GamingCon Bharat 2025 concluded its second edition in Mumbai with resounding impact, welcoming more than 15,000 visitors across two days and further cementing its position as India’s premier gaming convention. The festival, hosted at Nesco and organised in partnership with the Indian Game Publishers & Developers Association (IGPDA) with the support of the Government of Maharashtra, brought together game creators, publishers, studios, investors, and fans from across the country.
Set against the backdrop of the government’s growing focus on the AVGC sector and India’s evolving digital entertainment policies, the event demonstrated the scale, maturity, and ambition of the Indian gaming industry. The inauguration saw key government figures – Maharashtra CM chief advisor Kaustubh Dhavse, and Industries secretary Dr. P. Anbalagan, IAS – deliver keynote addresses that underlined the state’s commitment to positioning Maharashtra as a global gaming and immersive media hub.
Both leaders emphasised infrastructure development, talent support, and long-term policy frameworks, signalling a future where India is not merely a player, but a contender on the global gaming stage.
A showcase of India’s game development potential
The exhibition featured leading gaming and technology brands alongside some of the most promising homegrown IPs. From hits like Fau-G Domination to global releases like Cricket 26, the show floor mapped the breadth of India’s consumption and creation ecosystem.
The IndieVerse Arena, curated in partnership with GameDev India, spotlighted 13 standout indie games selected from more than 50 submissions. A testament to the rising wave of Indian game creators, the arena gave indie studios exposure to publishers, investors, and thousands of players under one roof. Gamokratic’s Arcade Asylum received the IndieVerse Award, voted by GamingCon Bharat attendees.
Esports and entertainment converge: JioBlast debuts in India
Esports was another major highlight, headlined by the JioBlast All Stars vs India powered by Campa Energy, marking the first major activation of Jio’s new joint venture with Denmark-based Blast. The tournament saw fans compete alongside top creators such as Payal Gaming, ShreeMan LegenD, Soul Regaltos, and Snax Gaming for a prize pool of Rs 10 lakhs, drawing live crowds and massive online viewership.
Learning, policy and industry dialogue at Level Up Conference
Parallel to the show floor, the Level Up Conference hosted sharp discussions spanning game development, esports business models, creator economy, publishing pipelines, and talent acceleration. Government, industry, creative and policy leaders shared insights into India’s journey towards producing globally scalable IP.
Community at the core: Cosplay brings culture to life
The festival closed with one of India’s largest cosplay contests featuring 70+ participants competing across categories, with Sameer Shaikh, cosplaying as Odin from Smite, winning Best in Show. Shaikh was also the winner of the GamingCon cosplay competition in 2024.
India’s gateway to global gaming
With government participation, industry alignment through IGPDA, and a spotlight on esports and indie creators, GamingCon Bharat has emerged as the definitive platform representing the Indian gaming business to the world. As stated by founder Vikas Vij, the vision is to build a long-term physical home for India’s games industry – and 2025 proved that foundation is firmly in place.
With momentum sky-high, the event now sets the stage for an even bigger, more global 2026 edition; one that could well define India’s next leap in gaming.
