- Dates
- Wednesday 28 and Thursday 29 October 2026
- Venue
- Chennai Trade Centre, 3 Karumariamman Koil Street, Nandambakkam, Chennai 600089
- Organiser
- Game Developer Association of India (GDAI), run by industry volunteers
- Edition
- 18th (first held in 2009 as the NASSCOM Game Developer Conference)
- Expected attendance
- 10,000+
- Passes
- ₹1,500 to ₹65,000, sold only on indiagdc.com
- Tracks
- Art, code, design and business, plus Indie 40 and BYOG community tracks and hands-on workshops
- Status
- Upcoming
IGDC 2026 is the 18th India Game Developer Conference, India’s oldest and largest event for people who make games. It runs on 28 and 29 October 2026 at the Chennai Trade Centre, the second year in Chennai after the conference moved from Hyderabad in 2025. Organised by the Game Developer Association of India (GDAI), it expects more than 10,000 attendees. This edition is two days long, down from three in 2025.
Passes and tickets
| What | Details |
|---|---|
| Where to buy | Only on the official site: indiagdc.com/register |
| Price range | ₹1,500 to ₹65,000, depending on the pass |
| Who needs one | Everyone attending the talks, workshops and expo. Exhibitors get two general passes with each booth |
| Cheapest passes | Student passes have been the lowest-priced passes in past years and need a valid student ID |
| Food | In past editions, food and drinks at the venue were included for pass holders |
IGDC has not published a full price list for each 2026 pass outside its registration page, so check the current tiers there before buying. Buy only from indiagdc.com.
Who attends
IGDC is a trade conference for the games industry, not a consumer gaming expo. There are no free-play zones or esports finals. Its audience is:
- Game developers: programmers, designers, artists, producers and QA from Indian studios large and small.
- Indie creators: solo developers and small teams showing their games at the Indie Expo.
- Students: from game design and computer science courses, looking for careers, internships and portfolio feedback.
- Publishers and investors: who meet studios through the I/P Connect programme.
- Platforms and tool makers: companies such as Google Play, Epic Games, Microsoft and Meta, whose teams spoke at IGDC 2024.
- Government and media: state IT and AVGC departments, and the gaming press.
The 2024 edition in Hyderabad drew more than 4,000 attendees and 200 speakers. For 2026 the organisers expect more than 10,000 attendees.
Conference topics
Sessions are grouped into four main tracks, with community tracks and workshops alongside:
| Track | Typical subjects |
|---|---|
| Art | Concept art, 3D, animation, visual style and art direction |
| Code | Engines (Unity and Unreal), programming, tools, performance and technology |
| Design | Game design, level design, narrative, game economies and player experience |
| Business | Publishing, marketing, funding, live operations, studio building and the Indian market |
| Indie 40 | A community track for independent developers and their games |
| BYOG | Talks linked to Build Your Own Game, India’s longest-running game jam |
| Workshops | Hands-on sessions in small groups |
The 2026 speaker list and schedule will be added when IGDC publishes them. For a sense of the programme, the 2025 edition had more than 150 sessions. Its talks included Jens Hilgers of BITKRAFT Ventures on the future of entertainment, Michelle Menard of Dragon Snacks Games on designing and testing game economies, and a workshop on building high-performance teams led by Mohsin “Mozzy” Ahmed of King. Author Amish Tripathi was also among the 2025 speakers.
India Game Awards
The India Game Awards are presented at IGDC each year for games made in India. The categories in 2024 were PC/Console, Mobile, AR/VR, Upcoming, Indie, Student, International, Best Gameplay and Best Visual Art Game of the Year, plus a Popular Choice Award, Women in Gaming of the Year and the Hall of Fame. Nominees for 2026 will be added when they are announced.
| Category | 2024 winner | Studio |
|---|---|---|
| PC/Console Game of the Year | The Palace on the Hill | Niku Games Studio |
| Mobile Game of the Year | Once upon a merge | TheAppGuruz |
| AR/VR Game of the Year | Sportsverse | Zudo Labs |
| Upcoming Game of the Year | Winds of Arcana: Ruination | Brewed Games |
| Indie Game of the Year | The Palace on the Hill | Niku Games Studio |
| Student Game of the Year | Shotgun-Tact | Studio Noori |
| Best Gameplay | Fears to Fathom – Woodbury Getaway | Rayll Studios |
| Best Visual Art | Once upon a merge | TheAppGuruz |
Expo, I/P Connect and BYOG
- Expo and Indie Expo: studios, platforms and tool makers on the show floor, with a showcase of Indian and international indie games. In 2025 Nazara Technologies was the platinum partner and KRAFTON the diamond sponsor.
- I/P Connect: pre-booked meetings between studios, investors and publishers. The 2024 I/P Connect was reported to have led to more than 70 investments.
- Build Your Own Game (BYOG): India’s oldest game jam, running since 2010. The 2025 jam had more than 1,000 participants and 200 game submissions, and its winners are honoured alongside the awards.
Venue and how to get there
The Chennai Trade Centre is at 3 Karumariamman Koil Street, Nandambakkam, Chennai 600089. It also hosted IGDC 2025.
Open Chennai Trade Centre in Google Maps
IGDC 2025 recap
The 17th edition, the first in Chennai, ran from 5 to 7 November 2025 at the Chennai Trade Centre with more than 150 sessions. Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin addressed the conference, where the state government signed several agreements with gaming organisations and announced a gaming centre of excellence in Chennai. Every IGDC edition since 2009 is listed on the IGDC page.
FAQs
When is IGDC 2026?
On Wednesday 28 and Thursday 29 October 2026.
Where is IGDC 2026 being held?
At the Chennai Trade Centre, 3 Karumariamman Koil Street, Nandambakkam, Chennai.
How do I buy IGDC 2026 passes?
Only on the official site, indiagdc.com/register. Passes range from ₹1,500 to ₹65,000 depending on the level of access.
Is there a student pass for IGDC?
Student passes have been the cheapest option in past years and need a valid student ID. Check indiagdc.com/register for the 2026 price.
Who should attend IGDC?
Game developers, designers, artists, indie creators, students, publishers and investors. It is a trade conference, not a consumer gaming expo.
What topics does IGDC cover?
Four main tracks (art, code, design and business), plus Indie 40 and BYOG community tracks and hands-on workshops.
Who organises IGDC?
The Game Developer Association of India (GDAI), with industry volunteers. Until 2017 it was the NASSCOM Game Developer Conference, run by the NASSCOM Gaming Forum.
Is IGDC the same as GamingCon Bharat?
No. IGDC is a trade conference for game developers in Chennai. GamingCon Bharat is a consumer gaming convention in Mumbai.
Sources (10)
- India Game Developer Conference 2026 (official site) indiagdc.com
- IGDC Awards (official site) indiagdc.com
- IGDC 2026 Expo (official site) indiagdc.com
- India Game Developer Conference 2026 (PocketGamer.biz) pocketgamer.biz
- 17th edition of India’s Game Developers Conference (Scope Gaming) scopemagazine.in
- IGDC 2025 day one (Medium) medium.com
- IGDC 2025 recap: BYOG (Second Quest Games) secondquestgames.substack.com
- IGDC moves from Hyderabad to Chennai (Outlook Respawn) respawn.outlookindia.com
- 17th IGDC begins in Chennai (All India Radio) newsonair.gov.in
- IGDC 2025 to be held in Chennai (Business Standard) business-standard.com