Tencent looks at fresh start in India, wants to be a part of e-gaming ecosystem

A few years after PUBG Mobile, a game that Tencent developed in partnership with Krafton, was blocked in India, the Chinese e-gaming giant is hoping to be a part of the Indian gaming ecosystem again. On Friday, Tencent announced it was entering into a three-year partnership with Services Export Promotion Council (SEPC), an entity created by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and the Game Developers Association of India (GDAI), hoping to contribute to India’s e-gaming sector.

The Chinese giant, which is one of the biggest e-gaming companies in the world, also announced that as part of its partnerships, it would be committing over $100 million on India-specific programmes.

The money, according to Tencent, will be spent on curriculum development around e-gaming, industry training, and mentorships. The idea, noted the company, was to contribute to India’s efforts to train and employ two million skilled professionals in the e-gaming sector by 2030.

“Our goal (with India) goes beyond investing in programmes. We want to work with local partners to build practical pathways for talent, creators, and studios,” said Danny Marti, head of public policy and global affairs, Tencent. “By combining India’s creative strengths with Tencent’s expertise, we hope to support a more connected and globally competitive ecosystem.”

For Tencent, its initiative on Friday marks the company’s first step towards rebuilding its India presence and operations. In the months and years following the regulatory change in 2020 after restrictions on PUBG in India, the company drastically reduced its footprint. But recently the regulatory regime concerning China-based companies seems to be changing, and that probably gives Tencent an opportunity to become part of the India story again.

The company notes that in the coming months it is also likely to launch fresh new gaming titles in India, including global hits like Honor of Kings.