India Can't Build a AAA Game. Here's Why.

Why did Black Myth: Wukong work?

A Chinese game that broke player count records on Steam. We explore the marketing strategies and partnerships that propelled it to global success, and discuss why creating a similar AAA game in India would be challenging. From the evolving Chinese gaming market to the hurdles facing Indian game developers, we break down the key factors behind Wukong's rise and what it means for the global gaming industry.

0:00 - Intro
1:02 - Game Science partnerships and marketing
1:52 - PC gaming market in India vs China
3:28 - Wukong's global success factors
5:04 - Game development in India
6:52 - Cultural challenges for Indian game devs
8:12 - Conclusion

[bunnyfreakz]

Indian need stop comparing their self to China. When Game Science made BMW or Mihoyo made Genshin Impact, they doing because passion. Not because they wanted to prove their self.

[heavenbright]

Very simple - because rather than making a game, Indians will argue how Wukong is copied from Hanuman and India conquered China 2, 000 years ago without firing a shot using Buddhism. Therefore, India wins and everyone feels much better, and every uncle and aunty goes back to sitting around and passing the time with their favourite hobby which is talking for the sake of talking.

[sunhaofeng]

Chinese people believe in a principle of "less talk, more action." In Chinese society, those who talk big without taking any action or achieving anything tangible are the most despised.

[heavenbright]

Your last point shows why India can't build AAA games.

Your reason to wanting to build AAA games is not because of love for a game, but because you wantt o one-up other countries.

[vashishtwahal]

The no. 1 reason why India can't is the fact that we love acquiring STATUS more than becoming SKILLFUL.... And we Indians likes choosing to become skillful only and only if when we assume that our time and investment on a particular skill gonna pay us in the form of Monetary benifits and more than that, we care about what will our, " Chacha, Tauu, Bua, bhaiyaa, padosi etc etc, gonna think about. So talented, skillful and capable Indians who wish to get into fields like game design and development are either choosing switching into some other field or fly Abroad and start to work for a company who is planning to launch their next AAA Title

[luancindy]

As a Chinese living in Japan, I want to say that the success of Black Myth is not accidental and publicity is only a small part. It was happened when a series of conditions were met, because continuous progress of education and technology. Also because large number of technician has been trained, the increase of economic income, and the expansion of the consumer market.
If India wants to make a game like Black Myth, then India must first complete the country's industrialization, popularize basic education for all, let more people get rid of poverty and have time to get in touch with video games.

[lingyt]

As a Chinese descent born in Malaysia, seeing China's growth from famine to poverty to copy cat to Alibaba to tech giant and now triple A game attempt. I must praise their determination and their government's will to bring their nation forward. Despite the talk downs from the west, they are determined to succeed. Good for them.

[talhahabdullah]

6:09 They are not merely scanned rocks and They scanned relics Statutes idols and icons temple artworks fabric calligraphies on real locations styles and facades etc. Not only they will own the scanned images/objects copyrights and brand values but they also promote tourism for such locations. The Chinese developers went for authenticity they scanned and caught the essence of the Wukong/Chinese mythology and presented them to the world. Your way of thinking of getting readily available resources and as the easy way out of getting them is really backward - might be is one of the reason why Indian cant produce such AAA games.

[MeditationNow]

When all of India's poorest rural areas are covered with cement roads or even asphalt roads with green belts and guardrails, where children have clean and decent clothes and nutritious meals, 4G/5G networks cover every household, villagers can afford motorcycles or cars, and new houses are being built, then India will naturally become as confident and prosperous as China.
In recent years, I have traveled to many remote rural areas in western China, including Tibet, Xinjiang, and Gansu. The above is the scene I witnessed.

[VinayK]

gaming like this is a luxury in India, India must have at least 5-6 times GDP of current GDP, and people should have money to buy PCs, then we can expect this. We are behind China at least 15-20 years. So many kids just watch games on youtube, assembling PCs videos becz they just can't buy them.

[flamingburritto]

For PC gaming to do well in India the economy has to do well so that people have income to spare on PCs.
India also has a huge piracy culture that needs to be fixed in order for game developers to actually consider making such games in India.

[gaming]

I'm 21 year old and 1 thing I have observed growing up that a large amount of us would rather work hard to scam others then to work hard honestly

[dineshkrishnan]

We can't make knockoff PUBG let alone a AAA game 💀 China is light years ahead of us

[AditOverHere]

A game based on Indian mythology would never work because people will get offended VERY quickly and on every step. The developers would basically be walking on eggshells with it. The history is so rich in our country and could lead to insane masterpieces but the sensetive feelings on religion and mythology by the population will always hinder the possibility heavily.

[ManishKumar-sghg]

Remember when an Indian game called FAUG was hauled to be the alternative to PUBG? It was not even close to pubg mobile early beta versions before launch.

[hardiknegi]

Concept artist here! Work for video games regularly and I also have a bunch of friends who work for indian game studios and let me tell you guys not even in the next 50 years will we come close to this. Indian art studios are cesspools of old toxic people who always expect you to overwork while being woefully underpaid and just have no vision or organizational skill to even think about making a good video game or a feature film. It is really bad.

[coollobsterr]

issue: cannot sell AAA PC games
cause: general public too poor to buy PC

[AzYet]

India doesn't have to compare to China every time China achieve something. West companies made numerus AAA games and i didn't see India feel troubled any time.

[st.altair]

People comparing India with China need to calm down.

These countries' governments are completely different. India will not be competing with China on anything anytime soon with the political system they have now.

[divij]

most of our talented people are working out of india