India’s gaming industry has become one of the world’s largest player markets, but a new generation of developers is working to ensure the country becomes equally known for creating original gaming intellectual property.
LVL Zero, India’s first gaming incubator backed by MIXI Global Investments, Nazara Technologies, and Chimera VC, selected 10 startups for its inaugural cohort from over 240 applications received across the country. The cohort represents a diverse cross-section of Indian game development from narrative-driven PC and console experiences to strategy games, sandbox builders, experimental concepts, and deeply personal indie projects.
Collectively, these studios reflect a broader shift underway in Indian game development, where creators are increasingly building for global audiences while retaining distinct creative identities.
Kyrel Games
Game: PHi: The Broken Strings
Founded by Mani Ghadi and Mayank Singh, Kyrel Games is developing PHi: The Broken Strings, a 3D narrative puzzle platformer for PC and consoles.
The game places players inside a puppet universe where environments, characters, and puzzles embody different emotional and psychological states. Through themes of fear, attachment, control, grief, and acceptance, the studio aims to create an emotionally resonant experience that explores what it means to let go.
Kyrel represents a growing wave of Indian developers focused on premium narrative experiences designed for global audiences.
Trojan Productions
Game: Trox: The Reversal
Founded by Vinil Verghese and Sushant Devadhe, Trojan Productions is building Trox: The Reversal, a narrative psychological horror game set within an altered reality.
The game combines atmospheric storytelling, environmental horror, and emotional tension, drawing inspiration from social systems, isolation, ideology, and post-nuclear survival. Rather than relying solely on traditional horror mechanics, the studio focuses on creating immersive experiences that leave a lasting emotional impact on players.
Trojan Productions emerged from a game jam collaboration and has since evolved into a studio dedicated to creating meaningful horror experiences.
Wrought Studios
Game: Last Day Lockdown
Wrought Studios, founded by Kunal Negi and Srujan Pant, is developing Last Day Lockdown, a 3D narrative escape-room experience set inside a corporate office.
Built around themes of nostalgia, transition, and acceptance, the game transforms a familiar workplace environment into a mystery-driven experience where every clue, conversation, and decision matters.
By drawing inspiration from everyday experiences rather than fantasy worlds, Wrought Studios aims to create stories that resonate universally with players around the world.
Impulse Mechanics
Game: Mech It Happen!
Founded by Siddharth Gupta, Impulse Mechanics is developing Mech It Happen!, a physics-based sandbox simulation game that encourages players to build machines capable of solving traversal, mechanical, and destruction-focused challenges.
The game focuses on player creativity and experimentation, allowing users to design unique solutions rather than follow predefined paths. Through accessible gameplay systems and open-ended mechanics, the studio hopes to attract both genre enthusiasts and newcomers alike.
Impulse Mechanics represents the growing interest among Indian developers in systems-driven gameplay experiences with broad international appeal.
YK Game Studio
Game: Chicklet’s Human Products
Founded by Yash Kaushik, YK Game Studio is creating Chicklet’s Human Products, an unconventional reverse-farming game where players take on the role of animals farming products from humans.
Blending satire, humor, survival mechanics, and progression systems, the game seeks to challenge traditional genre expectations through a highly distinctive premise and gameplay loop.
The project reflects the increasing willingness among Indian indie developers to experiment with bold concepts and globally recognizable gameplay formats.
Arckon Arts
Game: Stickman Infinite Kingdom
Arckon Arts is a family-founded studio led by brothers Dinesh Kumar, Rajesh Kumar, and Praveen Kumar.
Following the success of Sarkar Infinite, the studio is now developing Stickman Infinite Kingdom, an action-strategy title that combines real-time strategy mechanics, cinematic visuals, and a narrative-driven campaign.
The game introduces dynamic leader-switching mechanics and character-driven combat systems while building upon the studio’s strengths in animation and stylized visual storytelling.
Arckon Arts reflects how successful indie teams are evolving from individual projects into long-term studios capable of building scalable intellectual property.
Xigma Games
Game: Metal Haven
Founded by Govardhan Gosavi and Himanshu Manwani, Xigma Games is best known for The Bonfire series, which has achieved more than 10 million downloads globally.
The studio’s latest project, Metal Haven, is a sci-fi action strategy game focused on base-building, exploration, alliance-driven gameplay, and large-scale multiplayer competition.
The project marks Xigma’s transition into free-to-play game development while maintaining the studio’s emphasis on deep strategy systems and long-term player engagement.
As one of the most experienced teams in the cohort, Xigma Games demonstrates how Indian studios are increasingly targeting globally competitive genres and live-service ecosystems.
Prescription Studios
Game: The Misadventures of Spaceman Biff
Prescription Studios is the solo venture of developer Vignesh Sathyamoorthy.
Its debut title, The Misadventures of Spaceman Biff, is a 2D rage platformer that follows a stranded space-trucker attempting to climb back to safety while dealing with a cast of hilariously unhelpful customer support agents.
Combining challenging gameplay with narrative humor, the project reflects the growing confidence of solo developers pursuing ambitious creative visions within India’s indie ecosystem.
Rudrac Games
Game: Twin Flames
Founded by solo developer Venkatesh Muskam, Rudrac Games is building Twin Flames, a cooperative puzzle adventure inspired by themes of love, connection, and duality.
Originally conceived during Global Game Jam, the game evolved into a narrative experience influenced by the story of Savitri and Satyavan, reimagined through an original fantasy lens.
Built entirely by a single creator, the project exemplifies the passion-driven development journeys increasingly emerging within India’s independent game development scene.
KALP Studio
Game: Raahi
Founded by Rishabh Raj, Mannat Jain, and Akshat Sinha, KALP Studio is developing Raahi, a cozy narrative experience set in 1990s Goa.
Players take on the role of an auto-rickshaw driver navigating everyday life, meeting passengers, and becoming part of their personal stories. The game focuses on slowing players down and encouraging emotional connection through small moments rather than traditional gameplay objectives.
Drawing inspiration from literature, cinema, and art, KALP Studio represents a new generation of developers exploring games as deeply human storytelling experiences.
A Snapshot of India’s Emerging Game Development Ecosystem
Together, the 10 startups selected for LVL Zero’s inaugural cohort showcase the breadth of talent currently emerging from India’s game development ecosystem.
From psychological horror and narrative adventures to strategy titles, sandbox simulations, cooperative experiences, and experimental gameplay concepts, these studios are building games across genres, platforms, and audiences. What unites them is a shared ambition: building globally competitive games from India and contributing to the country’s growing game development ecosystem.
As the cohort progresses toward its final showcase, these startups represent a broader shift from India being known primarily as a gaming consumption market to becoming an increasingly important source of game creation, innovation, and globally relevant game development.
As part of the program’s culmination, LVL Zero plans to host its inaugural Demo Day in Bengaluru during the third week of July 2026, bringing together investors, publishers, platforms, and ecosystem leaders to meet the cohort and experience their projects firsthand. The showcase will mark the conclusion of the incubator’s first cohort and reflects LVL Zero’s broader mission of strengthening India’s gaming ecosystem while supporting the creation of globally competitive gaming companies.
