Dentsu India and IWMBuzz Media have announced a three-year partnership to co-present the India Gaming Awards and release the India Gaming Report, spotlighting the rapidly expanding pure-play gaming industry in India.
The collaboration builds on the success of last year’s India Gaming Report, which revealed India’s 13.85 crore gamers, a booming mobile-first ecosystem, double-digit growth, and strong momentum from tier-2 and tier-3 cities.
India’s pure-play gaming market, valued at ₹6,715 crore and growing at a CAGR of 24%, is emerging as a cultural and economic force. It represents a creator-driven economy and a diverse community that cuts across age, geography, and language.
Over the next three years, the two partners aim to establish gaming as a cornerstone of India’s creative economy, shaping not just youth culture but also the wider aspirations of Bharat.
The India Gaming Awards has already become a premier platform uniting gamers, developers, publishers, influencers, brands, and policymakers. With this expanded alliance, it will evolve into a year-round movement driving innovation and shaping the ecosystem. Meanwhile, the India Gaming Report will continue to serve as the industry’s definitive guide, with deeper insights into consumer behaviour, monetisation, regulations, and cultural trends.
Harsha Razdan, CEO, South Asia, Dentsu, said, “Gaming is the most dynamic cultural and economic force shaping India’s youth and Bharat’s heartland today. It is where technology, creativity, and community converge; and where the next chapter of India’s growth story will be written. This partnership with IWMBuzz is not just about awards or reports. It is about building the foundation for an industry that can rival the best in the world. We are not here to be spectators. We are here to lead. From metros to small towns, from esports arenas to mobile screens, gaming will be India’s next great connector – a platform for jobs, innovation, and cultural pride. Dentsu India will be at the heart of this transformation.”
Narayan Devanathan, President & Chief Strategy Officer, South Asia, Dentsu, said, “The India Gaming Awards and India Gaming Report are more than events or publications – they are catalysts. They will help shift the conversation from ‘gaming is growing’ to ‘gaming is defining India’s future’. Gaming’s power lies in its ability to unite audiences across geography, language, and background. In an era where attention is the most valuable currency, gaming is one of the few spaces where people willingly give not just their time, but their passion. Our mission is to help brands earn that passion with authenticity, insight, and creativity. This is how we will shape the India and Bharat gaming story.”
Siddhartha Laik, Founder & Editor-in-Chief, IWMBuzz Media, said, “When we launched the India Gaming Awards, our vision was to give the gaming community a stage worthy of its talent and ambition. Partnering with dentsu takes that vision to an entirely new level. With dentsu’s scale, data, and cultural insight, we are not just recognising excellence! We are building platforms and narratives that will inspire the next wave of gamers, developers, and innovators. Together, we will ensure that India’s gaming story is told boldly, inclusively, and on the world stage.”
