India’s gaming landscape has evolved from a niche subculture into a major industry. Once an ancillary segment, it now spans mobiles, global streaming platforms, and a generation that embraces it as a lifestyle.
This diverse ecosystem includes development, modding, and content creation. Yet game journalism, an essential aspect, remains underrepresented.
We spoke with Siddharth Patil, a gaming journalist with a decade’s experience in the Indian scene. He has written for national and international publications and now contributes to Sportskeeda, covering industry trends and community events with insight.
In this conversation, he reveals the realities of gaming journalism in India, explains why passion is crucial for sustainability, and discusses the future for aspiring writers in this space.
Q1. So, to start with: Tell us about yourself. You’re officially a ‘gaming journalist’ in India, which is, by all accounts, an unconventional career. How did that come about?
A. Hello there. My name is Siddharth Patil, and yes, currently I work as a game journalist at Sportskeeda, one of the more prominent websites for sports and gaming in the country. I’ve been working there for about three years, providing 360-degree coverage of games and the Indian gaming scene.
And yes, you are right. In layman’s terms, this is an unorthodox job title, especially in this country. Because let’s face it, it’s 2025, yet the public perception of video games is still a “child’s pastime,” something one is expected to grow out of after high school.
For me, however, all that is irrelevant. I have been an avid gamer ever since I can remember and still consider it a great art form that can entertain and teach all demographics. Ever since I first played “Wolfenstein 3D” on my cousin’s PC, I’ve been attracted to the medium, and that fascination hasn’t died.
It’s that passion that led me to seek like-minded folks in online gaming communities with whom I could share my love for games. And really, that’s where my career kicked off. Since starting as an official game journo in 2016, I’ve written for a handful of sites, including E1M1, a Britain-based retro FPS magazine, before landing my current job at Sportskeeda.
Q2. Many people in India want to explore media as a career. Is ‘gaming journalism’ a potential avenue for them? From the outside, it seems a niche field for those already well-versed in the subject, like ‘music journalism’ or ‘TV journalism’.
A. For this question, it’s best to be straightforward.
As someone writing about games for almost a decade, my brutally honest answer is a loud, resounding “NO” to those aiming for game journalism as a serious career path. Why? Because the pay rates are well below minimum industry standard wage, even today.
Many people who talk about video games are also pursuing other things, are involved in other careers, or come from well-off backgrounds. Game journalism is a passion they aim to pursue seriously, but it’s often an alternate path to their regular career.
So, unless you’re in it for the passion and can tolerate burnout, mental fatigue, and writer’s block – and that’s just me getting started – you’re better off looking elsewhere to make your living. Keep game journalism as a cool side activity.
Disappointing? Probably. But that’s the reality—not just in India, but globally. That said, you’re right: TV and news journalism are definitely more popular and mainstream than writing about video games, because core gaming (on PC and consoles) isn’t big in our country. Things could change eventually, but it’s a long way off.
Q3. When people in India think of gaming, many think of development or marketing. How does journalism stack up against those fields? In a country where all this is fairly niche, is the community close-knit?
A. To give you the low-down: game journalism and development aren’t similar. At all.
They are complete polar opposites. Game marketing, however, can be considered journo-adjacent, or just part of traditional marketing.
Among the three, game development is the most challenging, involving a combination of technical and creative fields – from coding and designing to writing and marketing. That said, each requires a passion for playing and understanding games. So, it often depends on the individual to ask: Do I really have it?
Now, to answer whether the gaming community in India is close-knit? No, it isn’t. Not at all.
After all, our national game development scene is fledgling at best, even in 2025. And if that wasn’t bad enough, an overwhelming majority of the Indian demographic isn’t interested in indie games, much less being paying customers; mobile and F2P (free-to-play) games are king in our market. That is not a healthy sign.
What’s more, unlike our neighbour China, there is no government interest or incentive for growth in the virtual entertainment sector. It’s a sad state of affairs, honestly. It has so much potential to blossom into something unique and sustainable, but many people seem to have extremely narrow perspectives.
So yes, that openness is lacking. I feel if people broadened their horizons occasionally, we could be on the way to greatness, but I don’t have my hopes up.
