Abstract

Indian mythology, with its vast pantheon of deities, epics, and regional folk traditions, has become a wellspring of visual and narrative inspiration for video game developers, both in India and internationally. This case study examines the visual representation of Indian mythology across ten contemporary games, ranging from indie titles such as Raji: An Ancient Epic and Mystic Pillars to internationally distributed games like Smite and upcoming AAA productions such as The Age of Bhaarat, Son of Thanjai, and Unleash the Avatar. Using a descriptive approach drawing on academic literature, interviews, industry journalism, and platform data from Steam, Google Play, and the App Store, the study examines art direction, including character and environment design, colour palette, symbolism, and the negotiation of cultural authenticity within commercial constraints, evaluating each game for genre, art style, popularity, sales or downloads, launch date, platform, and dimensional format (2D or 3D). Findings suggest Indian mythological games occupy a spectrum between decorative iconography and deep, research-driven visual translation of scripture, architecture, and folk traditions such as Pahari painting, Mancala motifs, and Dravidian temple aesthetics, with developers increasingly prioritising authenticity while adapting mythology to global entertainment expectations. The paper concludes that although the sector remains commercially nascent compared to mythology-driven titles from Japan, Greece, or Scandinavia, a clear shift toward higher production values and cultural specificity is visible in projects announced between 2025 and 2026, highlighting video games' potential as digital artifacts that preserve and share Indian mythology with global audiences.