Bot at 15:41, 24 November 2022

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{{italic title}}{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}{{Use Indian English|date = November 2022}}
{{Infobox video game
| image = File:Guardians of the Skies video game logo.PNG
| developer = Threye Interactice Pvt Ltd (Threye: Military Games)
| publisher = [[Indian Air Force]]
| released = 3 July 2014
| platforms = [[Android (operating system)|Android]], [[iOS]], Microsoft
| genre = [[Combat flight simulation game|Combat flight simulator]]
| modes = [[Singleplayer]], [[Multiplayer]]
| italic title = Guardians of the Skies
}}
'''''Guardians of the Skies''''' is the first [[video game]] produced by the [[Indian Air Force]], released in 2014. After an open tender process a private developer based in New Delhi, ''Threye'', was chosen to develop the game.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.news18.com/news/india/indian-air-force-launches-guardians-of-the-skies-3d-mobile-game-699335.html|title=Indian Air Force launches 'Guardians of the Skies' 3D mobile game|date=3 July 2014|website=News18|others=Press Trust of India|access-date=2019-11-22}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=112972|title=Indian Air Force (IAF) to launch Phase II of the 3d Air Combat Mobile Game 'Guardians of the Skies'|date=10 December 2014|website=Press Information Bureau|access-date=2019-11-23}}</ref> Air Marshal S. Sukumar launched the first phase of game on 3 July 2014.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/indian-air-force-launches-countrys-first-3d-mobile-game/article6173600.ece|title=Indian Air Force launches country's first 3D mobile game|date=3 July 2014|work=The Hindu|access-date=2019-11-23|others=PTI|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170204203523/http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/indian-air-force-launches-countrys-first-3d-mobile-game/article6173600.ece|archive-date=4 February 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> The first phase went onto get over a million downloads and won the "Best Indian Game" on its app store award from Microsoft in 2014 before the second phase was launched.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.firstpost.com/tech/news-analysis/iaf-launches-sequel-award-winning-guardians-skies-mobile-game-3660173.html|title=IAF launches sequel to award-winning 'Guardians of the Skies' mobile game|date=12 December 2014|website=Tech2 - Firstpost|others=Press Trust of India|access-date=2019-11-23}}</ref> On 12 December 2014 [[Chief of the Air Staff (India)|Chief of the Air Staff]] Air Chief Marshal [[Arup Raha]] launched phase two at the IAF Auditorium, New Delhi.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/wing-commander-abhinandan-rafale-aircraft-and-more-in-iafs-video-game-a-cut-above/article29557083.ece|title=Wing Commander Abhinandan, Rafale aircraft and more in IAF's video game, A Cut Above|last=Mehta|first=Archit|date=2019-09-30|work=The Hindu|access-date=2019-11-23|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191123070453/https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/wing-commander-abhinandan-rafale-aircraft-and-more-in-iafs-video-game-a-cut-above/article29557083.ece|archive-date=23 November 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/now-be-an-air-force-pilot-right-on-your-cell-phone-711716|title=Now be an Air Force Pilot, Right on Your Cell Phone|date=11 December 2014|website=NDTV|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190929092727/https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/now-be-an-air-force-pilot-right-on-your-cell-phone-711716|archive-date=29 September 2019|access-date=2019-11-23|url-status=live}}</ref>

During the launch event Air Marshal Sukumar said the game is "a significant milestone in our consorted campaign to connect to the best of the boys and the girls among the nation's youth and motivate them to join the air force."<ref name=":0" />

