India’s young and innovative game developers are set to make their mark as the top 10 games from the inaugural Road to Game Jam are selected for the WAVES Summit 2025. This milestone event is part of the Create in India Challenge: Season 1, organized under the Government of India’s World Audio-Visual Entertainment Summit. The summit, taking place in Mumbai from May 1 to 4, celebrates creativity in gaming and aims to propel India’s prominence in global game development.
The Road to Game Jam initiative is a collaborative effort by the Game Developer Association of India and Kratos Gamer Network. Falling under Pillar 2 of WAVES, which focuses on animation, visual effects, gaming, comics, augmented reality, virtual reality, and the metaverse, the initiative is designed to offer a national platform for budding talent. It nurtures creativity, encourages collaboration, and strengthens India’s growing game development ecosystem.
With overwhelming participation, the initiative received 5,500 registrations from over 1,650 colleges across 453 cities and towns in India. Participants engaged in interactive workshops and Ask Me Anything sessions led by industry leaders, gaining insights into game design, storytelling, and the business of gaming. From 175 original game submissions, a jury of seasoned professionals selected the top 10 finalists.
The top 10 games span a range of creative voices, including student teams, solo developers, and startups. Titles such as “Hard Hat Havoc,” “Entwined: Reimagined,” “Hope’s Out,” “Abandoned Hospital – The Sound of Silence,” “Silence Kill,” and more, showcase India’s emerging talent in the gaming field. Winning teams will receive an all-expense-paid trip to the WAVES Summit, where their games will be presented to a global jury. The top three entries will share a prize pool of ₹7 million, with ₹3.5 million for first place, ₹2 million for second, and ₹1.5 million for third.
The themes for the Game Jam—such as “Everything Falls Apart,” “Stuck Together,” “Handle with Care,” “Invisible Connections,” and “The Sound of Silence”—have sparked creativity and innovation among participants.
India’s potential in game development is underscored by its massive user base of 550 million gamers, with 175 million making in-game purchases. Key enablers like affordable data access and a mobile-first gaming culture, combined with strong government and industry support, position India as a global hub for game creation. Initiatives like Road to Game Jam reflect the nation’s ambition to transform its gaming market into a powerhouse for original and world-class game development.
With growing investments in education, infrastructure, and funding, India’s game development ecosystem is set to thrive. As the top 10 teams prepare to showcase their talent, their journey symbolizes the country’s commitment to fostering creativity and leading on the global stage. The WAVES Summit promises to be a testament to India’s creative strength and its bright future in the gaming industry.
