Immerse yourself in culturally rich video games

Mumbai, November 12, 2024: 88 Pictures, an Indian premium animation and visual effects studio, has announced the launch of its new games division, 88 Games, marking the studio’s foray into the world of game development.

Committed to creating world-class indie games for PC and console audiences, 88Games is all set to bring a fresh perspective to gaming by blending high-quality visuals with storytelling rooted in rich and diverse Indian history and culture .

88 images reveal 88 games

Known for his animation work on the multi-Emmy and Annie Award-winning series Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia, as well as global hits like Gremlins: Secret of Mogwai, Transformers: The Earth Spark Season 2, Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight and Fast & Furious: Spy Racers, 88 Pictures has established itself as a creative force in international markets. The studio’s new venture, 88 Games, builds on its heritage of visual storytelling and artistic excellence to create interactive experiences that entertain, educate and inspire.

To lead the games division, the multicultural and diverse studio has assembled a team of industry veterans, led by Milind D. Shinde and Shiben Bhattacharjee. These experts bring years of experience from renowned global studios and are dedicated to developing games that capture India’s cultural heritage in captivating ways.

Milind D. Shinde, Founder and CEO of 88 Games said: “88 Games represents the next step in our journey at 88 Pictures. Our team is dedicated to producing premium games that are not only visually stunning, but also deeply rooted in our cultural identity. India, being one of the oldest civilizations in the world, has legends, stories, cultures and arts that have existed for thousands of years, forming a unique kaleidoscope that needs to be presented to the world. It is an exciting challenge to translate India’s heritage into this new medium, with our mission to tell stories based on this immense cultural capital through video games for global audiences.

88Games plans to introduce titles that will give gamers around the world a unique insight into Indian folklore and history. Through intricate art styles and immersive sound design, each game will present an authentic and engaging experience, inspired by classic Indian tales, legends and mythological characters.

“At the 88 Games, we view storytelling as a powerful bridge between cultures. Our mission is to create entertaining games while connecting players to the rich history and mythology of India. While the Indian gaming market is growing rapidly, there remains a significant gap in the availability of high-quality PC and console games that showcase the country’s unique cultural identity. 88 Games aims to fill this void, providing an exceptional gaming experience to immerse yourself in and contribute to the growth of the video game industry,” said Shiben Bhattacharjee, game director at 88 Games.

88 Games currently has three games in the works. The first game, scheduled to launch on Xbox and PlayStation, is expected to be revealed at the upcoming India Game Developers Conference (IGDC) 2024.

According to Lumikai’s recently released “Levelling Up: State of India Interactive Media & Gaming Research FY’24” report, India is a key producer of global animation/VFX services, with an industry valued at ₹1.6 billion. dollars in FY24. The report also said that the domestic gaming market added 23 million new players, bringing the total to 590 million players in FY24. It is expected to exceed 9.2 billion by FY29, with growth of 20% over 5 years.

Recently, the Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, approved the establishment of the National Center of Excellence (NCoE) for AVGC-XR (Animation, Visual Effects, Games, Comics and Extended Reality). Even in his Independence Day speech, Prime Minister Modi urged Indian game developers and talents to make their mark internationally.

88 Pictures, with its expertise in animation and VFX, is a shining example of India’s growing influence in the global AVGC-XR sector. With the launch of 88Games, the studio is all set to further increase India’s presence in the global gaming landscape.

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