The game presents a fictional storyline and enemy, and is based on the IAF having mission against an imaginary rogue nation called ''Zaruzia'', which is politically unstable and economically under-developed and has also witnessed a [[coup d'état]].<ref name=":2" /> The game provides ten missions and lets the user experience the "pilot's seat of Indian Air Force's every platform - fighters, bombers, transports, choppers and special forces."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.threye.com/guardians-of-the-skies.html|title=Guardians of the Skies - Official game of the Indian Air Force|website=Threye|language=en|access-date=2019-11-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190603064551/http://www.threye.com/guardians-of-the-skies.html|archive-date=3 June 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/gadgets-news/indian-air-force-is-giving-you-a-chance-to-be-abhinandan-and-fight-enemies/articleshow/70465971.cms|title=Indian Air Force is giving you a chance to be Abhinandan and fight 'enemies'|last=Sarkar|first=Debashis|date=31 July 2019|website=The Times of India|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191119101328/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/gadgets-news/indian-air-force-is-giving-you-a-chance-to-be-abhinandan-and-fight-enemies/articleshow/70465971.cms|archive-date=19 November 2019|access-date=2019-11-23|url-status=live}}</ref> Training missions help the user get a hang of the interface and controls. Difficulty settings can also be changed. However a review in ''Windows Central'' noted that "there are also times when the aircraft veers off course, straying randomly across the sky."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.windowscentral.com/guardians-skies-windows-10-mobile-game-review|title=Protecting the wild blue wonder with Guardians of the Skies|last=Ponder|first=George|date=21 May 2017|website=Windows Central|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181228165045/https://www.windowscentral.com/guardians-skies-windows-10-mobile-game-review|archive-date=28 December 2018|access-date=2019-11-23|url-status=live}}</ref>

After ''Guardians of the Skies'', the IAF launched another game called "''[[Indian Air Force: A Cut Above]]"'' on 31 July 2019 for Android and iOS.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/indian-air-forces-video-game-goes-up-against-call-of-duty-and-angry-birds-in-googles-competition/articleshow/72122285.cms|title=Indian Air Force's video game goes up against Call of Duty and Angry Birds in Google's competition|date=19 November 2019|website=Business Insider|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191126010511/https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/indian-air-forces-video-game-goes-up-against-call-of-duty-and-angry-birds-in-googles-competition/articleshow/72122285.cms|archive-date=26 November 2019|access-date=2019-11-20|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.firstpost.com/tech/gaming/iaf-launches-its-mobile-game-indian-air-force-a-cut-above-for-android-and-ios-7100331.html|title=IAF launches its mobile game 'Indian Air Force: A cut above' for Android and iOS|date=2019-08-02|website=Firstpost|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191210141939/https://www.firstpost.com/tech/gaming/iaf-launches-its-mobile-game-indian-air-force-a-cut-above-for-android-and-ios-7100331.html|archive-date=10 December 2019|access-date=2019-11-20|url-status=live}}</ref> Both games are similar in many ways and puts the player in the role of the IAF pilot completing missions.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/gadgets-news/indian-air-force-launches-new-game-with-abhinandan-heres-how-it-is-different-from-the-older-version/articleshow/70492019.cms|title=Indian Air Force launches new game with Abhinandan: Here's how it is different from the older version|date=2 August 2019|website=The Times of India|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190820045820/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/gadgets-news/indian-air-force-launches-new-game-with-abhinandan-heres-how-it-is-different-from-the-older-version/articleshow/70492019.cms|archive-date=20 August 2019|access-date=2019-11-23|url-status=live}}</ref> There are various other similarities also in the sense of overall graphics, but on the other hand user-interface and game design has changed'''.<ref name=":3" />'''

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==

* [https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.threye.iaf.gots&hl=en_IN Guardians of the Skies] on [[Google Play]]
* [http://www.threye.com/blog/how-the-indian-air-force-got-its-game How the Indian Air Force got its game] - ''Guardians of the Skies'' - Threye

[[Category:2014 video games]]
[[Category:Android (operating system) games]]
[[Category:Combat flight simulators]]
[[Category:IOS games]]
[[Category:Indian Air Force]]
[[Category:Video games developed in India]]
[[Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games]]

Guardians of the Skies - Revision history

Bot at 15:41, 24 November 2022