Chennai: The India Game Awards 2026, presented by the Game Developer Association of India (GDAI), recognised achievements across India’s gaming industry as the 18th edition of the India Game Developer Conference (IGDC) 2026 concluded in Chennai.
The four-day conference, held from October 28 to 31 at the Chennai Trade Centre, attracted more than 20,000 delegates from India and overseas, alongside over 3,000 investor-publisher interactions.
Run by GDAI, the India Game Awards 2026 spotlighted the studios, independent developers and individuals shaping India’s game development industry.
An international and national jury, comprising members from across the industry, evaluated the nominations. The awards recognised achievements across 14 categories covering games, studios and industry talent.
The awards celebrated Indian developers working across PC, console, mobile, indie, web and board games. They also featured emerging categories for serious and applied games and upcoming gaming creators.
Industry veterans and contributors were recognised through the Hall of Fame and Outstanding Women in Games honours, reflecting the diversity of talent and experience contributing to India’s gaming ecosystem.
India Game Awards 2026 Winners
- Dodo Duckie (Studio: BornMonkie): Best Game Direction, Indie Game of the Year
- Fishbowl (Studio: imissmyfriends.studio): Best Art Direction
- Winds of Arcana: Ruination (Studio: Brewed Games): PC/Console Game of the Year
- Bible Merge: Holy Puzzle Game (Studio: TheAppGuruz): Mobile Game of the Year
- HellGear (Studio: HyperSkeletons): The Rahul Sehgal Award for Student Game of the Year
- Constella (Studio: suhas dhanrale): Web Game of the Year
- Jatra (Studio: Fuchsia Experiments LLP): Serious / Applied Game of the Year
- Rotted – A Brain Rot Simulator (Studio: Sector Four Interactive Private Limited): Upcoming PC/Console Game of the Year (New)
- Ludaro (Studio: Evolx games): Upcoming Mobile Game of the Year (New)
- Don’t get Attracted (Studio: Muffin studios): Spotlight Award
(Source: India Game Awards 2026)
IGDC 2026 Draws Over 20,000 Participants
The India Game Awards 2026 were among the key highlights of IGDC 2026, which reinforced its position as a platform connecting India’s game development ecosystem with global opportunities.
Organised by the Game Developer Association of India (GDAI), the country’s apex industry body for the gaming ecosystem, the 18th edition of IGDC brought together independent developers, established studios, global publishers, investors, government institutions, educators and emerging talent.
The conference recorded participation from more than 20,000 delegates, including key stakeholders from the international gaming ecosystem.
Through government-industry collaboration and the showcase of emerging Indian gaming talent, IGDC 2026 focused on strengthening connections between Indian developers and global opportunities.
The debut of IGDC Playground was particularly well received. It extended the conference experience to players and creators, bringing Indian-developed games closer to wider audiences.
During the final two days, IGDC Playground opened its doors to players and creators, allowing audiences to discover games developed by Indian studios and interact directly with their creators.
GameDev Outlook 2026 Report Highlights Industry Challenges
A key highlight of IGDC 2026 was the launch of GameDev Outlook 2026, GDAI’s annual report examining the opportunities and structural challenges facing India’s game development industry.
Developed in partnership with PhonePe Appstore and The Dialogue, the report draws on inputs from 104 industry respondents and 13 academic institutions.
The report examined structural challenges confronting Indian game developers and identified priorities for building globally competitive studios. It also highlighted the importance of strengthening the domestic game development ecosystem and creating opportunities for Indian studios to compete internationally.
Over 3,000 Investor-Publisher Meetings at IGDC 2026
IGDC 2026 brought together stakeholders from across the gaming value chain, providing opportunities for developers to showcase their work and establish business connections.
The conference spotlighted 60 independent developers and studios, offering them a platform to present original games and connect with potential business partners.
The Investor-Publisher Connect initiative brought together more than 42 organisations, including international publishers and gaming companies. The initiative resulted in over 3,000 meetings, alongside participation from investors exploring opportunities in India’s gaming sector.
The programme also included discussions and initiatives focused on women in gaming, talent development and industry collaboration.
Alongside the India Game Awards 2026, the conference’s indie showcase and investor-publisher meetings provided opportunities for emerging developers and established studios to engage with the wider gaming industry.
Tamil Nadu Highlights ₹50 Crore Startup Support for Gaming and AI
The conference also provided a platform for policy discussions on the contribution of gaming and allied creative technology sectors to India’s economic development.
Addressing the gathering, R. Kumar, Tamil Nadu’s Minister for Artificial Intelligence, highlighted the state’s ambition to strengthen its animation, visual effects, gaming and comics (AVGC) ecosystem and attract international gaming studios and AI companies.
He noted that Tamil Nadu had set aside ₹50 crore for startups in the current financial year. He also emphasised the importance of developing homegrown intellectual property, exporting technology and extending opportunities beyond Chennai to cities such as Coimbatore and Madurai.
The minister highlighted the potential of AI engineering, game development, virtual production and cybersecurity to generate new employment opportunities.
He also underscored the need for skills development, investment and responsible technology adoption to strengthen the state’s creative technology ecosystem.
Supernova Demo Day Showcases Emerging Gaming Developers
Another key initiative at IGDC 2026 was Supernova Demo Day, which spotlighted emerging gaming talent and provided developers with an opportunity to present their games to the wider industry.
The initiative enabled developers to showcase their work and engage with industry stakeholders.
Alongside the independent developer showcase and investor-publisher meetings, Supernova Demo Day reinforced the importance of creating pathways for emerging studios to progress from early-stage development towards commercialisation.
GDAI Focuses on Building Globally Competitive Indian Game Studios
Commenting on the conclusion of IGDC 2026, Sridhar Muppidi, Chairperson, Game Developer Association of India (GDAI), said, “Going forward, our focus at GDAI will be on strengthening talent through industry-relevant skilling, mentorship, access to industry networks, and stronger government support. We strive to create the right conditions for Indian developers to turn their creative talent into globally competitive studios and original IP. The momentum from IGDC 2026 is an important step towards that vision.”
