Why Indians Cannot Build AAA Games: A Deep Dive into the Challenges
In recent years, the gaming industry has grown tremendously, with China and the West leading the way in producing cutting-edge AAA titles that capture global audiences. One such game, Black Myth: Wukong, developed by China’s Game Science, has shattered records and become a worldwide sensation. However, the question arises: why hasn’t India, a country rich in talent and mythology, been able to create similar AAA games?
This article explores the various hurdles India faces in developing AAA games and why it’s unlikely for the Indian market to produce a game like Wukong anytime soon.
1. Lack of a Strong AAA PC Game Market
One of the primary reasons India cannot develop AAA games is the absence of a robust PC gaming market. In India, the PC gaming market is a fraction of the mobile gaming market. In contrast, China, which once had a small PC market, has now grown to be the second-largest market for Steam, the world’s largest PC game distribution platform. This significant shift occurred after China embraced PC gaming around 2018, spurred by successful AAA titles.
In India, most PCs cannot handle the high processing power required to run AAA games. While mobile games like PUBG became hits in India, the hardware requirements for AAA PC games, such as Red Dead Redemption 2 or Wukong, are far beyond what the average Indian gamer can afford.
2. No Proven Success in the AAA PC Game Industry
The lack of any successful AAA PC game in India creates a major roadblock. In China, Wukong was able to ride on the shoulders of successful mobile games that Game Science had previously developed. Having proved their capabilities in mobile gaming, they had the financial backing and experience to transition to AAA PC game development. In India, no such precedent exists. Investors are hesitant to put their money into a market that hasn’t produced a successful AAA game, leading to a vicious cycle where no game succeeds because no one is willing to invest in it.
The Chinese gaming industry also had the benefit of patience. It took Game Science six years and $75 million (~₹555 crores) to develop Wukong. In India, investors aren’t known for such patience, especially for an industry that has yet to prove itself.
3. Difficulty in Marketing and Global Distribution
Building a game is only part of the challenge. Marketing it to the global audience is equally crucial. One of the reasons Wukong became a global success was its strategic partnerships with major companies like Nvidia and PlayStation, along with its marketing campaigns that generated hype over several years. These partnerships helped Wukong break into pop culture in the West.
In contrast, Indian developers face several challenges in marketing their games to a global audience. The lack of established global distribution channels, such as Steam, for Indian developers poses a significant barrier. Without these partnerships, it’s nearly impossible for a game to gain international recognition.
4. Lack of Creative Freedom
Another reason India struggles to develop AAA games is the cultural sensitivity surrounding content. Wukong is based on Chinese mythology, and players can fight and defeat heavenly gods within the game. In contrast, Indian mythology is deeply ingrained in religious practices, making it difficult to create similar content without backlash.
Games like God of War, where players kill Norse gods, are popular in the West. However, replicating that model with Indian deities could easily offend religious sentiments in India, potentially leading to outrage and bans. This lack of creative freedom limits developers from exploring the rich mythology that India possesses and hinders their ability to develop engaging storylines for AAA games.
5. Engineering vs. Art Dilemma
Game development is the fusion of design, code, and marketing, and requires developers to be artists as much as engineers. Unfortunately, in India, these two fields rarely intersect. The country’s education system pushes students towards engineering or technical roles, often at the cost of creativity. Artists, on the other hand, are less likely to have the technical skills required to work on a game.
In countries like China and the U.S., game developers are celebrated for their creativity as much as their technical prowess. In India, game development is still seen primarily as a technical challenge rather than an artistic one.
6. No Financial Incentive for Talented Individuals
Even if an individual possesses the trifecta of skills—development, design, and marketing—there is little incentive for them to risk building an AAA game in India. A person with these talents could easily venture into more profitable sectors like SaaS (Software as a Service) or traditional business models and earn substantial money without the risks associated with gaming.
In addition, building a AAA game is a massive financial gamble. The resources and time required are enormous, and the Indian market doesn’t yet have the infrastructure or support for such high-budget productions.
7. Technology Availability, But Not Utilization
One might argue that the technology to create AAA games is available to Indian developers. With advancements in AI and tools like Unreal Engine, a lot of the groundwork for game development has been commoditized. Game assets such as 3D scans of rocks or animations can now be easily accessed through platforms like Quixel Bridge or Move.AI.
However, despite having the technology and tools, the real challenge lies in how to utilize them effectively. Game development requires meticulous attention to detail, and even with tools at their disposal, Indian developers would need strong leadership and artistic direction to pull off a global hit like Wukong.
While India is home to talented engineers, animators, and artists, the convergence of these talents necessary for AAA game development is still lacking. The absence of a large PC gaming market, creative freedom, marketing know-how, and patience from investors makes the dream of building AAA games in India a distant reality.
The Indian gaming industry has great potential, especially with its rich cultural and mythological history, but significant barriers remain. Until the country’s game developers receive the backing, resources, and freedom they need, producing a global AAA hit like Black Myth: Wukong will continue to be a challenge.
https://afkgaming.com/global/state-of-pc-gaming-in-india-insights-from-afk-gamings-recent-webinar
