Road to Game Jam: India’s emerging game developers gear up for WAVES 2025

New Delhi: The “Road to Game Jam” is now a significant initiative to showcase the country’s best upcoming game developers. The Indian gaming sector is witnessing a strong surge, which is being driven by fresh talent, innovative storytelling, and a supportive governmental climate.

The Game Jam that is to be unveiled as one of the components of the upcoming World Audio Visual Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025 as part of the “Create in India Challenge” has received a lot of interest from individuals across the nation.

Hosted by the Game Developer Association of India (GDAI), KGeN, and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the contest encouraged students and independent developers to create original games inspired by poignant themes like ‘Everything Falls Apart’ and ‘The Sound of Silence’.

The reaction was phenomenal — with more than 5,500 participants from 1,650 colleges in 453 cities signing up for the challenge. After multiple rounds of screening, the Top 10 finalists have now been declared, each presenting a unique story and creative voice.

Standouts among the submissions include Hard Hat Havoc of Mumbai, ENTWINED: Reimagined by Atimisha College students, Abandoned Hospital by AshDev, and Hope’s Out of Delhi. Joining the list are Silence Kill of Punjab, Hyderabad-based No Time To Crawl, and Anchored, developed by a Game Jam veteran.

Providing depth of emotional and thematic resonance are My Inner Demons, Ahmedabad’s sci-fi adventure Serum XIII, and Goblin’s Call, which delves into luscious fantasy aspects from the hills of Uttarakhand.

All 10 shortlisted teams will showcase their games live at WAVES 2025, which will take place in Mumbai from May 1 to 4. The winning three teams will be awarded cash prizes of Rs 7 lakh and a chance to meet with top gaming and entertainment industry names.

Far from merely being a competition, the Road to Game Jam is being touted as a make-or-break turning point for India’s future generation of game developers.

With sites like WAVES providing national recognition, these budding creatives are not only mapping out their own futures — they’re helping forge the next generation of India’s gaming industry.

While the international spotlight swings toward Indian potential, the success of such a project could herald India’s rise as a meaningful competitor in global interactive entertainment.