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Kyrel Games’ PHi: The Broken Strings, Trojan Productions’ Trox: The Reversal, and Wrought Studios’ Last Day Lockdown highlight a new wave of Indian developers building immersive PC and console experiences for global audiences
National, May 28, 2026: India’s gaming ecosystem is beginning to move beyond fast-paced mobile formats and toward more emotionally immersive, narrative-led experiences built for global audiences. Reflecting this shift, LVL Zero, India’s first-of-its-kind gaming incubator backed by MIXI Global Investments, Nazara Technologies, and Chimera VC, is spotlighting three startups from its inaugural cohort that are building story-driven PC and console experiences rooted in atmosphere, emotion, and world-building.
Selected from over 240 applications as part of LVL Zero’s first cohort, Kyrel Games, Trojan Productions, and Wrought Studios represent a growing generation of Indian developers building games that prioritise storytelling, psychological depth, immersion, and emotional resonance alongside gameplay.
The studios are part of LVL Zero’s 100-day execution-first incubation program, which combines mentorship, ecosystem partnerships, publishing readiness, and operational support to help founders transition from early-stage concepts into globally competitive products.
Among the selected startups is Kyrel Games, an eight-member studio currently developing PHi: The Broken Strings, a narrative-driven 3D puzzle platformer for PC and console. Set within a puppet universe shaped by psychological and emotional states, the game explores themes of fear, grief, control, and acceptance through environmental storytelling and gameplay-driven metaphors.
Speaking about the vision behind the game, Mani Ghadi, Co-Founder, Kyrel Games, said, “The game is about living inside the emotional world of a puppet master through puppets and environments that embody different psychological states. Instead of telling emotions directly, we turn them into spaces, characters, and interactions.”
Another standout from the cohort is Trojan Productions, a five-member indie studio building Trox: The Reversal, a narrative psychological horror experience set within a bleak post-nuclear world inspired by brutalist architecture and social horror themes.
Unlike conventional horror experiences driven by jump scares, the studio is focused on what it describes as “humane horror”, a fear rooted in isolation, systems, morality, and survival.
“We want players to feel a constant sense of unease, uncertainty, and emotional conflict. The horror comes not just from fear, but from the world, its systems, and the choices people are forced to make to survive,” said Vinil Verghese, Co-Founder, Trojan Productions.
Meanwhile, Wrought Studios is taking a more grounded emotional approach with Last Day Lockdown, a narrative escape-room experience set entirely within a corporate office environment. Built by a three-member team, the game explores nostalgia, change, and the emotional complexity of moving on through immersive storytelling and mystery-driven gameplay.
“The office is a universal setting, and the experience of farewell is something players around the world can relate to. We wanted to build a game that captures the emotional complexity of letting go,” said Kunal Negi, Co-Founder, Wrought Studios.
Notably, all three startups are building primarily for PC and console platforms, highlighting a growing trend among Indian developers toward premium narrative experiences and globally positioned game development.
Traditionally, India’s gaming ecosystem has been associated with mobile-first development, hypercasual formats, and service-led work. However, the emergence of smaller studios building original IP across psychological horror, narrative puzzle design, and immersive storytelling signals a broader creative evolution underway within the industry.
Commenting on the cohort’s diversity and creative ambition, Sagar Nair, Head of Incubation, LVL Zero, said, “What stands out across these studios is that they are not building around trends or replication. They are building around emotion, atmosphere, and player experience. For a long time, Indian game development was heavily associated with mobile-first mechanics and engagement loops, but we are now seeing founders think much more deeply about storytelling, immersion, and globally resonant experiences.”
Through its ecosystem of global mentors and partners including Google Play, ID@Xbox, AppsFlyer, Gameramp, Lysto, Sentient, and others, LVL Zero aims to bridge long-standing execution gaps within India’s gaming ecosystem by embedding operational, publishing, growth, and product support directly into the startup journey.
As India’s gaming market continues to evolve, the rise of narrative-led and emotionally immersive game development may represent one of the ecosystem’s most important transitions yet, from being primarily a market for playing games to becoming a market capable of creating globally relevant gaming experiences.
