Singapore software game developers seek to crack global market

SINGAPORE: Inspired by the recent success of a popular Chinese action role-playing game, developers in Singapore are aiming to get a stronger foothold in the global video games market.
Chinese blockbuster game Black Myth: Wukong took the world by storm when it was released in August, selling 18 million copies in the first two weeks.
The plot is based on the classic Chinese tale Journey to the West, with players controlling a monkey protagonist who encounters beloved characters from the novel along the way.
Aside from stunning visuals and compelling gameplay, industry players said the storyline is refreshing for the international audience, as they might be unfamiliar with Chinese mythology. RPG gaming themes typically revolve around western fantasy, sci-fi and Japanese anime.
“The world has all the first-person shooter (games) it probably needs for a while,” said Mr Shawn Layden, a founding board member of Griple, a social media app centred around sports with gaming features.
“Black Myth: Wukong is a breakthrough hit because we’ve all been looking for something different, something new.”
Singapore-based game developers said software designers in Southeast Asia may be emboldened to try the same, and bring the region’s colourful cultures and flavours to a global stage.
“Singapore games like Ghostlore and Sedap! are based on local cultural norms, which (developers) want to share with the world,” said Mr James Barnard, creative director of local game developer Springloaded Games.
“But up until now, there’s always been a belief that these can’t really reach a full global market,” he added.
“Black Myth: Wukong has finally given us that real example – that shining light – that people are interested in other cultures and other ideas.”
At the recent gamescom asia, more than 150 gaming exhibitors gathered at the Suntec Convention Centre to connect, play and showcase their latest titles to about 40,000 avid gamers from around the world.
Industry players said the event is a sign of the thriving scene for the about 200 gaming-related companies in the country.
The sector’s trade association said game developers see value in publishing their products with Singapore as a base, as the nation provides incentives such as lower tax rates, access to regional and global talents, and the Southeast Asia market at their doorstep.
“A lot is happening at the governmental and institutional level, as well as across the community and societal level that makes Singapore quite an attractive place for companies to set up shop,” said the Singapore Games Association’s vice-chair Chia Jun Shen.
Firms such as Tencent, miHoYo and NetEase from China have set up bases in Singapore while Japanese developers Cygames and SNK opened new offices on the city-state this year, alongside their already-established counterparts Sega and Capcom.
Mr Chia said the association is working closely with institutes of higher learning and government bodies to grow a local talent pool to meet industry needs, as more global gaming companies expand their presence here.
“This creates a lot of institutional knowledge. Local talents who go through these companies can then come out and create opportunities for some of their own startups and studios as well,” he told CNA.
Mr Chia added that Singapore can be a hub for Southeast Asian gaming, and facilitate enrichment and cross-collaboration with regional game makers.
“Collectively as a region … (we can) make better games, staff better studios … and drive the uplifting of the storytelling from our region to the rest of the world,” he said.
Mr Barnard said Southeast Asia has the competitive advantages of affordable manpower cost, as well as cultures vastly different from cookie-cutter games currently on the racks.
“We’ve reached a saturation point in video games where everything looks the same. If you have some sort of art concept that’s interesting and doesn’t look like anything else that’s out there … it can get a lot of attention,” he said. 
Still, publishers that provide investment and marketing for games said inspiration needs to be tempered with caution, and be relatable to buyers.
“We have to consider (whether) … we present these stories and narratives in a way that matters to the global audience,” said Mr Brian Kwek, the founder of Ysbryd Games, an indie game publisher based in Singapore and Britain.
He added that the local games ecosystem needs investments to truly thrive.
Mr Leyden’s advice to young developers would be to build a solid foundation with games that can appeal to the immediate market.
“If you are just starting up, don’t shoot for the moon … walk before you run. Build up your skill set and take it forward,” he said.
“Make a game that speaks to you, that compels you, that your neighbour, your city, your country is going to like. Build your core skill set around making something that the people you know can appreciate.”
The global gaming market is projected to grow at an annual rate of almost 9 per cent to reach US$363 billion by 2027, according to data gathering platform Statista.