SINGAPORE wants to take on the world gaming industry and is inviting those with a penchant for game design here to come up with creative ideas.

For the first time, the Media Development Authority (MDA) is calling for proposals for games marketable overseas.

The game designs will need to be versatile enough to be published on most platforms so that the games can be played on both desktop computers and mobile devices such as the iPhone and iPod.

Four local game publishers will partner with designers to publish the games.

IAH Games, Garena Interactive, Activate Interactive and Mikoishi will also help them penetrate the highly competitive overseas market, according to MDA.

IAH Games publishes games such as Fifa Online and has about 20 million users in South-east Asia.

Garena Interactive, which hosts games and launches titles, has about 14 million users in South-east Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America.

MDA and the four developers will fully fund the ventures. MDA declined to reveal the amount, saying it depends on the quality of the proposals. However IAH Games said it is prepared to spend $50,000 to $500,000 per project. Industry sources say each publisher will receive 50 per cent of funding from MDA to invest in game developments.

MDA wants to develop 'high value' games across all platforms, part of its Future of Media scheme to help companies develop next-generation media applications in games, television, mobile phones and virtual worlds.

The challenge for the industry is to produce world-class games that can compete in the overseas market.

Read the full story in Wednesday's edition of The Straits Times.