Taiwanese game firms propose joint incubation platform

Gamers at the expo in Taipei, Jan. 24. (Photo/Tu Yi-an)

The 2014 Taipei Game Show opened on Jan. 23, highlighting the advent of the mobile-phone game era.

Executives of major domestic game firms, including Gamania, InterServ, XPEC, and Wayi, all listed firms, plan to jointly set up an innovative incubation platform and even develop Massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPGs) involving 10,000 players.

With the theme “next-generation games,” the game show featured displays of various mobile-phone games, such as Tower of Saviors, the most popular mobile game in Taiwan, rolled out by Hong Kong firm Mad Head, which boasted extensive booth space and invited game endorsers to play the game with participants on site. Another prominent exhibitor was Sony, which displayed new PS4 and PS3 games.

During a forum at the show, held by the show organizer Taipei Computer Association, CEOs of local game firms pointed out that 2014 will be a year for mobile games, which requires agility, flexibility, and innovation in development. Liu Po-yuan, CEO of Gamania, noted that Taiwan needs a digital incubation platform, similar to China’s Cheku Cafe, offering recruitment information, activities, and assistance for startups, helping innovative young people to start their own businesses.

Many CEOs echoed Liu’s proposal, expressing willingness to chip in for the platform. They also invited Mad Head to take part in the initiative.

Huang Po-hung, chairman of Wayi, noted that Taiwanese game firms should cooperate in transforming their industry from one based on PC platforms to one based on mobile device-based games, that can facilitate the joint development of MMORPGs.