Chinese tech giant Tencent, the world’s largest game publisher, has made a comeback in the Indian gaming market with the launch of its latest game, Undawn, on June 15. Tencent has entered India through its global game publishing arm, Level Infinite, based in Singapore and Amsterdam.

This marks Tencent’s return to the Indian gaming scene three years after it had to withdraw all its games and apps from the country due to the Indian government’s ban on Chinese apps in 2020, citing national security concerns.

Several popular games, including Krafton’s PUBG Mobile (with ties to Tencent, which have since been severed), Garena’s Free Fire, and various titles from Chinese gaming giant NetEase, were among the apps banned at that time.

Undawn’s launch is significant because it is Tencent’s first direct game launch in India. The game is set in a post-apocalyptic world and is a survival game. It is being touted as a mobile-first game, with a companion PC version available on Steam.

Interestingly, while PUBG Mobile faced a ban due to its association with Tencent, many gaming companies under Tencent’s ownership have not faced similar repercussions. Riot Games, based in the US (known for League of Legends and Valorant), Supercell from Finland (known for Clash of Clans and Clash Royale), and Swiss mobile games major Miniclip have all thrived in India despite Tencent being their parent company.

For now, Level Infinite is exclusively offering Undawn in India. Established in December 2021, the gaming label publishes various games outside of India, including Arena of Valor, Tower of Fantasy, and Contra Returns. Tencent has stated that Level Infinite will release and market games from Tencent-owned studios and other partners to global audiences.

Tencent’s launch of Undawn coincides with Krafton’s interest in the Indian gaming market. Krafton recently released a new game, Road to Valor: Empires, in February this year after its PUBG alternative battle royale game, BGMI, was also banned in India. However, BGMI made a comeback last month with limited playtime and parental verification for users under 18 years of age.

India is one of the fastest-growing gaming markets globally in terms of revenue and user base. According to a FICCI-EY report, India’s gaming industry revenue reached INR 13,500 crore in 2022. However, 77% of the sector’s revenue comes from real-money gaming segments.

Chinese tech giant Tencent, the world’s largest game publisher, has made a comeback in the Indian gaming market with the launch of its latest game, Undawn, on June 15. Tencent has entered India through its global game publishing arm, Level Infinite, based in Singapore and Amsterdam.

This marks Tencent’s return to the Indian gaming scene three years after it had to withdraw all its games and apps from the country due to the Indian government’s ban on Chinese apps in 2020, citing national security concerns.

Several popular games, including Krafton’s PUBG Mobile (with ties to Tencent, which have since been severed), Garena’s Free Fire, and various titles from Chinese gaming giant NetEase, were among the apps banned at that time.

Undawn’s launch is significant because it is Tencent’s first direct game launch in India. The game is set in a post-apocalyptic world and is a survival game. It is being touted as a mobile-first game, with a companion PC version available on Steam.

Interestingly, while PUBG Mobile faced a ban due to its association with Tencent, many gaming companies under Tencent’s ownership have not faced similar repercussions. Riot Games, based in the US (known for League of Legends and Valorant), Supercell from Finland (known for Clash of Clans and Clash Royale), and Swiss mobile games major Miniclip have all thrived in India despite Tencent being their parent company.

For now, Level Infinite is exclusively offering Undawn in India. Established in December 2021, the gaming label publishes various games outside of India, including Arena of Valor, Tower of Fantasy, and Contra Returns. Tencent has stated that Level Infinite will release and market games from Tencent-owned studios and other partners to global audiences.

Tencent’s launch of Undawn coincides with Krafton’s interest in the Indian gaming market. Krafton recently released a new game, Road to Valor: Empires, in February this year after its PUBG alternative battle royale game, BGMI, was also banned in India. However, BGMI made a comeback last month with limited playtime and parental verification for users under 18 years of age.

India is one of the fastest-growing gaming markets globally in terms of revenue and user base. According to a FICCI-EY report, India’s gaming industry revenue reached INR 13,500 crore in 2022. However, 77% of the sector’s revenue comes from real-money gaming segments.