In September, gamers, cosplayers and comic fans from across Asia gathered at the Singapore Toy, Game and Comic Convention (STGCC) for the chance to meet their favourite comic artists and idols, try out exciting games on all formats, plus an opportunity to splurge on some of the coolest toys and action figures on the market.
Halls D, E and F at the Marina Bay Sands were filled with action during the two-day convention. Cosplayers were having the time of their lives: Deadpool and Spider-Man were giving each other high fives, Doctor Octopus found himself surrounded by gunmen, and a Stormtrooper was seen with a T-Rex. In other corners, a family built a Lego starship, fanboys cheered for their kawaii Japanese idols singing onstage, a father and son tried a colourful console game, and many couldn't resist a selfie or two with the towering Iron Man statue. It was crazy. It was hectic. Though, above all, the fun was unforgettable.
STGCC is known as Singapore's largest pop-culture convention, with a great mix of East and West in its selections and line-up. Over 50,000 fans from around the world got an opportunity to geek out to their heart's desire, as well as getting up-close and personal with the event's special guests, which included Ryan Meinerding, Marvel Studios' head of Visual Development; comics artists David Finch and Joyce Chin; tokidoki's co-founder and designer Simone Legno; cosplayer Olivia Mears; and many more.
Happening alongside the comics and cosplaying scene at the STGCC was the all-ages playground Good Game Experience (GGXP), a wonderland where everyone can try their hands at console, mobile, PC, retro and board games. Exhilarating eSports tournaments -- as part of the international eSports championship tournament World Electronic Sports Games -- were happening throughout the day with notable games such as Counter Strike: Global Offensive, Dota 2, Starcraft II and more among the titles in competition.
And it wasn't just about players, either. GGXP also provided an opportunity for independent game developers and designers to showcase their latest creations. One such designer was Muhammad Hazzry, a budding game designer who was presenting a mobile game called Weightless with his friends from Cubix team.
Set for release at the end of this year, Weightless is a puzzle-based game that follows an astronaut recalling his childhood past. The perspective of the game alters between his present and younger selves.
Hazzry revealed that Weightless was initially planned for the PC, though it was eventually changed to mobile.
"The mobile game is a game anybody can pick up and play. It's accessible to everyone," he said.
The gaming industry, in Hazzry's point of view, can be quite small in Singapore. "But it's definitely growing," he was quick to add. "We can see a lot of up-and-coming talented developers trying to break into the local industry. We recognise that we can really put Singapore on the map."
True to his words, Singapore is one country gaining stride when it comes to digital gaming and eSports. This growth is also being recognised and responded to by local educational institutions, with some now offering courses in eSports and game design, inadvertently shattering the idea of many people -- often from older generations -- who may perceive gaming as a blatant waste of time, or even a source of violence (in some genres).
Nicholas Khoo, chairman of Singapore's Cybersports and the Online Gaming Association (SCOGA), has acknowledged some parental concerns when it comes to gaming, commenting that this mainly has to do with apprehensions over the younger generation's future careers. Many people remain sceptical that eSports can really be taken seriously as something viable.
"SCOGA has been working hard at this in working with all the stakeholders, especially industry and academia, to build out career pathways for kids who want to pursue eSports seriously," said Khoo. SCOGA has partnered with Informatics Academy to offer part-time and full-time diploma programmes in eSports, as well as partnering with Republic Polytechnic, part of the Ministry of Education, to incorporate eSports into curricula and programmes.
Khoo foresees future careers in eSports, from competitors to coaches, team managers and beyond into game design, becoming go-to choices in the ever-growing industry.
He also reflected back to the landscape of electronic gaming within Southeast Asia and within Singapore itself, estimating that there are about 500,000 eSports fans in Singapore, which amounts to 10% of the population, and over 90% of youths. Regionally, he defined eSports as "largely nascent yet diverse across different titles and platforms", with mobile gaming starting to overtake PC gaming in recent years.
"Globally, eSports grew exponentially due to live streaming. We see the same trend in SEA. There are tens of millions of highly engaged viewers, which is really supporting the growth of eSports now, and hundreds of eSports content creators across the region who are making livelihoods from creating eSports and gaming content like GAM eSports in Vietnam, MiTH and Attack All Around in Thailand."
"I feel that eSports have a huge future in SEA and we are just getting started," he said. "ESports are very accessible and have the potential to truly connect across borders, cultures and even physical limitations. It is an entertainment of choice for the digital generation."
