Overview
KRAFTON India’s Gaming Incubator (KIGI) concluded its fourth PitchFest competition at the India Game Developer Conference (IGDC) 2026 on 30 October 2026, held at the Chennai Trade Centre. The competition shortlisted eight independent game development studios from more than 300 applications received within a 30‑day window.
Participating Studios and Presentation Format
The eight studios—AbhiTechGames, Arckon Arts, Team Quasar, Compiling Shaders Games, Kalp, Xigma Games, Tandoori Pixels Pvt. Ltd., and 2Tellers Studio Pvt. Ltd.—each received a 10‑minute slot to pitch their game concept and demonstrate gameplay, followed by a 10‑minute Q&A with the jury.
Jury and Attendance
A 12‑member jury comprising industry experts from India, South Korea and the United States evaluated the pitches. The event attracted over 100 participants, underscoring growing interest in India’s indie gaming ecosystem.
Awards and Recognitions
EvolX Studio was announced as the winner of the Game of the Year (Upcoming Mobile) category. Additionally, two KIGI‑associated studios earned nominations at IGDC 2026, and Advaita Interactive, a KIGI cohort‑3 alumnus, received a nomination for Best Art Direction at the India Game Awards 2026.
Programme Support and Funding
KIGI provides financial assistance ranging from $50,000 to $150,000 per studio, alongside mentorship from globally recognised veterans based in India, South Korea and other key gaming ecosystems. The programme supports both early‑stage teams and more mature studios with beta mobile titles or live Steam demos, creating a pathway from concept to market readiness.
KIGI Evolution and Impact
Launched in 2023, KIGI has progressed through four cohorts. The inaugural and second cohorts together comprised ten studios nationwide; the third cohort is currently underway. Successes such as the award nomination for Frontier Paladin (developed by Mumbai‑based Singular Scheme) at IGDC 2025 illustrate the incubator’s growing influence.
KRAFTON India Profile
KRAFTON India delivers premier mobile gaming experiences, most notably Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) with over 260 million downloads. Its portfolio also includes titles like Road To Valor: Empires, CookieRun India, and Real Cricket. Since 2021, KRAFTON has invested more than $250 million in Indian startups across interactive entertainment, gaming, esports and technology, and has launched a ₹6,000 crore Unicorn Growth Fund in partnership with Naver and Mirae Asset. The company also runs the KIGI Academy in collaboration with IIT Madras to build a talent pipeline for game development.
Executive Quote
"We are encouraged by the overwhelming response to KIGI PitchFest this year, which received over 300 applications from aspiring game developers within just 30 days of opening applications," said Anuj Sahani, Head of Krafton India Incubator Programme. "The number of enquiries received by the KIGI team is also a testament to the growing interest in the programme and the opportunities it offers to help developers achieve their goals. It is great to see India’s indie gaming community building momentum, with this year’s shortlisted teams bringing forward games across diverse genres and platforms. The jury, comprising experts from varied domains including product, design, art and strategy, brought valuable perspectives to the pitches. We look forward to continuing to support promising Indian studios as they develop their ideas and take their games to the next stage."
Conclusion
Through initiatives such as KIGI PitchFest, KRAFTON India continues to create meaningful opportunities for Indian game development teams to showcase their work, receive industry guidance and access pathways that can help them transition original games from development to market.