Karan Shroff, the former Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) and partner at Unacademy has ventured into the gaming industry with the establishment of LightFury Games.

Announcing the inception of LightFury Games on LinkedIn, Shroff expressed his excitement about the venture, emphasizing the studio’s dedication to crafting AAA games within the Indian gaming landscape. He revealed that the startup’s initial focus would be on mobile phone games, with plans to expand to other gaming platforms such as consoles gradually.

Inc42 mentioned that joining Shroff in this gaming endeavour are industry veterans Anurag Banerjee and Tina Balachandran. Banerjee is a co-founder of LightFury Games’ and will serve as the Chief Product and Technology Officer (CPTO). He brings over two decades of game development experience, having contributed to renowned AAA titles like Assassin’s Creed, Suicide Squad, and Batman’s Arkham Asylum. Balachandran, formerly a senior VP at Unacademy, lends her expertise to the venture, aiming to leverage India’s immense gaming talent on a global scale.

Commenting on their mission, Banerjee said that the company is committed to developing AAA titles from India, emphasizing their innovative approach and ambition to push boundaries within the gaming industry.

Despite being in its nascent stages, LightFury Games has already sparked interest, with plans to announce funding shortly. Shroff has over 15 years of experience in event management and brand marketing. He was helming the marketing operations for Unacademy and Xiaomi India.

While the company’s website hints at forthcoming developments with a “Coming Soon” message, its LinkedIn profile underscores LightFury’s objective of crafting AAA games in India, a domain which has been unexplored by the country’s gaming sector.

The establishment of LightFury Games comes while India is witnessing a growing gaming market, with many active gamers. Despite the industry’s growth, there is a lack of prominent games originating from India.

Addressing this gap, industry experts like Nazara Technologies’ CEO Nitish Mittersain anticipate Indian gaming studios achieving global recognition and success in the coming decade. Mayhem Studios, the mobile game development arm of gaming unicorn Mobile Premier League (MPL), recently ventured into AAA game development with the beta launch of Underworld Gang Wars (UGW), signalling a growing interest in high-budget game development within the country.