Gaming has become a global culture, and Southeast Asia is a forerunner in the modern age of gaming. In the current age of digital content, gaming has taken on many forms – from educational features to exploring apps, the video game industry is now larger than ever.
Southeast Asia now holds over 500 million digital participants in various video games, concentrated primarily around countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia. The gaming ecosystem in the region doesn’t only consist of consumers, but also strong contenders in the developing segment. Singapore’s video-game developing giant Sea Inc. is now proudly listed on the New York Stock Exchange,
Apart from stellar growth, there is something unique to note about the Southeast Asian gaming industry. There is a sudden shift from video games being a global substance of consumption to a need to fulfil local demands. This particular feature makes SEA one of the most attention-worthy segments when it comes to market innovations.
Why Localize?
Simply because there is enough audience for it!
Earlier, China was the undisputed gaming giant in Asia. But soon there was a massive stagnance in the market, followed by an overall vacuum in terms of video game development in Asia. The answer arrived soon in the form of localized video games.
Games now being developed by hundreds of developers across Asia are particularly aimed to incorporate hyper-local cultural references. The content becomes one of the primary methods of delivering the cultural touch to consumers, and thus video game writing has also become a lucrative job for the millennial generation.
Since the crowd of consumers for all types of gaming is constantly growing in SEA, there is always enough demand for localized games. Added to this a flood of video-game-based vloggers who also depend on hyper-local followers, the Southeast Asian video gaming market is in a state of perfect sync.
Nothing New For Asia
Video games in Asia have been historically hyper-local. Even before China came into the picture Nintendo had been pushing out Japan-only exclusives. The process of localization also creates a market on its own which can then be nurtured through constant content.
While only a few Southeast Asian game developers have faced real global success, the market has ample growth left in it. In the coming decade, the next top might just come out of Asia, and it may not even be meant for the world!
