GDC 2025 Session Viewer

Eighteen percent of the world lives in India, yet it is largely absent from gaming culture. The team behind Detective Dotson, an Indian studio, tackles the challenge of authentically representing modern India in an adventure game. This talk delves into how they overcame the challenges of building content entirely new to the medium. It is a deep dive into a unique art pipeline that mixes pixel characters with 3D environments. The talk shares insights about breaking away from visual stereotypes we have imbibed as artists and highlights the value of honest representation. Attendees will gain practical insights into creating content in underrepresented spaces and learn how thoughtful art direction can make a game stand out in a crowded marketplace. The talk ultimately inspires the audience to build worlds that they are uniquely positioned to represent - an approach that is not just artistically rewarding but also a strong business strategy.

Takeaway

Through our story, the audience introspects about worlds that THEY are uniquely positioned to represent. They are equipped with practical pipeline considerations and fueled with inspiration to go build those worlds. They can better articulate the business case for their artistic vision.

Intended Audience

This talk is for artists, art/creative directors, designers and storytellers looking to build unique worlds. Those who think deeply about exploring whitespaces in gaming culture and want to hear battle stories. Attendees walk away with material to convince their teams to venture boldly into underrepresented areas.