GameStart 2014 – Sony Computer Entertainment Japan Asia Renews Partnerships for PlayStation Incubation Studio Singapore

As part of the opening ceremonies of GameStart 2014, Sony Computer Entertainment Japan (SCEJA) Asia Deputy President Hiroyuki Oda announced that they have renewed their partnership with the Media Development Authority of Singapore (MDA) and Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP); and that Singapore’s PlayStation Incubation Studio will be extended for three more years.

The PlayStation Incubation Studio is a part of Singapore’s Games Solution Centre (GSC), an initiative by MDA and NYP to establish a complete resource center for small to medium-sized studios based in Singapore to help them develop their games. Additional support for studios or teams come in the form of incubation, mentorship, student internships, and community networking.

In a press release, Mr. Oda says that the aim of GSC and PlayStation Incubation Studio is to “provide innovative excitement and high quality, locally produced game experiences to users.” He also notes that the initiative is aligned with their intention to “strengthen Singapore’s position as a hub for PlayStation development in Southeast Asia.”

Also on hand for the announcement was Mr. Chan Lee Mun, the principal and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Nanyang Polytechnic and Ms. Koh Lin-Net, the CEO of Singapore’s Media Development Authority. An official statement from MDA’s CEO states that their partnership with Sony has been very fruitful, noting that six Singapore-made games have been released on PlayStation platforms since the incubation studio was created three years ago. Meanwhile, Mr. Lee Mun says that his school is focused on providing “students and young game entrepreneurs access to the latest facilities and technologies required to produce games of caliber.”

The formal signing of the renewal also took place on GameStart’s main stage. Once the signing was completed, local game developers were called up to the stage to be recognized. Some of the games which stemmed from the PlayStation Incubation Studio in Singapore include Rocketbirds by Ratloop and Dark Potato Studios’ Phase Shift.