Kolkata fast catching up to be a key contributor to $9.1 bn online gaming market in India by 2030

Kolkata is fast catching up with its counterparts from other parts of the country, in the fast-growing online gaming sector, which, in India, is expected to grow more than two-fold, reaching Rs. 78,551 crore ($9.1 billion) by 2029, up from Rs 31,938 crore ($3.7 billion) in 2024 (according to a joint report by WinZO Games and the Interactive Entertainment and Innovation Council (IEIC).

- RITWIK MUKHERJEE

Consider this. Advaita Interactive, founded by Judhajit Sarkar and based in Kolkata, is developing Inspectorium, a hidden object detective game set in a steampunk-inspired version of Victorian-era Calcutta. With episodic cases, real-time AI-powered interrogations, and immersive puzzle-solving, the game is set to release across mobile, PC, and VR platforms between 2025 and 2026.

It is one of the first few cohorts of the KRAFTON India Gaming Incubator (KIGI) that is already making waves in the Indian gaming landscape. Interestingly, KIGI supports emerging game development talent in India through mentorship programs spanning six months to a year and financial assistance of up to $150,000, empowering studios to create best-in-class games and drive industry innovation.

KRAFTON India, an arm of the South Korea-headquartered KRAFTON Inc, a leader in discovering and publishing captivating games that offer fun and unique experiences, will now be incubating Advaita Interactive, with five others.

KRAFTON India is actually strengthening its commitment to shaping the future of India's gaming industry by welcoming six start-ups into the second cohort of the KRAFTON India Gaming Incubator (KIGI).