 participating organisations, with more expected to join.
The participating organisations include global publishers Devolver Digital, Headup, Voodoo, Miniclip and KRAFTON, along with Indian gaming companies Nazara Technologies and Felicity Games.
Investors participating in IP Connect include Makers Fund, Lumikai, Elevation and Prime Venture Partners.
The India Game Developer Conference 2026 will use these IP Connect meetings to facilitate business matchmaking between studios, publishers and investors.
For the final two days, IGDC Playground will open the event to players and creators. Visitors will be able to try original games from Indian studios and meet the teams behind them.
Commenting on the announcement, Sridhar Muppidi, Chairperson, Game Developers Association of India (GDAI) said, “GDAI has worked to turn individual talent into a national industry, opening business opportunities for studios, training the next generation of developers and working with the government on policies that support game development.
IGDC is where that work comes together, the platform where developers, publishers, investors and technology partners have met across 18 editions to build the industry.
This year, with 60 indie studios on the showcase and two days open to the public, we are taking Indian games to a much wider audience.”
The return of the India Game Developer Conference 2026 to Chennai follows the 2025 edition, during which the Tamil Nadu government signed memoranda of understanding with Nazara Technologies, Lakshya Digital and Reliance Games.
The agreements signalled long-term commitments to game development in the state.
Thiru B Vishnu Chandran, IAS, Managing Director, Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu Ltd (ELCOT) said, “We are happy to welcome IGDC back to Chennai for the second consecutive year.
The animation, visual effects, gaming and comics sector is central to Tamil Nadu’s vision for the creative economy. We are committed to nurturing local talent, encouraging innovation and helping businesses grow.
We invite Indian and global companies to invest, collaborate and build from Tamil Nadu, and IGDC is the ideal platform to showcase the State’s potential as a gaming hub”
Registrations and programme details for the India Game Developer Conference 2026 are available here.
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