Games developed in Singapore are increasingly gaining global recognition."(The year) 2016 can be considered one of the bigger years for locally developed games," said Mr Joe McGinn, department chair of games software design and production at the DigiPen Institute of Technology Singapore.
One notable example is the role-playing game Masquerada: Songs And Shadows, which won the Best Indie Game at the Tokyo Game Show last year.
"We see more of our studios going to international events like Penny Arcade Expo, Electronic Entertainment Expo, and the Tokyo Game Show to market and showcase their games," said Mr McGinn.
Developers typically showcase their games at shows to gain publicity and funding prior to their release.
Another title released this year, action-shooter game 2D-platformer Rocketbirds 2: Evolution, received rave reviews.
Mr Datu YogaBrata, a game designer at the Singapore University of Technology and Design, said that more local game studios have been releasing successful titles in the past few years, and that the overall revenue success of the sector is expected to grow over the years.
Latest figures from the Singapore Department of Statistics, which are updated only up to 2014, show that the local gaming industry has been growing over the years.
Revenue from the games sub-sector grew 11 per cent from $680 million in 2010 to $1 billion in 2014. Growth figures for 2015 are expected to be released next year.
Game studios are also getting more support from the Government, such as through the Games Solution Centre launched in 2011.
The centre, which was recently renamed Pixel Studios, has incubated more than 50 Singapore game companies since its inception.
Pixel Studios is currently working with 16 local game companies, including Delta Duck Studios, Kaiju Den and The Gentlebros.
Local developers are optimistic about the state of the sector here, and not letting high-profile closures of game studios here deter them.
Last month, Singapore-based studio Nonstop Games, which is owned by Candy Crush creator King, shut down abruptly, leaving some 50 of its employees stranded.
Mr Chris Ng, chief executive of game studio XII Braves, said: "As long as we have the passion to make games, we will definitely continue to do so."
As the December season rolls around and the holiday season draws near, gamers can check out some of the best locally-developed games released this year that The Straits Times Digital has featured here.
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