The billion-dollar global casino game development industry is looking to outsourcing as a way to cut costs — and one of the newer countries it is considering is India. But while the country is increasingly becoming attractive as a destination, it faces stiff competition from other Asian countries who have been in the business longer. Ten years ago, the game development industry was not even considered one where a person could make a career. However, prospects have become brighter in the last decade.

In 2012, India’s game development sector was worth $277 million. It is projected to reach $776 million by 2017, growing about 20 per cent each year. That is according to a report jointly released by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry and consulting firm KPMG. Manvendra Shukul, CEO of Lakshaya Digital, said: “Unlike any other formats, the digital formats of entertainment — which is video games and all — they have picked up in a big way.

“This is the pattern, which is the same as what happens globally, because India in itself is not really a market. What it does is it caters to the global market, in the US and Europe because that’s where all the work is, (where) the actual products are getting made.”

Game development is a relatively new entrant to the outsourcing sector. India is not known globally as a gaming hub, so Indian companies have had to work harder to attract international clients, who are looking to other Asian countries to meet their outsourcing needs. Vivek Singh Sidhu, CEO of Pencillati Interactive, said: “China and Philippines — these countries have got the competitive advantage right from the beginning, but I would say India is catching up very fast because of the availability of young talent.

“Though it is raw talent right now, but there is a large pool of young talent, that’s why I’m very hopeful India will catch up”. You can read more about the business of casino game development at Channel News Asia.