- From game art to payments, homegrown companies are building a full gaming ecosystem
- Malaysia’s digital creative industry is scaling globally, powered by talent and export growth
Fuelled by the pandemic, online entertainment has become a mainstream economy booster. In some markets, it contributes billions in revenue while generating millions of job opportunities for individuals aspiring to be game developers.
While the industry has seen a slight adjustment recently, it has not slowed the trend or diminished the hype. Several AAA games continue to make headlines, with a recent title surpassing over 10 million downloads within just a few days.
Malaysia is no stranger to this thriving sector, having excelled in visual and 3D creative development for the last couple of decades. The rapid shift toward online entertainment has unlocked even more opportunities. International game companies are increasingly outsourcing design and development to countries where talent is abundant and economic factors remain supportive.
“As of 2023, Malaysia’s digital creative industry, which includes animation, digital games, creative technology virtual effects (VFX) for TV and films are valued at RM5.31 billion with export revenue of US$205 million (RM840 million),” stated Gopi Ganesalingam (pic), senior vice president of Industry & Ecosystem at Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC).
Beyond visual development, technology companies supporting consumer access to online entertainment are capitalising on the growing customer base by offering innovative services such as digital goods, payment gateways and more. Brands like Gamer2Gamer (G2G) and SeaGamer Mall are just two examples of Malaysian grown companies thriving in this industry.
Creating a gamer’s paradise
Founder and Group CEO of G2G, Ken Chee, explains that the journey of growing G2G was no easy feat. As an online marketplace for gamers, he recognised that consumers value trust and security above all else, alongside reasonable transaction fees, promotions and more.
Another challenge was ensuring accessibility by integrating all available payment channels in the country. G2G identified a niche in bridging the gap that allows gamers to seamlessly transact with one another. The company also developed a platform capable of accepting and connecting with various e-wallets, payment channels and payment modes, relieving entrepreneurs from the burden of integrating additional payment methods into their own platforms or distribution chains.
Today, G2G continues to grow in the gaming space by collaborating with local and international companies to deliver more entertainment content to consumers. The company has ambitious plans to expand its model to other markets and aims to be the leading authority in all gamer lifestyle-related goods, services and topics.
G2G’s international ambitions have received strong support from MDEC, Ken Chee acknowledges. “Our sponsorship at LEVEL UP KL 2024, Southeast Asia’s premier game developers conference organised by MDEC, provided us with immediate, high-impact exposure. This placed G2G in front of a targeted audience of over 20,000 unique visitors and 300 key companies and brands. The exposure really helped establish our brand firmly among the industry’s elite global and regional players.”
More recent support from MDEC came during the Osaka Expo 2025. “MDEC secured our participation in the highly selective Osaka Expo 2025 Business Matching Programme,” said Ken Chee, adding, “being featured within the official Malaysia Pavilion lent significant institutional credibility to our brand on the international stage. This allowed G2G to showcase our marketplace to a global audience, directly enhancing our global footprint and validating our position as a leading digital content platform backed by national efforts.”
For Chee, the goal is to continue providing a space where gamers can share their passion while connecting and trading with like-minded individuals on merchandise, game theory and more.
Payment innovation: A competitive but lucrative space
SEAGM, another homegrown Malaysian company that has made headlines for its advancement in online payment solutions. An award-winning company, CEO Fifi Lim shared that she entered a fiercely competitive and highly saturated market with one goal in mind, “to become the number one digital platform for game publishers and gamers.”
The company focused on refining every aspect of payment including security, performance optimisation, ensuring constant uptimes and eliminating payment timeouts. SEAGM also developed an easy-to-use portal with a clean, user-friendly interface, delighting consumers and help game titles to reach their audiences more easily.
Kaleoz and Gladax are brands under SEAGM that were created to provide a more comprehensive gaming ecosystem to consumers. Through these platforms, SEAGM can evolve quickly and adapt to trends in what is a highly fickle consumer landscape.
At any given time, a gamer may have more than 10 different game titles installed across multiple devices, each with its own transaction models, game cards, gifts and merchandise. This can become overwhelming for consumers to track their transactions. SEAGM aims to eliminate this problem by consolidating all transactions into one central dashboard, removing the need to track each micro-transaction individually.
SEAGM takes pride in its achievements and its contribution to the community by fostering strong bonds with their customer-base. With Malaysia’s diverse background and thriving gaming community, SEAGM sees the country as an ideal base for honing their understanding of the gamer marketplace while continuing to research and innovate based on consumer insights.
Reaching for the sky with Lemon Sky Studios
One cannot mention the Malaysian gaming scene without highlighting about Lemon Sky Studios, the game art, CGI and VFX design company behind numerous award-winning triple A titles worldwide. Founded by Cheng-Fei Wong, Ken Foong and Ken Lai with a single ambition, to create great art, the team may remain relatively unknown to casual gamers unless one examines the game credits as their leadership style prioritises excellence in craft over public recognition, allowing world-class work to speak for itself.
Their dedication has allowed them to co-create some of the most recognizable game titles of all time, including Gears of War, StarCraft, The Last of Us, and Uncharted. Lemon Sky Studios’ excellence has earned them collaborations with major international publishers such as Bandai Namco, Blizzard, DreamWorks, and more.
These three companies, and many others, illustrate how Malaysia has positioned itself as a key player in this space, supported by a talented pool of artists, animators, and developers making their mark on the global stage. MDEC’s support through initiatives, funding, and educational programs have also been instrumental in nurturing this growth.
Lemon Sky continues to serve as a catalyst in this expanding market. The company believes in the potential of Malaysia’s creative talent and is committed to showcasing this talent globally. By collaborating with major players in the gaming and animation industries, Lemon Sky not only strengthens its own success but also elevates Malaysia’s digital creative industry on the world stage.
Never been a better time for the gaming industry
Malaysia continues to strive for excellence in the creative and gaming sectors. The companies illustrate how the country nurtures talent that continues to shape the future of digital content and storytelling.
MDEC believes the key to Malaysia’s success lies in its culture, diversity and positive work ethic. “This is why international companies continue to work with us and engaging with Malaysian talent to derive success. We aim to continue strengthening local infrastructure, creative talent and delivery so that the country can emerge as a leader in this space,” says Gopi.
Gamer2Gamer, SeaGamer Mall and Lemon Sky Studios are part of MDEC’s Founders Center of Excellence (FOX) programme. Guided by the Malaysia Digital national strategic initiative, the FOX programme is dedicated to cultivating high-potential scaleups by providing interventions in crucial areas.
