New Jobs: Gaming may fetch 1.6 lakh jobs for Indian youth

NEW DELHI: Immersive graphics, dynamic gameplay and rapid growth — the Indian gaming industry is ripe with career opportunities, according to experts.

With sophistication in software and the canvas to integrate disruptive technologies, the online gaming market is brimming with more jobs than ever before, numerous surveys as well as experts have pointed out.

By 2025, India has the potential to hold 5% or, US $40 billion, of the global gaming market thanks to yearly growth rates between 25% and 30%. It will likely have the ability to create more than 1.6 lakh new jobs in the e-animation, visual effects, gaming and comic (AVGC) sector, according to a ministry of information and broadcasting ministry report released in 2022.

The emergence of the metaverse — a 3D-enabled digital space that uses virtual reality and augmented reality — propelled by low-cost internet access and growing popularity of over-the-top (OTT) platforms has further widened the scope of the AVGC sector. Beyond entertainment, gamification is also being used in education to make learning more interactive.

“Because of its innate ability to engage the audience, the rules and principles of gamification are being used in many areas like entertainment, education, and industry. The gaming industry in India is expected to grow three-fold in the next three years and become a $5 billion industry. This presents a significant growth opportunity for candidates willing to make a career in the industry,” said Shantanu Rooj, founder and CEO, TeamLease Edtech.

Recognising the potential of this “sunrise sector” the government is also making efforts to introduce curriculum components that encourage and create awareness on the discipline, beginning from the school level.

Skills and experience

The ministry of information and broadcasting has set up a specialised task force looking into ways to integrate AVGC at the school level.

The task force, in collaboration with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), aims to train teachers and create awareness about AVGC as a career. The CBSE already offers three courses related to AVGC on animation, texturing and mass media and intends to offer five more courses at the school level. The task force has also suggested that the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) creates an academic curriculum on disciplines relevant to AVGC.

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As per a recent study by the E-Gaming Federation (EGF) and Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata (ISIK), 73% of respondents expressed a strong inclination towards pursuing a career within this “dynamic” domain. While the sector is still in its nascent stage in India, it has grabbed the interest of those interested in diverse tech roles.

The study titled “Unveiling the Potential and Scope of the Online Skill Gaming Industry: A Study with Technology Students and Professionals”, found that 68% of respondents acknowledged the sector’s role in improving their skill sets, and 60% believed it could reduce “brain drain” to foreign tech roles by providing opportunities at home. The survey covered 4,644 individuals between the ages of 19 and 50 years, with 39% being students and the rest professionals.

Malay Kumar Shukla, Secretary, EGF

The possibility of getting a job in the sector has significantly increased lately, according to Malay Kumar Shukla, secretary, EGF. The rise in demand for skilled game designers with a dynamic set of skills, he said, is also matched by a plethora of degree courses and specialised gaming certification courses offered by top institutes across India and globally.

“Some of the popular programmes such as game development and design, game programming, mobile game development, game programming, game testing and quality assurance etc. can address various areas of interest among students,” he said.

Considering the nature of the industry, the jobs are also agnostic to experience as long as the fresher possesses skills the industry demands. Experience, however, fetches fatter pay cheques. The courses are aligned accordingly, especially for new entrants.

Specialised programmes

“There are indeed a few good quality Indian institutions offering bachelor’s and master’s level courses in game design. A few notable ones are bachelor of design and master of design at MIT Institute of Design, Pune; B.Sc in AI and gamification from St. Paul’s College, Bangalore; bachelor of design from Lovely Professional University; B.Sc game design from VELS University, Chennai; and postgraduate diploma in game design from Shoolini University, Himachal Pradesh,” said Rooj. “Candidates studying a formal course in gaming are taught various aspects of animation fundamentals, storytelling, concept art, character design and visual effects. The courses have a multidisciplinary support and students get exposure to various aspects like design foundation, graphic, interface design and interaction design as well as all aspects of user experience design.”

More than half of the respondents in the EGF- ISIK study expressed a need for specialisation in online gaming in programmes like B.Tech in computer science. While there is demand for such specialisation in engineering, B-Schools are already offering such specialisations.

“This is not only a sizable industry but a rapidly growing industry in the [media and entertainment] sector, and it may surpass the business of many well-established industries like newspapers, Indian cinema, etc., soon. These factors create a vast space for the gaming industry in India to grow as one of the most attractive segments in the media and entertainment sector for management graduates and freshers to consider as a lucrative career option. To fill the need gap in the industry, we at MICA started a specialised course for our management graduates on gaming business management under the media, entertainment, and sports business specialisation,” said Githa Heggde, dean, MICA, Ahmedabad.

Jobs in gaming industry

Despite its widespread appeal, the majority of game development is concentrated in the five southern states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu, which Shukla refers to as “India’s technology nucleus”.

“They [five states] have earned this reputation due to their increased emphasis on thriving technology hubs, top-tier educational institutions, robust startup ecosystems, and government support for innovation. These states serve as a breeding ground for technological advancements, attracting skilled talent and fostering an environment conducive to technological growth and development, making them pivotal in India’s tech landscape,” Shukla from EGF explained.

The field of AVGC offers a promising start in terms of salary packages and with experience and skills acquisition, they can increase exponentially, said TeamLease’s Rooj. “Even at its current level, entry-level candidates can easily get a salary of about Rs.3 to 5 lakh per annum whereas a candidate with four years of experience can command a cool Rs.13-15 lakh package.”

The EGF-ISIK study also found that respondents showed a diverse range of interests and aspirations related to various aspects of game development, both technical and otherwise. 44% showed interest in programming; 40% in testing and automation, and 16% in art.

AI-ML in AVGC

Like in all sectors, artificial intelligence has become an essential component of gaming since it promotes the development of clever opponents, customised gaming experiences, and adaptable difficulty levels based on player performance. This in turn helps build and polish the AI skills of information technology (IT) professionals.

“There is a symbiotic relationship between technology and online gaming,” explained Shukla. “This is reflected in the significant interest of tech professionals and students in a career in the industry, owing to the substantial investment the sector has made in cutting-edge technologies such as AI-ML over the last decade.”

The industry significantly relies on data science to assess player behaviour, preferences, and performance, allowing for ongoing development in game design and customisation while also providing valuable data analytics skills to tech professionals.

“Online gaming is transitioning from standardised interactions to customised experiences, all possible due to advanced technologies like data science and artificial intelligence. These technologies are a dynamic force that has permeated online gaming, reshaping it into an arena of innovative possibilities,” said Shukla.

The EGF-ISIK survey also demonstrates the appeal of the online skill gaming sector to highly-trained engineers, with 55% of respondents considering it a desired domain because of its emphasis on technology adoption and innovation. “This sentiment aligns with the industry’s rapid integration of advanced technologies like data analytics, AI/ML, and VR, positioning India as a leading force in technological advancements,” Shukla said.