SALUTATION
1. Tuan Haji Burhanuddin Md Radzi
Managing Director & Founder, Les’ Copaque Production
2. Yang Berbahagia Dato' Gerald Hans Isaac
Chairman, Perbadanan Kemajuan Filem Nasional Malaysia (FINAS)
3. Yang Berbahagia Datuk Ts. Fadzli Abdul Wahit
Senior Vice President / Head of Corporate Affairs, MDEC
4. Mr Stefan Baier
Director of Global Studios & Co-Founder, Streamline Studios
Distinguished Guest,
Members of the Media,
Ladies and Gentlemen.
Salam Perpaduan and Salam Malaysia MADANI.
1. It is a great pleasure to be here with all of you today to witness a historic milestone for Malaysia’s vibrant and rapidly growing Animation and Games industry. The launching of Upin & Ipin Universe game is not just about unveiling a new game; it is a testament to the creativity, innovation, and collaborative spirit that define Malaysia’s journey to becoming a regional hub for Animation and Games.
2. My sincere appreciation towards Tuan Haji Burhanuddin, Managing Director of Les’ Copaque Production and the incredible team at Streamline Studios. This collaboration is truly remarkable, and a first of its kind in realizing the potential of Malaysia’s Animation and Games industry while pushing the heart of Malaysia’s culture and identity.
3. For nearly two decades, the name Upin & Ipin have entertained and inspired us through their animated series and cheeky adventures in Kampung Durian Runtuh, while providing meaningful messages about friendship, respect, and community. Today, with the Upin & Ipin Universe game, we are witnessing the next evolution of this cultural icon from a beloved animation series into a fully immersive and interactive digital world. This transition marks a significant step forward for Made-in-Malaysia Animation IPs crossing over into Games. This also places Malaysia in the global digital content economy overall.
MALAYSIA’S DIGITAL CREATIVE INDUSTRY LEVELLING UP WITH DICE
Ladies and Gentlemen,
4. The global entertainment and media industry continues to chart remarkable growth. In 2023, the industry recorded a total value of USD2.8 trillion, and according to the PWC Global Entertainment and Media Outlook 2024, it is projected to reach USD3.4 trillion by 2028 – growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.9%. Malaysia has also witnessed tremendous progress in recent years. In 2023 alone, our creative digital industry generated RM5.3 billion in revenue, with exports valued at RM800 million. More importantly, these achievements contributed to the creation of more than 10,000 high-value job opportunities across the ecosystem. Riding the momentum of global digitalisation, the games sector is also booming.
5. Under the Digital Creative Ecosystem Roadmap (DICE) by MDEC, the Government is showing strong commitment to develop the digital creative sector with the objective of making Malaysia a regional and global hub for digital content creation by 2030. DICE is not just an initiative; rather a holistic strategy to build a sustainable ecosystem that supports talent development, market access, investment, and innovation in this industry.
6. The Ministry of Digital further reinforces this with our commitment to drive the Animation and Games sub-sector as a key focus area under our mission to propel Malaysia forward digitally. By 4 encouraging innovation and development of the Digital Creative industry, it is not just an agenda, rather a backbone for national digital transformation.
7. To further solidify our efforts to support the Digital Creative ecosystem, MDEC have launched two important programs: a. Animated Shorts Challenge, an initiative to encourage creation of original short animation from local talents. This program provides opportunities to animation creators to produce high impact work that can be positioned on regional and global stage b. Digital Games Testbed, an initiative that provides incentive for local game developers to venture into new products or genres while securing a publishing deal. This allows indie developers and experienced studios to get technical support and market feedback that is crucial for continuous improvement and commercialization.
8. Both these new initiatives complement the efforts of DICE and play a big role in uplifting the competitiveness of Malaysia’s digital creative industry towards the global stage, IP creation, market access, and talent development.
9. Beyond that, existing and upcoming programs like Digital Content Incubation Program, Digital Games Acceleration program, the Digital Content Grant supports local developers alongside facilitating global market access at prestigious events such as 5 Annecy International Animation Film Festival, MIPCOM, Games Developer Conference, Gamescom, and Tokyo Game Show. These platforms allows our talented developers to showcase their work, forge international partnerships and compete on a global stage. Ladies and Gentlemen,
10. Today’s launch of Upin & Ipin Universe Game is a shining example of what Malaysia can achieve when creativity meets opportunity. This game, developed by joint cooperation between Les’ Copaque Production and Streamline Studios embodies the innovation and cultural richness that make Malaysian games stand out.
11. To the team behind Upin & Ipin Universe, congratulations on your remarkable achievement. Your hard work and passion have brought us together today, and I am confident that this game will inspire players and fans both here and abroad. To our young developers and aspiring creators, know that Malaysia is a land of opportunity and with the Ministry and MDEC’s support, the possibilities are limitless.
12. Let us continue to push boundaries, tell our stories, and elevate Malaysia’s Digital Creative Industry to new heights. Together, we can position Malaysia as a global powerhouse in the digital creative economy.
Thank you.
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