India, Oct. 2 -- In India, the video games that command attention are usually the blockbuster action and combat ones. First-person shooter (FPS) games make up more than half of the market. And the gaming stereotype: A dude locked in with the bros, playing Call of Duty or Fortnite, rings true.

So, Supantha Paul, 25, founder of LavaPoint Studios, was surprised to see games about grief, loss and mental health presented at the India Game Showcase in June. The online event is organised by Nodwin Gaming in partnership with Los Angeles's Summer Game Fest. It featured Fishbowl, a story about a young adult dealing with her grandmother's death. There was Appa, a card-battle game about two siblings grappling with the death of their father. And Paul...