Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Global video game commerce company Xsolla has partnered with investment company Curine Ventures to launch Xsolla Curine Academy to empower local video game talents in Malaysia.

The initiative aims to offer a programme that will equip aspiring game developers with the necessary skills in the video gaming industry.

Xsolla Curine Academy will offer comprehensive courses lasting 4 to 12 months that will cover various dimensions of game development, from marketing and project management to programming and quality assurance. It promises to provide a well-curated curriculum that aligns with global standards to bridge the gap between talent and opportunity in the local gaming ecosystem.

As part of the academy’s development, Xsolla will also integrate the Xsolla Funding Club and Accelerator into the programme to offer an expansive network of over 180 investors and publishers. This emphasises the team’s dedication to promoting innovation and talent in the gaming industry.

Aside from the academy, Xsolla is also planning to roll out a ‘Game Incubator Program’ that will offer workshops and lectures from seasoned professionals in the industry. The incubator programme aims to bolster game development in Malaysia, providing a platform for aspiring creators to translate their visions into playable realities.

Chris Hewish, CEO at Xsolla, said, “In Kuala Lumpur, we recognise a gap between local talent and the industry opportunities available to them. The launch of Xsolla Curine Academy is a monumental step towards bridging that gap. We’re laying the foundation for a robust gaming community in Malaysia, and it’s our way of giving back to a community that has generously supported us.”

Bangkok, Thailand – Bidmath, a global programmatic consultancy, has opened an academy for the special training of Display & Video 360 (DV360), Google’s unified platform for programmatic buying.

DV360 is an end-to-end campaign management tool, which aside from media planning and buying, enables advertisers to manage creative development and run measurement for campaigns across display, video, TV, and audio.

The training academy was put up with an aim to increase the adoption of programmatic industry knowledge in the country. According to Bidmath, despite the substantial growth of programmatic advertising in Thailand, there is a lack of deep technical knowledge.

A study by ad tech firm Rubicon Project reflects such observation, having found that 43% of advertisers in Asia are either extremely or somewhat hesitant to switch from the traditional way of media buying through an insertion order (IO) to the more automated mode of programmatic buying. The study also suggested that the single biggest challenge hindering further growth of programmatic advertising budgets is a lack of understanding and appropriate skills to effectively plan and execute programmatic ad campaigns.

Three courses will be initially offered, with each focusing on a specific topic within DV360: private marketplace buying, optimization best practices, and the fundamentals. Courses will be offered in Thai, Vietnamese, and English, and will be available both virtually and in-person.

Director of Bidmath Asia KK Sharma said that the lack of understanding and technical skills are slowing advertisers down when considering the adoption of programmatic guaranteed spends and the potential upside for local publishers such as Viu for example.

“By introducing courses in local languages, we hope to see increased adoption of programmatic advertising across Asia, but there is still a long way to go. Courses in Thai and Vietnamese were launched to accelerate growth and reach,” Sharma said.