Tencent signs MoUs with SEPC and GDAI to train 2 million Indian gaming professionals

Tencent is returning to India’s gaming sector years after the PUBG Mobile ban, with fresh investments, partnerships and plans for new launches.

Tencent plans fresh India gaming investments years after PUBG Mobile ban disrupted its operations and market presence. (REUTERS)

Nearly six years after PUBG Mobile disappeared from Indian app stores, Tencent is attempting to rebuild its presence in the country's gaming industry. The Chinese gaming company on Friday announced a new partnership with the Services Export Promotion Council (SEPC) and the Game Developers Association of India (GDAI), marking its first major public move in India since regulatory restrictions hit its operations in 2020.

₹100 Million Investment Plan

As part of the collaboration, Tencent said it will invest more than ₹100 million over the next three years in programmes focused on India's gaming sector. The company plans to support curriculum development, training initiatives, mentorship programmes and skill-building projects aimed at students, creators and gaming studios.

Tencent said the effort aligns with India's target of creating a large, skilled workforce for the gaming industry by 2030. The company added that the investment would help create learning opportunities for developers and professionals looking to enter the e-gaming space.

Danny Marti, Tencent's head of public policy and global affairs, said the company wants to work with Indian partners to create opportunities for local talent and gaming studios. According to him, Tencent plans to combine its global gaming experience with India's growing developer ecosystem to help Indian creators build products for international markets.

Tencent's India Return After PUBG Ban

The announcement is significant because Tencent had sharply reduced its India operations after PUBG Mobile was banned in 2020 amid wider restrictions on Chinese-linked apps. PUBG Mobile, which Tencent operated in partnership with South Korean gaming company Krafton, was among the most downloaded mobile games in India before the ban took effect.

Since then, Krafton launched Battlegrounds Mobile India as a separate India-focused title. Tencent, however, remained largely absent from the market.

New Game Launches Likely

The latest move suggests the company sees an opening to re-enter India's gaming business as regulatory conditions appear to be changing gradually for some Chinese firms operating in the country.

Tencent also hinted that it may introduce more gaming titles in India in the coming months. Among the possible launches is Honor of Kings, one of the company's biggest global mobile gaming franchises.