This document discusses the growing mobile gaming market in India. Some key points: 1) Mobile gaming is taking off in India as the mobile installed base grows to over 850 million, with smartphones projected to reach over 500 million by 2016. 2) Payment options are improving with services like Google Play's carrier billing and the reduction of in-app purchase thresholds, which will help unlock the potential of India's mobile games market. 3) There is an exponential rise in Indian game developers, with over 100 indie startups founded in the last two years, supported by organizations like Nasscom Gaming Forum.

1. India - It’s happening, finally!
Rajesh Rao
Founder & CEO, Dhruva Interactive
Chair, Nasscom Gaming Forum
Pocket Gamer Connects, Helsinki, 17th June 2014

2. Quick Introduction
Founded India’s first games company in 1997.
17 years on, Dhruva is India’s biggest developer
with 300+ people in mobile/social/console
Founder of India’s first incubator
for games start-ups
Chairperson of the Nasscom Gaming Forum,
the trade body of the Indian games industry

3. Market

4. 600 million
Indians
are below
25yrs of age

5. Gaming
is taking off

6. everywhere
India is beginning to play…

7. Gaming is riding the Mobile Revolution…
850mmobile installed base in India
Smartphones: It took 8 years to add 80m (end 2013), will add 100m in 2014.
High speed data: 3G: 75m now, 300m by 2016 ( many smartphones are on 2.5g)
Disruptive 4G launch in 2015 will result in cheaper 3G, the momentum will result in overall data subs reaching
600m by 2016
81% smartphone
users play games
Dominated by Android, Windows and Apple distant 2nd and 3rd.

8. We just need to crack payment…..
Challenges:
- India is a cash market. Mobile is almost entirely pre-paid
- Carrier rev shares have been awful (but this is changing)
- Low penetration and use of plastic (currently 300m debit, 20m credit cards)
Some expected game changers:
- Google Play with carrier billing
- Reduction of In-app purchase threshold from Rs.55 to Rs.10 or less
- Mobile payment systems like IMPS
- Massive push by e-com players to promote use of plastic
India’s mobile games market, under $100m currently, is way below its potential

9. Bollywood games are doing great downloads……
1m downloads in 7 days10m downloads (all platforms)
On avg, hits are doing $100k ~ $200k in rev, without F2P kicking in
… and international hits are doing well too
Top 10 ( downloads) on Google Play and iOS include Candy Crush Saga,
Subway Surfers, Temple Run, Dr. Driving
FIFA and NFS make more money on mobile than console in India

10. Compelling Content that ‘connects’ is key
• All mainstream Indian entertainment (Movies, TV, Music) are
dominated by Indian content. Gaming will not be different.
• Semi-urban and rural audiences are taking to mobile content in a big
way. ‘Local’ cultural and social context will play a big role.
• Games in education has great potential, Indian Govt pushing low cost
tables to transform free primary education (Aakash tablet)

11. Developer Ecosystem

12. Exponential rise in Game developers in India
1 1 2 3 3 3 4 5 7 10
15
20
25
40
100
130
175
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Over 100 indie start-ups in
the last 2 years

13. • 6 city chapters with quarterly meetups
• A ‘must attend’ conference … 2013 had 1300 attendees
• A very active FB group with 5000+ members
• Reports and whitepapers on the Indian games industry
• Lobby with the government to get the sector the support it needs
We now have an active trade body…
Mission:
To support and nurture the growing
ecosystem of Game Developers in India

14. And an awesome annual conference….
• 1300 attended NGDC 2013
• 50+ speakers
• Workshops, mentoring sessions
• Game Developer Awards
• Indie games showcase
Keynotes and Speakers over the years:
Yochi Wada, Chairman, Square Enix
Paolo Pedercini, Molleindustria
Trip Hawkins
Glen Schofield, Sledghammer
Ed Fries, former head of Microsoft Game Studios
Mark Skaggs (creator of Farmville)
Ernest Adams, veteran game designer
Magnus "Gordon" Gardebäck , Simogo
Stéphane D’Astous, ex-GM, Eidos-Montreal
NGDC 2014
will be held in
Pune, INDIA
13-15 Nov 2014

15. There’s support for early stage start-ups
Dedicated Incubator for
gaming start-ups
$800k seed fund focused on games,
Targeting 6~8 investments in 2014

16. Some Series A, M&A
• GSN Games acquired Bangalore based Bash
Gaming (makers of Bingo Bash) for $160m
• Sequoia (India) invests $15m Series A in
Octro, maker of popular Indian games like
Teen Patti (like Poker) and Indian Rummy.
They currently have 2m DAUs

17. Thank You!
You can reach me at:
rao@dhruva.com