Tag: Video games

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – With Malaysia’s rapidly maturing digital creative industry — spanning animations, films and video games — emerging as a key driver of economic growth, the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) has announced a series of incentive programmes aimed at advancing industry development and enhancing the industry’s international competitiveness. 

First off, the ‘Digital Games Testbed Programme (DGTP)’ aimed at strengthening Malaysia’s games industry by providing RM3.5 million in funding to at least five Malaysian game development companies, each eligible for up to RM700,000. 

Open to Malaysian-owned games studios with a proven track record and a clear IP expansion strategy, DGTP encourages new game genres, enhances local studios, and fosters international partnerships to position Malaysia as a competitive game development hub.

Moreover, the ‘Animation Shorts Challenge’ programme, a competition-based initiative designed to strengthen Malaysia’s animation industry by nurturing high-quality digital content. Through structured competition and industry mentorship, this programme supports local creators in developing impactful animated short films, commonly called shorts, with strong Intellectual Property (IP) potential. 

The initiative is set to provide selected participants with expert guidance, bridging local talent with industry leaders to enhance skills, creativity and global market readiness. A total project fund of RM1.2 million will be allocated to support 12 trained participants and the development of 12 new animation short IPs. 

Lastly, the ‘Business in Metaverse Programme’ is designed to help Malaysian businesses leverage metaverse technologies for brand engagement and immersive commerce. With a total funding of RM1 million, this programme will support 200 businesses, each eligible to receive up to RM5,000 to implement metaverse-based marketing strategies. 

By integrating digital tools such as virtual storefronts, gamified marketing strategies, and branded digital assets, businesses can enhance customer engagement and increase brand visibility in the evolving metaverse landscape. 

MDEC Chief Executive Officer Anuar Fariz Fadzil described the digital creative industry as a ‘strategic economic industry with strong potential that continues to create high-value jobs, nurture local intellectual property while driving export revenue’. 

“Through these financial incentive programmes, we aim to strengthen the entire value chain — from talent development to market access — while positioning Malaysia as a globally competitive hub for digital content creation,” he said. 

“Often driven by passion and creativity, the digital creative industry attracts professionals who are deeply committed to their craft,” he added. 

“MDEC’s programmes are designed to support these talents by encouraging them to build on their strengths, explore innovative ideas and turn their passion into commercially viable content for local and global audiences.” 

Malaysia’s digital content market has grown substantially over the years, posting RM87.25 billion in revenue and RM11.18 billion in export sales, while creating gainful employment for some 11,154 Malaysians within this industry since 2011. 

Anuar was speaking at the Digital Creative Industry Engagement Session 2025, where MDEC officially launched the new funding initiatives aimed at empowering local studios and digital content creators across key segments such as games, animation and the metaverse. 

Anuar reaffirmed MDEC’s commitment to advancing all facets of the digital economy, including nurturing local innovation, supporting local industry players and building a resilient digital ecosystem while enabling jobs and opportunities. 

“The newly announced incentives are aimed at driving sustainable industry growth, attracting international investment and positioning Malaysia as a prominent player within the global digital creative landscape, which we already are,” he concluded. 

Indonesia – Google Play and DDB Group Singapore have introduced a new campaign that reimagines family gatherings during Ramadan, turning them into virtual gaming experiences.

Launched on 4 March in Indonesia, the ‘Level Up Ramadan with Google Play’ campaign highlights how gaming has become a shared activity during Ramadan, with families and friends playing together while waiting for Iftar. 

The campaign film video depicts a family’s preparation for the evening meal turning into a friendly gaming competition across generations. A twist in the campaign reveals the family matriarch as the unexpected gaming champion, challenging stereotypes and emphasising that gaming is for all ages.

Additionally, the campaign highlights the convenience of topping up gaming credits through Google Play, allowing players to continue their sessions seamlessly during Ramadan.

Speaking on the campaign, Vinod Savio, CCO of DDB Group Singapore, said, “Our aim was to create a campaign that resonates with the familial spirit of Ramadan while also reflecting the modern dynamics of family entertainment. We wanted to subvert the usual expectations and celebrate the gaming prowess that can come from any member of the family, even the most unassuming ones.” 

