At the India Game Developer Conference (IGDC 2025), India’s largest gaming event, TILTEDU and DATSI School for Storytellers announced a landmark collaboration to launch GameCraft Pro, a one-year professional program in game design and development beginning January 2026 at DATSI’s Trivandrum campus (Kinfra Film & Video Park, Community Skill Parks by ASAP Kerala).
The Memorandum of Understanding was signed in the presence of Kerala government officials including IT special secretary Seeram Sambasiva Rao, Kerala Startup Mission CEO Anoop Ambika alongside industry leaders like IICT founding director & Punnaryug Artvision founder Ashish Kulkarni, Tiltlabs and TILTEDU CEO Nikhil Chandran, Zebu Animation Studios and DATSI School for Storytellers CEO & founder Veerendra Patil, Zebu Animation art director & co-founder Venkataramanan K, and DATSI School director Michael Joseph.
The initiative marks a significant push to establish Kerala as a gaming hub powered by storytelling and cultural innovation rather than just technical expertise.
What is GameCraft Pro?
GameCraft Pro is a practice-based program combining game design, storytelling, and technology. The standout feature: students spend three months on a capstone project developing original game concepts ready for publishing and investor pitches. Unlike traditional game design courses, the program operates within working creative studios—students learn by doing, not just sitting in classrooms.
Why does this matter?
India’s gaming industry is projected to reach between $3.9 billion and $4.5 billion in total market value by 2025, according to the latest industry forecasts. But most game development clusters are concentrated in metros like Bangalore and Pune. GameCraft Pro aims to change that narrative for Kerala.
“This isn’t just a course launch — it’s a movement toward building a creative economy from Kerala that exports original stories through games and interactive media,” said Patil.
Industry leaders back the vision
Connecting creators to publishers: “Kerala has incredible creative talent,” said Kulkarni. “With the right technology and mentorship, we can create world-class IPs from here. GameCraft Pro bridges the gap between concept and commercial release.”
Building entrepreneurs, not just employees: Chandran emphasised the broader mission. “We’re not just teaching game mechanics. We’re building entrepreneurs and innovators who will lead Kerala’s creative economy.”
Government support and policy alignment
This isn’t happening in isolation. Kerala’s government is actively pushing creative industries through its new AVGC (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics) Policy. “We’re translating policy into practice. Building real skills and products from Kerala for the world,” said Ambika.
Empowering Kerala’s creative ecosystem
By anchoring the program within government skill parks and industry networks, GameCraft Pro aims to build a model for sustainable creative education and production in India’s southern states. The initiative also aligns with the larger vision of SAIK (Society of AVGC-XR Institutions in Kerala) to establish Kerala as a hub for animation, VFX, gaming, and comics driven by cultural context and technological innovation.
“I congratulate TILTLABS and the DATSI Foundation for launching such a valuable initiative. Kerala recognises the immense potential of the AVGC sector, and we have recently introduced dedicated policy support to encourage its growth. The state has exceptional creative talent, but what we need now is a strong, consistent talent pipeline that can produce high-quality professionals and high-quality original content,” said Rao.
He further mentioned,” This partnership is perfectly aligned with that vision. I encourage you to set clear targets, take this program to colleges across Kerala, and train talent in large numbers. A Section 8 company supported by CSR is an excellent vehicle for this initiative. I wish you all success and assure you of our continued support as you build this ecosystem.”
Program details
GameCraft Pro begins in January 2026 and runs for 12 months at the DATSI School for Storytellers,situated in the idyllic surroundings of Kinfra Film & Video Park in Trivandrum. The program focuses on game design, development, storytelling, and original IP creation. Students complete the program with one original IP prototype ready to publish or pitch to investors, alongside the skills needed for immediate employment in the industry.
About the partners
TILTEDU is a next-generation learning ecosystem designed to shape the future of game development, immersive media, and creative technology. Founded by the creators of Tiltlabs—an award-winning creative tech studio known for its innovations in immersive and interactive storytelling—Tiltedu brings real industry expertise into education. Its programs equip students, hobbyists, and aspiring professionals with the skills, mentorship, and hands-on experience needed to thrive in the creative economy.
DATSI School for Storytellers, founded by Zebu Animation Studios, bridges traditional storytelling and new media through studio-integrated learning. Operating in animation, VFX, and now game design, Datsi embeds students within a working creative studio, ensuring education reflects real-world production.