Q4. Is the field competitive in India, like it is abroad? There are many Indian gaming sites and writers, not to mention YouTube influencers and tech reviewers. What do you feel you have to do to stand out?
A. Journalistically? In India? I would have to say no. There really are not as many publications as there are globally. Abroad, yes, for sure, with big names like IGN, Gamespot, Kotaku, and more, who have many employees.
And yes, we have a ton of content creators here, especially on YouTube. Unfortunately, most pander to the lowest common denominator, so sadly, there is little quality to speak of broadly.
As such, you can’t really do anything to stand out since the masses are content with what’s trending. Whether that says something about overall media consumption habits in the country is not for me to say. But I do sometimes feel disheartened by the poor quality of content and the audience apathy of recent times.
That said, the best one could do is nurture a close-knit group of like-minded people who share the same passion and vision for gaming—an admiration for the creativity this hobby cultivates. Sadly, accomplishing that is like finding a needle in a haystack.
Q5. Can gaming journalism serve as a path to pivot into other areas of the industry, like development or production? What are some of the biggest challenges of working in this field?
A. Why not? As I mentioned, the one common thing needed across these fields is to understand and have a zeal for gaming. That said, one will require experience in the subset of game development they wish to enter.
So, for example, those wishing to pursue core technology development, like game engines, or just be involved in constructing the game fundamentally, will need programming familiarity. Others wanting involvement with creative aspects, like character or level design, must be experienced with 3D modeling and drawing.
So there is, yes, much scope for learning and growth in development. But as always, there is a catch.
The biggest hurdle in the game development industry is perhaps its volatility. Layoffs are common, especially over the past few years. This, coupled with pay not being as high as in other Computer Science sectors, makes it unappealing long-term. For some, at least.
Unless, of course, you’re in it for the fun and experience, as with game journalism. But ultimately, game dev is very arduous, especially as an independent or, worse, solo developer. Just look at the hundreds of games released on digital storefronts like Steam monthly; you’d be lucky to find a couple that hit the mainstream.
In fact, the Pune-based studio behind Raji: An Ancient Epic? Their journey, trials and tribulations are worth following for anyone considering this field. It’s a fascinating story of people risking it all (even homelessness) to realise their dreams. This gives others hope: Yes, it is possible.
Don’t let things dissuade you from your game dev dreams, but be aware of the major risks.
Q6. Tell us about some intricacies of your job. What is the review process like? How are previews done? How do you build connections and leverage industry contacts?
A. Honestly, it’s pretty simple overall—often very similar to what people in content creation and media do.
As a writer, your job is to devise appealing topics and content for the site. As an editor, you must ensure everything meets a robust quality standard regarding SEO, minimising errors, etc., while following each publication’s format and editing fundamentals.
Reviewing games is also interesting, perhaps a key plus of this field; who wouldn’t want to get a major game release before 99% of the world? That said, this privilege brings responsibilities. From strictly following NDAs and contract clauses and managing title coverage, to professionally playing and writing a hefty review objectively judging all aspects, it can be challenging. Previews are less strict, thankfully, but follow a similar format, minus review scores.
Additionally, like any other field, contacts are important. This requires spreading out and getting in touch with as many folks as possible—from game developers and community managers to the average gamer on social media. You never know where you might find the right person or group on your wavelength. So the goal is always to be moving and keeping an eye out.
Q7. We know you’re a big Nintendo fan. What were your thoughts on the latest Nintendo Direct? How well do you think The Switch 2 will do with the Indian audience?
A.I’ve thought about this for a while and realised that, more than their games, Nintendo’s philosophy of game creation has always attracted me.
But to answer your question, the recent Nintendo Switch 2 Direct showcase was arguably their best in a long time, if ever. With so many high-quality games on the horizon, the upcoming Nintendo hybrid console looks to be another smash hit.
That said, I expect the Nintendo Switch 2 to do more or less as well as the original among the gamer crowd here: mildly popular, but not enough to make a blip on Nintendo’s radar since the Japanese company lacks an official presence in India.
