Square Enix targets India game development with new contest

Square Enix targets India game development with new Game Development Contest India 2012

Japanese publisher Square Enix today announced its goal of targeting India's game market, focusing primarily on the development of mobile and social titles.

The firm plans to set up a development team within India through a new initiative called the Game Development Contest India 2012 in which hopeful candidates create a team and develop a game that is then submitted to Square Enix.

In addition to an opportunity of working alongside the Japanese team, contest winners will receive a cash prize of over Rs 20 lakh.

Speaking today at a press event, honorary chairman at Square Enix Yasuhiro Fukushima stated the country will provide new untapped talent for the industry:

"We all know that India is going to be the next big market for games, but no one knows when that push will come.

"Smartphone and tablet sales are very strong in India, and it is the fastest growing platform for games around the world. So we want to work closely with Indian developers to make sure that when that big push does happen, there are quality Indian games available to audiences both in India and abroad."

Fukushima emphasizes this is a long-term plan but expects results within the next few years.

"If this contest helps us discover some great games, that'll be fantastic, but more than that, we're looking for promising talent whom we can work with in the long term. I envision that three years from now, there will be hit titles coming out of India that the world will enjoy, and five years from, top Indian developers will be well known on the global stage."