Indie. Indian. Incredible

In a country where mobile gaming still dominates the charts, a small indie studio from Mumbai is quietly redefining what it means to make games in India. Their new title Mukti isn’t just a game — it’s a deeply personal story, a technical leap, and a loud signal that Indian creators are ready for the global stage.

Developed by underDOGS Studio, Mukti is a first-person narrative adventure set in mid-2000s India. It follows Arya, a young woman exploring a mysterious museum once owned by her grandfather, trying to uncover the truth behind his disappearance — and behind something darker: human trafficking.

What makes Mukti stand out isn’t just its story. It’s how it’s told, and where is it coming from.

 

A Real Game, with Real Footage

When the Mukti trailer was released on May 21, 2025, it didn’t look like your usual teaser. There were no flashy CGI sequences or fake cinematic shots. What viewers saw was actual gameplay, in-engine, running on real hardware.

“We didn’t want to show a bunch of pre-rendered fluff,” says Vaibhav Chavan, the game’s director and founder of underDOGS Studio. “We waited for over a year without showing anything — no screenshots, no teasers — because we wanted our first reveal to be real.”

That decision paid off. Within 24 hours, the trailer had been featured on PlayStation Global, IGN, and several major platforms. It quickly crossed 200,000 views and began trending among gaming communities both in India and abroad.

 

 

Sony’s India Hero Project: Support That Goes Beyond Money

Mukti is part of Sony’s India Hero Project, a program aimed at helping promising Indian game developers create high-quality titles for global platforms. According to Vaibhav, this collaboration changed everything.

“Sony didn’t just give us money,” he says. “They gave us knowledge. Every week we were on calls with their engineering, art, and production teams. These people have worked on global AAA games. That kind of mentorship? You can’t buy that.”

Sony also helped underDOGS Studio adopt development pipelines used by international studios — a first for many small teams in India.

“Most Indian studios don’t even know these pipelines exist,” says Vaibhav. “Thanks to Sony, we built a foundation that let us deliver real, optimized gameplay. The trailer? That’s pre-alpha footage. And it already runs as smoothly on PS5 and PC as it looks.”

 

Staying True to the Indie Spirit

While some developers rush to label their games as India’s first AAA titles, Vaibhav takes a different route. “We are building an Indie Game and we're very proud of that".

He adds, “We’re not here to chase a title or pretend we’re something we’re not. We’re building a story-driven, focused experience that respects the genre. It’s polished, it’s emotional, and it’s built for people who love narrative games.”

Mukti also draws inspirations from titles like Firewatch, What Remains of Edith Finch, and Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture. These are games that focus on exploration and story — not combat or spectacle — and Vaibhav believes that kind of storytelling has a true place in the Indian Gaming Ecosystem.

 

 

Building for the Long Term

UnderDOGS Studio isn’t a newcomer. Founded in 2011, it started out making browser games and later moved into mobile, PC, and console. Today, it’s a tight-knit team of 15 working from a small office in Mumbai, supported by veteran consultants with decades of experience in the industry.

Vaibhav himself is a computer engineer turned game designer, with stints at India Games and Games2Win. But his storytelling instincts go even deeper — he spent over a decade in theatre, directing and acting in regional plays.

“That’s where my love for narrative comes from,” he says. “Games are the most powerful medium today. With Mukti, we’re telling a story that matters, using tools that reach people everywhere.”

 

A Platform for the Future

Mukti will be available on both PS5 and PC, with full support for modern features like haptics and adaptive triggers on the PlayStation DualSense controller. On PC, it will support full controller integration, achievements, and family sharing via Steam.

Though pricing details are still under discussion, Vaibhav confirms they will take regional pricing into account. “We’re not rushing into pricing decisions,” he says. “We want the experience to be right first. But we’re absolutely considering the Indian audience while planning it.”

The long-term vision? More than just one game.

“Mukti is just the beginning,” says Vaibhav. “The story is strong enough to go transmedia. We’re already thinking about how it could evolve into films, books, or more games. We want to build a studio that’s known for telling great stories — and not just in India.”

 

Why Mukti Matters

Mukti means “freedom” — a fitting name for a game that wants to break free from stereotypes, both in terms of content and perception. It’s not just about making a game. It’s about proving that India can produce world-class stories, told through world-class games, by teams that stay grounded and authentic.

Vaibhav says it best: “If you believe in bold stories, fresh voices, and unforgettable experiences — then help us by adding Mukti to your wishlist. Because every wishlist counts. It shows that the world is ready for what India has to say.”

 

 

In addition to this, underDOGS Studio has revealed the tentative specifications for the PC
version of Mukti. They are as follows:

Minimum
● Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
● OS: Windows 10
● Processor: Intel Core i5-9400F or better or AMD Ryzen 5 3500 or better
● Memory: 8 GB RAM
● Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 (4 GB) or AMD Radeon RX 570 (4 GB) or RX 6400
● Storage: 40 GB available space
Recommended
● Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
● OS: Windows 11
● Processor: Intel Core i7-12700K or better or AMD Ryzen 7 7700 or better
● Memory: 16 GB RAM
● Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Ti (16 GB) or AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT (12 GB)
● Storage: 40 GB available space

The Steam version of Mukti will also support achievements, family sharing, and will have full
controller support to boot. 

If you want to watch the full interview of Mukti's founder with India Today Gaming, head over to our YouTube channel.