The Age of Bhaarat: India’s first AAA game aims to bring its epics to the world

For decades, Indian gamers have fought dragons in Skyrim, battled aliens in Halo, and raced through Los Santos in Grand Theft Auto, but never ventured through the landscapes of their own epics in a global, high-budget video game. That may soon change.

Tara Gaming, a studio co-founded by author Amish Tripathi and Nouredine Abboud (formerly of Ubisoft’s Ghost Recon franchise), is attempting what no Indian studio has before: creating a AAA title, the gaming world’s equivalent of a Hollywood blockbuster, rooted in India’s ancient epics. 

The game, titled Age of Bhaarat, promises to reimagine the era of the Ramayana for a worldwide audience. The studio also recently onboarded Amitabh Bachchan as a co-founder and investor.

The birth of a bold idea

Nicolas Granatino, who is the executive chairman of Tara Gaming, recounts that a conversation about storytelling sowed the seed for Age of Bhaarat. “We wanted a story that was new for the West but deeply insightful,” he says. “What has the West not yet been in contact with but would benefit from?” The answer, they realised, was India.

Travelling through the country, they found what Granatino calls a “goldmine” of storytelling. “People speak of the Mahabharata as a quantum story. Everyone knows the Gita, yet forgets it’s part of the Mahabharata. These are the birthplace of stories, and they’ve never been told through the highest-quality medium of our time: AAA gaming.”

Abboud, who has spent decades producing large-scale narrative games, saw both the creative and commercial opportunity. “When it comes to entertainment, the biggest marketing is your product,” he says. “If you make something of ambition and quality, especially one based on Indian epics, the audience will come.”

Myths, epics, and market realities

Tara Gaming is careful with its terminology. “We don’t use the word ‘mythology’,” says Granatino. “We call them Indian epics, because for many people, these stories are not myths. They’re living culture, even faith.”

But bringing such stories to a modern gaming platform has its challenges. India, after all, is a mobile-first nation. While the country boasts 600 million gamers, few are familiar with console or PC-based AAA titles.

Abboud shrugs off the concern. “We don’t need to sell 600 million copies,” he says. “Most mobile gamers play free-to-play titles. We’re making a full-price, premium game. Our metrics are clear; if a small portion of Indian gamers buy it, along with a strong global audience, the project is viable.”

The studio’s investment so far stands at $20 million, with a projected total cost between 60 and 70 million. The game recently crossed its pre-alpha stage and is moving toward alpha testing. But the team isn’t rushing. 

“We’ll announce the release date closer to launch,” Granatino says. “The audience’s message was clear after we released the trailer: take your time, make us proud.”

Writing sensibly

For Tripathi, celebrated author of The Shiva Trilogy, translating Indian stories into an interactive format is a natural evolution. “We wanted to create a world where players can be immersed in the era of the Ramayana, but without playing as Lord Ram,” he explains.

The game, he says, follows a ‘micro-narrative’ approach.

“Age of Bhaarat is set in the Ramayana era, but you play as a forest warden battling Rakshasas in the Dandakaranya forests. It’s the same universe, but seen from below.”

This creative distance, Tripathi notes, allows the team to stay respectful while exploring new stories. “We’re working in partnership, with deep respect for the culture. The attitude of reverence comes through in the creative.”

Amitabh Bachchan as the co-founder

Adding cinematic heft to the project is Amitabh Bachchan, who serves as a co-founder and investor. Granatino describes Bachchan’s presence as “symbolic of respect and universality”.

“He represents wisdom and stature,” says Tripathi. “We’re even designing a character inspired by him, a wise non-playable character, like an elder advisor. It’s something we’re really excited about.”

Abboud adds, “Yes, of course, having Amitabhji adds immense value. But the biggest impact isn’t just in marketing; it’s his connection to the product. The activations and promotions will come later.”

Marketing a global epic

When it comes to marketing, the team’s approach is straightforward. “The product itself is the biggest marketing tool,” says Abboud. “Good entertainment markets itself. Gamers around the world are increasingly similar in their preferences; what excites someone in Mumbai will excite someone in Paris.”

Still, Tara Gaming knows that the Age of Bhaarat phenomenon won’t be confined to Indian shores. “We anticipate strong interest in China,” says Granatino.

“Black Myth: Wukong has shown how an Asian epic can travel globally. And interestingly, Wukong’s Monkey King may have roots in Hanuman.”

Tripathi agrees. “Some Chinese friends told me they see Wukong as inspired by Hanumanji. The connections between our cultures go back hundreds of years.”

As for pricing, Tara Gaming plans to follow standard AAA conventions. “All major console games are sold at similar prices worldwide,” says Abboud.

“We’ll follow the rules of the market. Maybe there’ll be local offers for digital or PC versions, but people won’t buy this game because it’s cheap; they’ll buy it because it’s worth it. If you’re only ever going to buy one game in your life, I’d say buy Age of Bhaarat.”

The bigger picture: India’s AAA awakening?

Beyond the storytelling and spectacle, Age of Bhaarat represents something larger, a coming of age for India’s gaming ambitions. India, while being home to millions and millions of engineers, has for some reason not produced a lot of top quality global games. 

However, with The Age of Bhaarat's launch, things could change.

“The government gets it,” says Granatino. “India has world-class engineering talent, much of it tied up in real-money gaming. But the real opportunity is in IP-based games, the kind that build culture and export it.” He sees the project as a catalyst.

“Once someone takes on an AAA project from India, all hell will break loose, in the best way possible. It’s not foolish or bold. It’s rational. India has the talent, the creativity, and now, the opportunity.”

For Tripathi, it’s a cultural moment. “I think Indians will love it. It’ll be a moment of pride.”