If you want to become a game developer, watch this video and learn about the game development industry in the Philippines from Solon Chen of the Game Developers Association of the Philippines. Also, the tour at Neun Farben continues.
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00:00Game development, the market for game, is bigger than music and movie combined already in the world.
00:06For all these time, we never realized that even this two industry combined together is still smaller than game.
00:12Philippines is actually the number 23, the 23rd biggest market for game.
00:35Hi, my name is Solon. I'm one of the co-founder of Cool Apps Philippines.
00:39I'm also currently the Vice President for Game Developer Association of the Philippines.
00:44So, GDAV's main role is really to make Philippines the number one destination for people who want to make games.
00:53So, that includes our own original IP and also any foreign companies who want to have their game made, they will come to Philippines also.
01:01And in order to achieve that, GDAV work closely with government agencies, schools, academies, developer communities, and studios and companies in order to build up the capability of the country.
01:18Building games is highly collaborative, so it's not uncommon to have someone who's outside the country who's not a Filipino to be involved in some shape or form.
01:28But let's just say like majority of work is done in the Philippines, and it's owned by Filipino. The IP is owned by Filipino. There's actually quite a lot.
01:37So, for so many years, the game industry here in the Philippines has always been in co-development.
01:44So, you have studios like Secret Six, Pixel Mafia, even us, New Farben, and then you have Puppeteer Studios and many others.
01:52We're working in the AAA game space, but mostly in co-development projects.
01:59For the big titles like AAA, these are much, much more well-known that will help the game.
02:04We don't own the IP, and we only do parts of it.
02:07To be, for example, like Diablo IV, Last of Us, Uncharted, Gears of War, Tomb Raider.
02:16So, a lot of these games actually have Filipino studios that's actually helping them making the game.
02:27Most recently, we have a game called Until Land that's released on Steam.
02:32Okay, that garners a very, very good review, so you can check it out.
02:35There's also another fighting game called Bayani.
02:45Very Filipino title.
02:47So, all these games are actually supported by Microsoft Xbox.
02:51We also have a lot of games that are on mobile that are made by Filipinos.
02:57For example, my company made Snake.io and also the original Piano Tiles.
03:03So, most likely, you have played those games.
03:11Mainly comes in three different things.
03:13Okay, number one, of course, is the language.
03:16Generally, we can communicate without problem in English.
03:21Building games is a highly collaborative work where it's not uncommon to work with someone outside the country.
03:28Knowing the language is just one part, but understanding the cultural context is a completely different thing.
03:35Because game is a pop culture, so you need to be able to understand both Eastern pop culture and Western pop culture.
03:43So, Philippines is in a place where we understand both.
03:46We are very well-known to be highly creative.
03:49In the creative scenes, Philippines is definitely very, very well-known in all sorts of creative scenes.
03:54But game development is a little bit different.
03:56Game development is basically creative, but with the use of technology.
04:01It's not simply just dancing or making music, but you are combining all sorts of different kinds of creativity into one package.
04:09Here, we want your peace of mind.
04:12So, we try to provide as much anonymity as much as possible.
04:16We want you to be very flexible with the spaces where you work with.
04:20So, if you notice, the majority of our guys have laptops in the first place.
04:25So, they can essentially take their laptops and move into different places here in the office.
04:30I do have a life outside of game development.
04:33And I do still play games.
04:35It's part of the job.
04:37One of the many things that you would need to do as a game developer is play games in the first place.
04:45We have a view of the outside.
04:48We have sometimes biscuits that are just laid across here in the table free for all.
04:53We have an espresso machine.
04:55So, if you're into coffee, we have that as well.
04:57And then over here, to the side, here is the collab room.
05:01This is just a bespoke space.
05:03Where people can relax.
05:05People can play games on the Switch.
05:07People can even play music here.
05:09A lot of our employees actually come here during their break.
05:13Employees are free to have meetings here in this room.
05:16We have a few board games as well.
05:19Aside from all of the Switch games that we have over there.
05:27Choosing the role that you want to have.
05:30In game development.
05:32Because game development is so complicated that it's usually not a one-person work anymore.
05:38You need someone who can code.
05:40You need someone who can draw.
05:42And you need someone to manage the project.
05:45You need someone who knows how to do the marketing.
05:47You need to have someone who knows how to do data analysis.
05:51You need to have people who know how to do the QA.
05:55You need someone who can do the sound.
05:57And it's different from the one who composed the music.
06:01And then there's someone who has to know how to do storyboard.
06:06How to do cut scene for the movie.
06:08So there's just so many different things in game development.
06:11In terms of the roles that you have.
06:13You really have to think about what is the one that really resonates the most with you.
06:18And once you have that.
06:20Then you can go to the necessary related course to up the skill.
06:24In order for you to learn the skill.
06:25That's needed to join the rank.
06:27But to make things easier.
06:29In the Philippines right now.
06:31We already have a four-year bachelor degree.
06:34That's designed for game development.
06:36It's called BSEMC.
06:38It's actually approved and promulgated by CHED in 2014.
06:42Called EMC.
06:44Entertainment Multimedia Computing.
06:46But we are in the work of changing that name to simply just call it game development.
06:50Because it's a little bit complicated.
06:52Definitely more original IPs.
06:55Because at the end of the day.
06:57Original IPs is really the holy grail.
06:59It's where we can say that this is owned by the Philippines.
07:03Made by the Philippines.
07:05And that also helps the economy of the Philippines.
07:07Because when you have the original IP.
07:09The money comes into the Philippines.
07:11So that means we would generate foreign currencies.
07:13Good for our country.
07:15It's a similar to like a wide call center.
07:17In a sense what's good for the economy.
07:19It's because they are earning dollars.
07:21And it's the same thing.
07:23If you have your own IP.
07:25Also.
07:27And if you have a very very good and very big IP.
07:29That helps a lot of people to have jobs.
07:31Especially creatives.
07:33Even some of the people who are in a traditional role.
07:35That are not directly game.
07:37It's possible to transit to games.
07:39And we can provide jobs for those.
07:41If one day we are going to have our own IP.
07:44We have like our own Diablo.
07:46Or our own like Harry Potter.
07:48Then that's so many things associated with it.
07:51That we can do.
07:52So that's why like.
07:54Original IP is really the holy grail for Philippines.
07:56In the next 5 to 10 years.
08:04So that's it guys.
08:06Thank you for joining me.
08:08I hope you enjoyed the tour.
08:10And for future game developers.
08:12Who knows we might work together here in New Carbon in the future.
08:15Thank you for watching this episode.
08:17Don't forget to follow GMA Lifestyle.
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08:22Also please follow Noyinfarben on Facebook and LinkedIn.
08:26Thank you again and good luck.
08:28Bye bye.
08:52You