India gaming incubator adds six startups including Kolkata's Advaita

Kolkata, Apr 23 (PTI) South Korean gaming giant KRAFTON on Wednesday announced the induction of six promising startups into the second cohort of its India Gaming Incubator (KIGI), as part of its ongoing efforts to bolster the country's game development ecosystem.

Following the success of its inaugural batch, KIGI has expanded its footprint to emerging hubs such as Kolkata and Madurai, a statement said.

The initiative provides startups with mentorship spanning six months to a year and financial support of up to USD 150,000 to develop innovative gaming content.

"The talent in India's game development scene is brimming with potential. With an expanded cohort and wider regional outreach, we're enabling developers with the right tools to create globally competitive games," said Anuj Sahani, head of the KRAFTON India Incubator Program and India Publishing Advisor.

Among the six new entrants, Kolkata-based Advaita Interactive, founded by Judhajit Sarkar, is working on Inspectorium, a hidden object detective game set in a steampunk version of Victorian-era Calcutta.

Designed for mobile, PC and VR platforms, the game integrates episodic storytelling, real-time AI interrogations, and immersive puzzles, with a planned release between 2025 and 2026.

Madurai's Kleanup Games is developing CHROMADI, a retro-style, fast-paced shoot-'em-up led by Studio director Jaiwanth Shanmugam, with original music by Niranjan Nair and production by Nandini Nachiar. The game, centred on colour-mixing mechanics, is scheduled to launch in 2026.

KIGI was launched in 2023 to nurture India's emerging game development talent through mentorship, funding and access to global expertise. It also offers opportunities for publishing, venture capital partnerships and equity investments.

The inaugural cohort — comprising ReDimension Games, Shura Games, Dunali Games and Arjuna Studios — has already started making industry strides. PTI BSM MNB

Source: PTI