Karnataka wants to build a talent repository for global gaming industry

Karnataka govt. plans to make State a skill epicentre for AVGC-XR, with active collaboration between industry, govt. & academia. GAFX Conf. in Jan 2024 to put sector in global spotlight & build momentum towards achieving the goal. GameTech Accelerate accelerator programme launched to foster innovation & catalyse growth.

The Karnataka government has embarked on an ambitious plan to make the State a skill epicentre for animation, visual effects, gaming, comics and extended reality (AVGC-XR) that can support the growth of the sector nationally and globally, revealed Priyank Kharge, Minister for Information Technology and Biotechnology here on Friday.

According to the Minister, active collaboration between the industry, government and academia is required to develop the proposed AVGC-XR skill epicentre. “The Bengaluru/ Karnataka has all the right elements to become big in AVGC-XR. Such an epicentre will also comprise incubators, accelerators, IP creators and R&D activities,’‘ he said.

He urged the industry players to work towards making the AVGC-XR skill epicentre a reality for Bengaluru and Karnataka. “I am promising my undivided attention and full support from the ministry to accomplish this task,’‘ he assured.

The Minister further said the upcoming GAFX Conference in January 2024, the country’s most prominent exposition for the games, animation and visual effects industry jointly hosted by the State and ABAI, the industry apex body, could further put the sector in the global spotlight and thereby the event could play an instrumental role in building momentum towards achieving the goal.

The Minister agreed that the country’s gaming industry was going through a rough patch, adding if any government could understand the woes of the sector it would only be Karnataka.

“The sector, which is currently in the $4 billion range, is expected to double in the next two years. So a quantum leap is expected, and we are determined to give it a fillip,’‘ he said.

As a primary step towards building a skill epicentre, the State government has announced the launch of GameTech Accelerate, its maiden accelerator programme for the sector in association with Games24x7, an online skill gaming platform.