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In a time when many Indian game developers are wanting to create that one big AAA hit, Studio Sirah decided to delve into the incredibly niche TCG/CCG (Trading Card Game/Collectible Card Game) genre with its debut game, Kurukshetra: Ascension, allowing you to play through unique spins on Indian epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata, with tons of original lore to uncover.
Even while being inspired from classic trading card games like Magic: The Gathering and newer, digital iterations of the genre such as Blizzard’s Hearthstone, the indie game Kurukshetra: Ascension is unique in its gameplay mechanics and features such as row mechanics and armour, shared the studio’s co-founder Abhaas Shah. “Players can adopt the role of any of the well-known characters on different sides of the epics (example Arjun, Surpanakha), build card decks which are suited to each of their unique playstyles and battle it out in turn-based matches.”
The game targets the competitive CCG audiences with Duels as well as casual players with a story mode to learn more about Indian epics and their characters. “It brings out interesting narrative elements and, where possible, portrays the moral complexity and philosophical wisdom that the epics are so well known for,” Shah added.
Kurukshetra: Ascension released in Open Beta in March 2022, with the first season officially launching in April 2023. The game is monetised through in-app purchases that include season passes, and in-game currency used for consumables, cards, hero bundles and access to the game’s complete single player campaign. While the first map of the single-player campaign is free for all, users will need to pay Rs 299 in India to unlock the campaign in its entirety.
“Our thought process on monetisation is dictated by genre choice,” he explained. “Battle royales and shooters dominate the video games landscape. Most Indian gamers don’t naturally gravitate towards the strategy genre in video games despite our disposition towards churning out chess champions. So we thought there is merit in introducing audiences to new genres.”
He emphasised that players need to get a taste of a game or genre before asking them to pay and play. “We want players to experience the game and then, if they like, spend towards playing more of its single-player content or Karma passes.”
Developing a CCG was a calculated decision for Sirah. Casual games dominate the market, and hardcore genres like shooters and open-world RPGs demand massive resources, highlighted Shah. “The midcore space is empty, and Indian players have expressed their desire for Indian IP games in multiple large-scale surveys.”
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So the studio went on to build a game that was ambitious yet achievable for a small team like theirs. “CCG was the ideal genre to bring the vast, interconnected world of Indian mythology to life. This format allowed us to showcase hundreds of characters and their unique stories in a way that other genres simply couldn’t. The genre also provided a solid foundation to establish a universe that could be expanded with future games,” he revealed.
He added, “Countries like China and Japan have shown that CCGs based on local IP can thrive in a fledgling gaming ecosystem, and we believed a similar model could work in India. CCGs also offer strong monetisation potential through high ARPPU (average revenue per paying user) and long player retention.”
Kurukshetra: Ascension has had 11 seasons of content, with the latest one set in the Himalayas and focussed on the Hindu god Himavat. The next season titled Gardens of Kama is slated for February.
Beyond that, the studio is developing a new game set in the same universe but exploring a different genre — 3D RTS (real time strategy) instead of CCG. Shah hinted at an official announcement when the studio is closer to the beta stage.
Kurukshetra: Ascension is now available on PC through Steam and mobile devices through the Android Play Store and the iOS App Store.