The campaign will be featured on YouTube and YouTube Shorts, supported by influencer collaborations. Google Play has also partnered with popular games like Free Fire and MLBB to offer exclusive promotions during Ramadan, providing players with additional in-game benefits.

Amanda Chan, product marketing manager at Google Play, shared, “Ramadan is a time of unity and reflection, and we wanted to ensure our users can enjoy gaming together without hassle. Partnering with DDB Group Singapore, we’ve managed to capture the essence of this season, celebrating the joy of gaming with seamless and secure transactions.”

The campaign follows DDB’s ‘Protect Your Play’ initiative, which launched in August 2024 with Indonesian action star Iko Uwais. That campaign raised awareness about online security risks for gamers and the importance of staying vigilant against cyber threats.

Singapore – Global beverage company Coca-Cola has joined forces with ‘League of Legends’ game developer Riot Games to release ‘Ultimate Zero Sugar +XP’, a limited edition soda flavour catered to gamers – especially players of League of Legends. 

This collaboration between Coca-Cola and Riot Games marks the first time that Coca-Cola has partnered with a gaming company to create and release an all-new flavour, bringing both industries together to produce a soda aimed to give players a beverage to suit their tastes. 

Accompanying the product’s release, in-game and digital experiences will bring the interactive experiences of the Coca-Cola Ultimate Zero Sugar collaboration to players across the globe. In-game, players can log in to League of Legends and unlock a set of limited edition ‘Ultimate’ emotes by completing a set of missions. 

Outside of in-game interactions, players and fans can scan a QR Code on the can to be transported to the Coca-Cola Creations Hub wherein they can access an Instagram filter allowing players to view themselves in the style of League of Legends emotes for social sharing.

Talking about the collaboration, David Mulhall, head of business development and partnerships at Riot Games said, “We’re excited for players to taste the new +XP flavour, a unique and bespoke collaboration with Coca-Cola, a globally recognized brand loved by millions. Coca-Cola shares many of the player-focused values we have at Riot, and we are honoured to be the first gaming collaboration for Coca-Cola Creations.” 

Rina Surya, frontline marketing director at Coca-Cola ASEAN & South Pacific commented, “Partnering with Riot Games enables us to enhance the Coca-Cola Creations experience by introducing a fresh flavour that represents our shared commitment to putting fans and players at the forefront of everything we do. 

The product showcases a striking packaging design, with shades of black and various shades of gold. The Coca-Cola Creations logo is also complemented by a bespoke ‘Ultimate’ crest and energized with a magical blue Hextech glow, a reference to a type of magic found in the game. Moreover, the design also showcases a unique expression of the recognizable Coca-Cola font, inspired by the Nexus Crystals in League of Legends.

Philippines – With most of our attention now veered towards digital content, a new global report reveals the average number of hours each audience in a country spends in navigating social media. The said data, which was gathered via a partnership between social media intel Meltwater and creative agency We Are Social, revealed that it’s the Filipino internauts that are the most invested when it comes to vlog content and video game consumption.

The annual report on social media and digital trends uncovered that the Philippines ranked first in terms of the average time allotted for watching vlogs and playing video games. Particularly, 95.8% of internet users in the country play video games on any device, and this cohort is found to spend an average of 1 hour and 29 minutes on gaming each day. This is a few minutes more than the global average of 1 hour and 14 minutes. 

Meanwhile, 55.6% of the country’s digital consumers – those aged 16 to 64 – stated that they watch vlogs each week, and in terms of consumption, the market also bested all markets, ahead of the global benchmark of 25.5%. 

In the same report last year, Philippines also emerged on top with the highest count of users that watch vlogs each week with 60.4%, and likewise topping the global charts with the highest percentage of consumers that play video games on any device (96.4%). 

Overall, from the current year’s data, the country landed in fourth place in general social media consumption, with consumers spending an average of 3 hours and 43 minutes for such activity.

Alexandra Saab Bjertnæs, chief strategy officer at Meltwater said that competitive brands should stay ahead of trends to understand their impact on any industry. She also highlighted that as consumers invest more time on social media, it will affect the decision-making process in their customer journey.

Bjertnæs added, “With more than 5 billion internet users today, it’s becoming more crucial than ever that brands deliver relevant, impactful, and purposeful content to capture attention and create value across digital channels.”

