Level Up
Conference

DAY 1
Focused on the evolution of gaming in India, the rise of homegrown IPs, the booming esports ecosystem, and the journey from gamer to content creator. Ubisoft gave fans a behind-the-scenes glimpse into their world-building magic.
DAY 2
Dove deep into crafting immersive gaming experiences, education pathways into the industry, and exciting intersections of music and games — spotlighting collaborations that are shaping the cultural fabric of gaming. From aspiring developers to seasoned professionals, the Level Up Conference proved to be a space where innovation met opportunity.
- Key drivers for gaming growth in India: Cloud gaming, subscription services and AI-driven gaming experiences
- What it will take to make India a top gaming revenues market
- Is hardware cost still an obstacle to gaming growth in India
- Building a AAA game from India: When will India get its Black Myth Wukong moment
Moderator:
Rahul Sehgal
Founder & Lead Instructor
Gamer2Maker
speakers
Vaibhav Chavan, Founder & CEO, Underdogs Studio
Ranbeer Hora, Founder & CEO, GodSpeed Games
Nikhil Malankar, Founder & CEO, GameEon Studios
Deepak Ail, Co-Founder & CEO, Dot9 Games
Vishal Parekh, COO, CyberPowerPC
- What goes into building a unique and future-proof global IP
- What does a global gaming IP from India look like?
- The importance of live services and game longevity
- Growing a game into a franchise with new technologies, transmedia
Moderator:
Sameer Desai
Games Industry Specialist, and Independent Consultant
speakers
Himanshu Manwani, Founder, Xigma Games
Akash Menon, Gaming Head, Tulsea
Ahad Oomerbhoy, Studio Head, Singular Scheme
Hrishi Oberoi, Founder & CEO, Photon Tadpole Studios
- From good to pro – The journey of an esports athlete
- BGMI and beyond – Why does India lack robust esports circuits for more games
- Challenges facing Indian esports, and possible solutions in 2025
- How to make esports sustainable for all parties – athletes, teams, organisers, brands and publishers
Moderator:
Anurag Khurana
Founder & CEO
Newgen Gaming
speakers
Nishant Patel, Co-founder and CEO, AFK Gaming
Sharang Naicker, CEO & Managing Director, Yuvin Esports
Kartik Sabherwal, Founder & CEO, Upthrust Esports
Alwyn D’Almeida, General Manager – Games, Vodafone Idea Ltd
- More than just fun and games – The life of a gaming content creator
- Growing your audience: Collabs, community and mastering the algorithm
- Balancing between originality and what’s trending
- Tools of the trade – Building a pro streaming set-up
- Monetising your content through partnerships, sponsors, agencies
Moderator:
Sanket Mhatre
Voiceover Artist
speakers
Shagufta Iqbal (Xyaa), Gaming Content Creator
Medha Srivastava, Cosplayer and Game Artist/Illustrator
Saurabh Singh Rawat, Art and Craft Director, Metalbender Studio
Kaashvi Hiranandani, Kaash Plays
- An overview of Ubisoft in India and the Game Development Process
speakers
Sashi Menon, Head of Production, Ubisoft Mumbai
- What is world world-building and world events
- A quick glimpse into world-building, with Skull And Bones as the leading example
speakers
Tomal Banerjee, Senior Associate Producer, Ubisoft Pune
Kailash Parmar, Art Production Manager, Ubisoft Mumbai
- Skills required for a career in game development
- Disciplines and areas of study in gaming
- Foundation courses and degrees to get started in game development
- Work while you study – internships and part-time work in the industry
Moderator:
Jaydev Dhakan
HOD – Game Design
Whistling Woods International
speakers
Yan Garin, Country Head & Director, Ecole Intuit Lab
Rahul Sehgal, Founder & Lead Instructor, Gamer2maker
Aafiyat Shaikh, Founder & CEO, Gameink
Sagar Nair, Co-founder & CEO, Qlan
Gautami Khond, Game Designer, Gamer2Maker
Aadi Jain, Technical Designer, Lightfury Games
- Tips to get started in your game development journey
- Your first game: Go indie or start with a big studio
- Entry-level jobs in game development in India
- The game development process and key stakeholders along the way
Moderator:
Vivek Jha
CTO
Second Quest
speakers
Sanjay Soni, General Manager – Tech, Nazara Technologies
Ashish Daga, Co-Founder & CEO, Psypher Interactive
Ahad Oomerbhoy, Studio Head, Singular Scheme
Abraham K, Studio Head and Creative Director, Ayelet Studio
Anay Kharade, Game Design Lecturer, Seamedu
- Tips to get started in your game development journey
- Your first game: Go indie or start with a big studio
- Entry-level jobs in game development in India
- The game development process and key stakeholders along the way
speakers
Yashaswi Karthik, Senior Concept Artist, Ubisoft Mumbai
- What it means for fans
- Music licensing fundamentals
- Music Licensing for games & obstacles
- The Indian music story & the role of the media
speakers
Merrill S, Head of Programming, VH1 & MTV Beats
Speakers

AADI JAIN
Technical Designer,
Lightfury Games

AAFIYAT SHAIKH
Founder & CEO,
Gameink

ABRAHAM K
Studio Head & Creative
Director,
Ayelet Studio

AHAD OOMERBHOY
Studio Head,
Singular Scheme

AKASH MENON
Gaming Head,
Tulsea

ALWYN D’ALMEIDA
General Manager – Games,
Vodafone Idea Ltd.

ANAY KHARADE
Game Design Lecturer,
Seamedu

ANURAG KHURANA
Founder & CEO,
Newgen Gaming

ASHISH DAGA
Co-Founder & CEO,
Psypher Interactive

DEEPAK AIL
Co-Founder & CEO,
DOT9 Games

GAUTAMI KHOND
Game Designer,
Gamer2Maker

HIMANSHU MANWANI
Founder,
Xigma Games

HRISHI OBEROI
Founder & CEO,
Photon Tadpole Studios

JAYDEV DHAKAN
HOD – Game Design,
Whistling Woods International

KAASHVI HIRANANDANI
Kaash Plays

KAILASH PARMAR
Art Production Manager,
Ubisoft Mumbai

KARTIK SABHERWAL
Founder & CEO,
Upthrust Esports

MEDHA SRIVASTAVA
Cosplayer

MERRILL S
Head of Programming,
VH1 & MTV Beats

NIKHIL MALANKAR
Founder & CEO,
Gameeon Studios

NISHANT PATEL
Co-Founder & CEO,
AFK Gaming

RAHUL SEHGAL
Founder & Lead Instructor,
Gamer2Maker

RANBEER HORA
Founder & CEO,
Godspeed Games

SAGAR NAIR
Co-Founder & CEO,
Qlan

SAMEER DESAI
Games Industry Specialist &
Independent Consultant

SANJAY SONI
General Manager – Tech,
Nazara Technologies

SANKET MHATRE
Voiceover Artist

SASHI MENON
Head of Production,
Ubisoft Mumbai

SAURABH SINGH RAWAT
Art & Craft Director,
Metalbender Studio

SHAGUFTA IQBAL (XYAA)
Gaming Content Creator

SHARANG NAICKER
CEO & Managing Director,
Yuvin Esports

TOMAL BANERJEE
Senior Associate Producer,
Ubisoft Pune

VAIBHAV CHAUHAN
Founder & CEO,
Underdogs Studio

VISHAL PAREKH
COO,
CyberpowerPC

VIVEK JHA
CTO,
Second Quest

YAN GARIN
Country Head & Director,
Ecole Intuit Lab

YASHASWI KARTHIK
Senior Concept Artist,
Ubisoft Mumbai