Indian gaming industry is bound to grow in two-digit in 2010. All the three

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divisions including PC and online gaming, mobile gaming and console gaming are expected to see a robust growth at a CAGR (compounded annual growth rate) of 30-50 per cent and experts feel there remains huge opportunity for those who wish to earn their living through this means. However, there remain certain hurdles, which need to be demolished as early as possible, experts said.

Being a potential outsourcing market on the back of cost advantage, the Indian markets are now being preferred for game development projects. More and more global game developers are now taking help from Indian game makers for completion of international projects.

Anuj Kacker, vice-president at Aptech and global head at Arena Animation said, “Gaming industry holds immense opportunities for those looking to make a career. As global players are seeking cost advantage in India, the industry could be next outsourcing avenue similar to our IT industry.”

According to a report by KPMG, the console gaming is expected become a Rs 940 crore turnover segment by 2013 on the back of favourable demographics, rising urban disposable incomes and new generation consoles penetrating the Indian markets.

The PC and online industry is expected to clock a CAGR over 36 per cent between 2009-13. The primary growth drivers for PC games in India are the growing broadband subscriber base, multifunctional nature of PCs and availability and price points of PC game titles. With expected 815 million subscribers by 2013 and recently launched 3G services, mobile segment may lead all the segments by growing at a CAGR of 57 per cent during the same period. Overall, the industry is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 33 per cent by 2013.

“Gaming industry in India seems to have a bright future in 2010 due to building up of wide broadband networks. The recent introduction of 3G and DTH services coupled with new innovations such as motion gaming is all set to boost online and mobile segments. The new year will see introduction of many new launches in online segment. We think, there is a huge scope for those who wish to work for gaming industry,” said Vishal Gondhal, founder and CEO of India games that will launch Cricket T20 Fever.

K Rajesh Rao, CEO of Dhruva Interactive says due to lack of industry status, difficulties in getting loans, higher study cost and fewer professional gaming institutes, the game developer thinks that there is still a long way to go.

“Due to recession, the global game developers, to tame their rising cost, started search for game talent across the world. India has been benefited the most. At present, Dhruva has as much as 20 foreign clients. However, looking at the gaming sector as a whole, we think we still lack talent. India doesn’t have enough professional gaming institutes. Moreover, even today’s youth don’t see gaming as a future. We find it hard to find the talent and the cost weigh heavy to train freshers,” he said.

Talking about the challenges ahead, he said “Gaming in India is still not considered an industry. Indian gamer base as a percentage of total population is very low, which is preventing big global players to try out their luck in Indian market.”

Druva Interactive is among the few and early game developers in India, who have worked for some famous game projects such as Need for Speed: Undercover, Forza Motorsport 3, Mission Impossible and Terminator 3 any many more.

Kacker acknowledges Rao’s concerns and feels that the education sector is gearing up to overcome the talent hurdles.

“We understand the concerns of the gaming industry. Game developers spend huge amount to train freshers because we don’t have good professional courses in India. But now, there are many institutes which are coming up with the desired courses. Arena Animation, being one of the major animation schools, has recently come up with diploma course on gaming,” he said.

Kacker said whether it is online gaming, mobile gaming or console gaming, all the different sub-sectors are bound to grow at a whopping 30-50 per cent growth. He thinks there is no scarcity of technical knowledge.

What needed is commence of positive cycle, which has started with Indian developers fetching big orders from the global game makers.