A new challenger enters: Gaming hardware startup ARC debuts to build a handheld console for India
The Indian gaming landscape has traditionally been a mobile-first kingdom, but a new homegrown player is looking to shake up the status quo. Bengaluru-based startup ARC has officially announced its grand entry into the tech world as India’s newest gaming hardware company. Founded by lifelong gamers Jobin Joseph and Kaustubh K Jadhav, the brand aims to make premium, console-grade gaming vastly more accessible to Indian consumers by designing dedicated handheld gaming devices from the ground up.
Escaping the smartphone screen
Over the past decade, smartphones have democratized gaming for millions across the country. However, ARC points out that true premium gaming experiences have remained gated behind steep price tags, with global tech giants rarely designing products tailored specifically for the behaviors, aspirations, and economic realities of Indian players. The company’s long-term roadmap focuses on bridging this gap, offering a portable alternative that lets mobile players smoothly transition into high-fidelity console-quality play.
Highlighting the underlying philosophy of the venture, Jobin Joseph, Co-founder of ARC, stated:
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“India has built one of the world’s largest gaming communities, but premium gaming remains inaccessible for many players. We believe it’s time to change that. ARC was created with a simple vision to build products that make high-quality gaming more accessible and help more Indians experience gaming beyond the smartphone.”
Tackling a notoriously complex supply chain
Building hardware is universally recognized as one of the toughest challenges in consumer tech, demanding intricate management of engineering, manufacturing, and international component supply chains. Yet, the founders believe the sheer scale of the Indian gaming market means it deserves a dedicated hardware ecosystem engineered specifically for how locals play. Alongside the company announcement, ARC has dropped the first episode of its journey across social channels like YouTube and Instagram, documenting the raw, unvarnished process of building a tech hardware brand out of India.
Can a local hero survive the silicon wars?
The handheld gaming segment is experiencing an unprecedented global renaissance, and we have already heavily tested the heavyweights dominating this space. From the premium ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X, with its massive battery life and polished ergonomics, to the Intel-powered MSI Claw, the bar for portable, PC-grade execution is set incredibly high. For an Indian startup like ARC to enter this ring is an immensely bold move, especially when the global semiconductor and component market remains stubbornly pricey, driving up manufacturing costs everywhere.
The true test for ARC will lie in its final execution and pricing architecture. While premium international alternatives frequently hover between Rs 45,000 to well over Rs 90,000 in India, a localized contender could completely disrupt the market if it strikes the perfect balance between mid-range performance and affordability. Whether ARC can source competitive silicon to successfully pull mobile gamers away from their touchscreens while surviving the brutal economics of modern hardware manufacturing will be the ultimate storyline to watch.
