Softstar Spins Off Local Subsidiary To Make Its India Debut

Taiwanese gaming giant Softstar Entertainment on Wednesday (June 28) announced its foray into India with the launch of Starlight Gaming. The new entity will be focussed on game development and republishing the parent company’s popular titles in India.

Further, the new firm will largely target Indian users and is part of Softstar’s strategy to ramp up its global presence.

Softstar Entertainment is a Taiwanese game developer and publisher that has produced gaming titles such as Richman, Chinese Paladin and Xuan-Yuan Sword. 

The India foray will allow the company to shore up its numbers and tap into the burgeoning Indian gaming market. In a statement, the company said that it will focus on offering immersive gaming experience across genres, adding that it aims to set new ‘benchmarks in innovation, quality, and player contentment’.

 “…We will bring together a talented team, a deep understanding of what gamers like, and technology to develop games that engage and captivate players. To ensure our games truly resonate with Indian gamers, we are committed to creating games that are made for India in every way,” said Starlight Gaming’s COO Laveesh Pandey.

Going forward, the company said it aims to integrate technology, gameplay mechanics and storylines to attract Indian users and position itself as a significant player in the local gaming industry.

Softstar’s India foray comes at a time when the homegrown gaming space has attracted the attention of gaming giants the world over. 

A few weeks ago, Chinese gaming major Tencent marked its India re-entry with the launch of its game, Undawn. 

Last month, the Indian government lifted the ban on the popular battle royale game Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI).

Prior to that, homegrown listed gaming unicorn Nazara Technologies’ esports subsidiary NODWIN Gaming unveiled plans to raise $28 Mn from new and existing investors, including Krafton.

However, the entry of international gaming giants into India has been tough. While Tencent’s India re-entry plans were mired in controversy after a non-profit organisation sought a ban on Undawn, BGMI has been delisted from Google Play Store in India. 

Indian authorities have also cracked the whip on many apps and games in the past for their alleged links with China. However, not all is gloomy. 

With an increasing smartphone and internet penetration, India has seen a new crop of gamers emerge and that too in huge numbers. As such, the country has emerged as a lucrative market for international players, who are looking to boost their user base and revenues.

Per a report, India was home to more than 507 Mn gamers at the end of FY22. The market size of the homegrown gaming industry stood at $2.6 Bn in FY22 and is projected to grow multifold to $8.6 Bn by FY27.