LucasArts claims big industry players will migrate to Asian city state and build new studios
A few years ago, Montreal and Vancouver were some of the unheralded games development hubs, hidden in Canada. Fast forward to today and the two are acknowledged as major forces in games, aided by government support and the presence of global giants in the city.
According to LucasArts, Singapore is destined for similar greatness as more and more Western games companies look to establish a foothold in the East.
Speaking to us in our series of Asian Domination features, head of the games team at Lucasfilm, Fergus Carrol likened Singapore to "Vancouver or Montreal ten to fifteen years ago", saying it was on the cusp of greatness.
"A few big studios move in, import experienced talent, train local junior talent, and make some great games. Over time the teams gain more knowledge of how the industry works, and how games get made. Eventually there are studios with regional talents producing products for the global market, and so the industry grows," he told us. "I see no reason why Singapore would not continue to evolve in this way."
Lucasfilm is one of a clutch of companies establishing games teams in the relatively small city state - although the region has yet to produce a game that is known as 'developed in Singapore' and has succeeded on the global stage. However that will change with the release of LucasArts' Clone Wars game, said Carroll.
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"EA has been here for a number of years, and is expanding. Ubisoft just moved in and are expanding. We’ve been here since 2005 and already there is an awareness that games get made in Singapore. However, I’m sure the Clone Wars movie, TV series and game will all add to that growing awareness."
Click here for more from Carroll in our LucasArts Singapore profile
The problems with Singapore come down to its style of government. It's one of the most controlling states in the world. The result is that Singaporeans won't say boo to a goose, nor do they grow up in a culture that encourages creativity, experimentation or fresh thinking. This is the country that banned chewing gum and still only allows it on medical prescription.
Recruitment within Singapore is a challenge if you want people to generate original IP. And the kind of people you might import to do that will find Singapore as boring as hell - 'Disneyland with the death penalty' is too kind - it's Dullsville with the death penalty.
Singapore is not that bad unless you're a drug dealer. Who gives a rat's behind about Chewing Gum. Seriously.
And besides working in the Games Industry you won't have time to get into trouble.
Singapore is that bad for Singaporeans. It's not an environment that encourages creativity. And I shouldn't have to explain to an intelligent person that the chewing gum issue isn't important because of chewing gum but because it's a fine example of Singapore being a state that tries to micro manage its citizens' lives. It's a desert when it comes to original thought. Mind you if you're an ugly, middle-aged white guy it's a great place. You might actually get a girlfriend. So clearly while it's a bad place to recruit talent, it's a great destination for the sadder specimens among game studio execs with a limited social repertoire...
@ Danny
Much of what you say is true, and 'benevolent dictatorship' fits best. However over the last 5 years Singapore has started to change, be it the plethora of nightclubs now opening (including MoS); the building of two (in whispered tones) casinos; and active steps by the government to bring games companies in. But the one mistake you're making is assuming games companies in Singapore rely on Singaporeans to staff them. Games companies in Montreal or Vancouver don't rely exclusively on Canadians. In Singapore, EA, Ubi and Lucas recruit from all over Asia and the West.
I've just heard the chewing gum thing so many times, yes it's a bit of an oddity, but every government has an odd way of micromanging it's constituent. Ok Singapore is not perfect, neither is anywhere else, and there is most certainly creative people in Singapore. It wasn't that long ago I saw some creative Singaporean entries into the last Indie Games Festival.
We had a couple of Singaporean fine arts students at my old University and they were just as creative as everyone else. They were also fretting about their possible lack of creative environment, but they showed now signs of being damaged in any way for having been educated and schooled in Singapore. I suspect there is a bit of a self perpetuating myth or insecurity going on there. It's not like they're using a Confucian style system of learning like you see in some parts of China. Now that really does damage creativity, critical thinking and alternative points of view (although a very effective way of educating the basics).
bigfatdaddy, Night clubs are not a symbol of burgeoning creativity, nor of progress on any front I'm afraid. Apart from maybe being more appealing to a certain type of tourist.
There is not a studio I've worked in that didn't have people from all over the place.