Nathan McDonald, group CEO and co-founder at We Are Social said that social media’s influence affects people’s lifestyles and it continues to grow. McDonald also expressed that users consider the discernment in internet usage, making sure that it’s a time well spent.

However, McDonald also had thoughts for marketers. He added, “Marketers and creators will have to work even harder to attract and retain people’s attention in 2023 – it’s never been more important to understand online culture in order to reach people in a relevant way.”

Sydney, Australia – Video game company Epic Games has announced that three of Australia’s known football leagues have teamed with the company in bringing the sport to life in the battle royale game ‘Fortnite’, alongside other 20 football teams around the world.

Melbourne City FC, Sydney FC, and Western Sydney Wanderers are the three Australian-based football teams participating in this endeavor, united under the A-League.

The partnership will see an upcoming feature on Fortnite, where players can choose from 10 different variants of new ‘Kickoff Set’ outfits to represent their favorite club in-game. The newest addition to the game include outfits based on the participating 23 global football teams, and game emotes, including a ‘Fancy Footwork’ dribbling emote and the iconic ‘Pel’és Air Punch’ based off the Brazilian footballer Pelé.

“The partnership between the A-League and Epic Games is an incredible opportunity to promote our clubs and League to millions of Fortnite players in Australia and around the world. It will put the A-League alongside some of the biggest international clubs such as Man City in the English Premier League, Santos in the Brasileirão and the MLS’ Seattle Sounders,” said Danny Townsend, commercial lead for the Australian Professional Leagues and CEO of Sydney FC.

He added, “There is a significant demographic overlap between the youth audience who love football and those who play Fortnite – this partnership takes us to where our fans are and create new opportunities to engage with the global game.”

Players can now join also in the upcoming Pelé Cup in Fortnite, where players can earn rewards, visit the Creative Hub for an immersive football experience throughout the week, and join select clubs around the world in hosted Fortnite tournaments.

“Football is consistently one of the top sports that our players tell us they want to see and experience in Fortnite. We’re excited to partner with Melbourne City FC, Sydney FC and Western Sydney Wanderers to bring ‘the beautiful game ’to Fortnite fans around the world as they face off in competitive tournaments, experience new creative modes of gameplay, and celebrate global football,” the head of global partnerships at Epic Games Nate Nanzer said. 

The feature will be available on Sunday, January 24 as the A-League will also host its own Fortnite tournament on January 27 with a mix of A-League players, fans, and Fortnite creators battling for exclusive Fortnite and A-League prize packs. 

Manila, Philippines – China-based game developer Moonton has tapped Filipino professional boxer Manny Pacquiao to become the new face of the company’s game, Mobile Legends.

The campaign started out with a teaser on Mobile Legends’ YouTube channel, where the video shows boxing material elements like boxing gloves and punching bags, with an announcer voice-over revealing the new collaboration with “The fighting pride of the Philippines.”  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nckwqY3X-Oo
The teaser uploaded by Mobile Legends on November 13, hinting the inclusion of another in-game hero (Video Courtesy of Mobile Legends YouTube channel)

In a virtual press conference, Pacquiao shared his excitement with the new partnership, and took note of the growth of the local esports community.

“It is an amazing experience [since] I have seen how much the esports community in the Philippines has grown [and] how much the gaming community has embraced Mobile Legends Bang Bang, and with their skills, have elevated the game,” Pacquiao stated.

He added, “The dedication, the focus, the hard work that comes with building skills–these are present both in [actual] sports and esports. More importantly, that drive to succeed and conquer, as well as the spirit of camaraderie and fairness are also key threads binding the two.”

The recent company move is in line with its ongoing Project NEXT initiative, which seeks to provide “revamp” of the game’s original characters and improving them. As part of the campaign, Mobile Legends is launching a new hero based on Manny Pacquiao called “Paquito” which features boxing skills, with “damage” and “chase” specialty.

A Mobile Legends gameplay featuring the new “Paquito” hero, resembling Manny Pacquiao (Video Courtesy of OzaRess YouTube channel)

“Playing Mobile Legends has become a daily routine to all the [Filipinos]. The Philippine culture also provides a steady stream for the inspiration of in-game updates and collaborations,” William Mei, marketing manager of Moonton stated.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6InxBaL_WM