Chennai, October 22, 2026: The Game Developer Association of India (GDAI) will host the 18th edition of the India Game Developer Conference (IGDC) from October 28 to 31 at the Chennai Trade Centre, with more than 10,000 attendees and over 90 speakers expected, the organisers said.
The four-day event, powered by Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu Ltd (ELCOT) in partnership with Nazara Technologies, KRAFTON India and Tencent, will focus on supporting indie game development and convening stakeholders from across the gaming ecosystem, including developers, publishers, investors and educators.
Focus on indie developers and business connections
The 2026 IGDC will feature a showcase of 60 indie developers and studios, alongside initiatives such as Investor–Publisher (IP) Connect, which will see participation from 32 organisations including global publishers Devolver Digital, Headup, Voodoo, Miniclip and KRAFTON, as well as Indian companies Nazara Technologies and Felicity Games. Investors such as Makers Fund, Lumikai, Elevation and Prime Venture Partners are also slated to take part, with IP Connect meetings facilitating business matchmaking between studios, publishers and investors.
The first two days will highlight global voices in technology, design, investing, publishing and education, while the final two days—IGDC Playground—will open the event to the public, allowing players and creators to try original games from Indian studios and interact with the development teams.
Sector growth and government support
India’s gaming sector is projected to reach $2.4 billion in revenue by 2029, with a gamer community exceeding 550 million, according to GDAI. The association said the conference aims to help independent developers transition from game creation to building sustainable, globally competitive businesses.
Commenting on the event, Sridhar Muppidi, Chairperson of GDAI, said the association has worked to create business opportunities for studios, train new developers and collaborate with the government on supportive policies. “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,” Muppidi said.
Chennai hosts for second year running
The return to Chennai follows the 2025 edition, during which the Tamil Nadu government signed memoranda of understanding with Nazara Technologies, Lakshya Digital and Reliance Games to support long-term game development in the state.
Thiru B Vishnu Chandran, IAS, Managing Director of 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 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.”
About GDAI
The Game Developer Association of India is a non-profit industry body uniting game developers nationwide, supporting over 5,000 game start-ups and impacting more than 25,000 students in pursuing careers in gaming.
Disclaimer: This article is based on a press release provided by the concerned organisation and has been edited for style and clarity with the assistance of AI tools. BusinessFortnight does not verify, endorse, or take responsibility for the claims, figures, or statements made in the original release.
