India’s Astrode Studio is working on Elebend, a real-time strategy game set in a dark fantasy universe. The title is being developed initially for mobile platforms, with Android as the first release, and future plans for PC.
Elebend places players in control of elemental gods who are imprisoned and fragmented, forced to fight for survival. The roster includes characters representing Fire, Water, Wind, Thunder, Gravity and Sound, each with distinct abilities and narrative arcs. Gameplay combines tactical decision-making, board-based positioning, cinematic combat and episodic narrative progression.
With a compact team of designers, developers, artists and writers, Astrode Studio creates IPs with an emphasis on world-building, narrative and gameplay systems.
Talking about developing Elebend, the co-founder and game director Himanshu Gupta said, “We faced challenges in balancing scope with resources, maintaining originality and refining technical systems. We addressed these through modular design, episodic content and continuous prototyping, supported by disciplined iteration and clear planning.”
He noted that independent game development in India is at a pivotal stage of growth, with strong talent and rising ambition. At the same time, he emphasised the need for greater publisher confidence, early-stage funding and platforms that encourage experimentation.
Astrode Studio’s immediate focus is on expanding their game through structured playtests, refining gameplay and progression systems, and preparing for wider public access.
In the longer term, the studio intends to grow Elebend into a multi-platform property and continue developing original worlds that combine gameplay with storytelling.