Q8. And what are some of your favourite games?
Some of my all-time favorite video games include Borderlands 2, Okami HD, Transistor, and Deus Ex: Human Revolution. Each is vastly different but easily among the best in their respective genres.
Borderlands 2 boasts a solid FPS/RPG campaign with wide weapon and build variety, enjoyable for hours, especially in co-op. I love Okami’s unique wolf-based combat and traversal, its art style, Japanese mythological background, and nature-friendly message.
Transistor and Deus Ex: Human Revolution are wildly different slices of science fiction. Both are engrossing RPGs with intriguing plots, well-written characters, and addictive combat. The former is a heartfelt isometric experience in a virtual realm; the latter is an immersive sim stealth game in a dystopian future mirroring real life.
Q9. What do you feel about the current state of the Industry? The ‘creativity vs commerce’ debate. Do you think single-player games are finally coming back?
A. Look, the ‘creativity vs commerce’ debate isn’t limited to games. It’s there with movies, music, every art form. It’s no secret that Quality has been regressing, thanks to the AAA games industry choosing to please investors before their audience of common gamers.
Interestingly, all titles I praised above are over a decade old.
I guess this paints a bleak image of the current video game industry, which may be heading towards another major crash sooner than later.
While gamers can’t do much about internal affairs like layoffs or employee mistreatment, the public has become too complacent with anti-consumer practices—a whole different can of worms. ‘Slop’ content bafflingly often dominates gaming, just as it does movies and music
Furthermore, games are becoming more expensive to develop, with ballooning budgets and steeper price tags, showing little creativity or innovation. In fact, swathes of DLCs sold separately on top of microtransactions in Premium Editions add insult to injury. That said, history occasionally shows the public is happy to pay for a high-quality product that respects their time.
There is no better example than Baldur’s Gate 3 from 2023. Developed by Larian Studios, it’s a massive, feature-packed experience with no penny-pinching tactics. I paid full price at launch and don’t regret it one bit; I’ll gladly do so again because it’s a shining beacon of how to get it done.
And its 15 million sales prove gamers want rich solo experiences. With countless dormant franchises returning—like the new Fable, Okami 2, Patapon remaster, and more—gaming is certainly back on track for the single-player crowd.
Q10. What kind of stories do you wish Indian games would tell?
As cheesy as it sounds, I’d love to see well-made games based on Indian myths and folklore.
Many Indian game devs aim to create games around Hindu mythology, often meeting resistance from religious communities. While Hindu myths are an excellent source of untapped stories for virtual experiences, developers should try a roundabout route.
Instead of games based directly on Hindu myths, they can make games inspired by them, taking fundamental aesthetics but creating their own rules, lore, and world-building. An upcoming game from Bhopal-based developers, Null New Order, does exactly that.
It circumvents issues of hurting religious sentiments while providing a fresh experience for a global audience. If not that, regional folk tales are a good pick for various genres like horror, sidescrollers, and graphic adventures.
Q11. What’s an Indian game you think deserved more attention, and why?
I’d have to go with Raji: An Ancient Epic, which I mentioned earlier.
Even though modestly popular at launch, I think it needed a bigger global reach. The devs did a great job translating Hindu mythology to a virtual canvas, even if the game wasn’t perfect gameplay-wise. I hope we’ll see a grander sequel that gets the attention it deserves.
Q12. If you could design your own game, what would it be about?
As I mentioned, Okami is one of my all-time favorites—my #1 game. So even with a modern sequel possibly upcoming, I would love to make a spiritual successor: animal-based combat, Metroidvania-style exploration to return to previously inaccessible areas with new abilities, flashy “character action” combat, and various dungeons to puzzle and fight through.
Alternatively, I’d love to work on a turn-based JRPG with a transformation concept like Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga but with flair and graphical prowess like the recent Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. This would be set in a modern real-world setting with fantasy aspects.
To view more of Siddhath’s work, visit his profile on Sportskeeda. You can also follow him on Twitter and reach out to him on LinkedIn to keep up to date on his work or ask questions.
And if you’d like to work with us at MindBrews, write into [email protected]
