MDeC to work with GameFounders to bring games accelerator to Malaysia

• Tapping into GameFounders’ network of mentors, investors and strategic partners
• Collaboration supports Malaysia’s vision of becoming Asia’s games hub by 2020

NATIONAL ICT custodian Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC) and GameFounders, the first gaming startup accelerator in Europe, said they would collaborate to bring a regional games accelerator to Malaysia.
 
The two parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the Games Developer Conference in San Francisco on March 3, MDeC said in a statement.
 
This collaboration will ultimately support Malaysia’s vision of becoming Asia’s games hub by 2020, the agency said, by providing access to a network of global games mentors, subject matter experts and acceleration programmes.
 
The partnership will also help to advance Malaysia’s games ecosystem by providing linkages to global games ecosystems, MDeC said.
 
“MDeC’s collaboration with GameFounders is a strategic intent for us to promote Malaysia as a regional games hub and spur our local games industry,” said MDeC chief operating officer Ng Wan Peng.
 
“By tapping into GameFounders’ network of mentors, investors and strategic partners, together we will raise the bar of the whole Malaysian game ecosystem, creating long-term jobs and boosting valuable skillsets for the country,” she added.
 
MDeC is strengthening its focus on driving the games development industry in Malaysia, including mobile games.
 
This stems from the decision made at the 26th MSC Malaysia Implementation Council Meeting (ICM), chaired by the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Najib Razak, to ensure the country becomes a regional games and interactive media hub.
 
This will be done by building on Malaysia’s existing digital content sector, including attracting anchor companies to serve as industry drivers, building local games capacity and capability, and raising global market access through publishing platforms, MDeC said.
 
“Asia’s games industry is currently booming and a lot of companies are trying to find the East-West link,” said GameFounders cofounder and chief executive officer Kadri Ugand.
 
“We look forward to our collaboration with MDeC, as opening a GameFounders’ hub in Malaysia will bring our value proposition to a completely new level.
 
“Combining our network of global mentors with the talent in Asia, the game studios will definitely benefit from the knowledge sharing and technology exchange,” he added.
 
Based on the PriceWaterHouseCoopers Global Entertainment and Media Outlook 2013-2017, Malaysia’s games market was worth RM727 million in 2013 and is expected to grow 20% to RM868.70 million by 2017. [RM1 = US$0.28]
 
Currently there are over 50 MSC Malaysia-status games companies involved in online, mobile and interactive games, MDeC said.
 
Over the past few years, Malaysian games studios have worked together with major international studios to produce high quality games for worldwide distribution.
 
One example is Lemon Sky’s recent partnership with Bandai Namco to develop new series of projects in 2015.
 
Malaysian games studios have also had international successes like Kings League: Odyssey by Kurechii, which had won the GDC China Independent Game Festival China Best Game award.
 
Estonia-headquartered GameFounders is the first startup accelerator in Europe focused only on the games industry. Since its inception in 2012, it has successfully nurtured 29 games studios (startups) from 16 countries.
 
GameFounders runs a three-month accelerator programme with over 120 gaming experts focusing on accelerating startups on monetisation, marketing, business and growth in gaming.
 
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