• 
• 

Published on April 8, 2008

Cyber Planet Interactive, a well-known local developer of gaming software, is set to launch a new game studio this month. The studio will be the first gaming-software factory owned by Thais which will develop games under a Thai brand for the global market.

The move is part of the company's business direction for this year to become a well-known brand the world over.

Chief marketing officer Chanin Wanijwongse said that due to the company's ambitious goal of becoming a major player in the global console-game market, it needed to set up a software factory to produce standardised software on a massive scale.

The game studio will be spread across 400 square metres and will have development facilities for 50 developers, which will include different profiles such as game designers, graphic designers and programmers.

The game studio is designed specifically for gaming-software development with facilities such as two monitors to a computer, required for character and game design.

"There are standard sound rooms and many facilities and equipment necessary for game development," Chanin said.

The studio will operate in three main areas of game development including concept and game design, such as character design and theme development; programming, including game engine and tools as well as program coding; and graphic animation development.

Development follows this sequence and work is distributed in the ratio of 20:40:40.

"We plan to use Thailand as a manufacturing centre for gaming software for the global market. We wish to see our products carry a 'Made in Thailand' label and be distributed globally," Chanin said.

He said the company maintains the quality of game development and production by investing an annual research-and-development budget of between Bt5 million and Bt10 million along with an annual production budget of between Bt30 million and Bt40 million.

"We plan to increase the ratio of production done by us from the existing 60 per cent to more than 70 per cent," Chanin said.

Though, some components of the software, such as graphic animations, will still come from outside the company, this year will see the company change the model used to source the components.

As part of this plan, the company will set up joint ventures with small game studios in Thailand.

The company plans to invest in these companies to help CyberPlanet have a larger measure of control over the quality of game development and conform to the company's standards.

Chanin said the company plans to list on the Market for Alternative Investment to pick up capital which will be used to fuel its expansion into the international market.

As part of the plan, the company will increase its registered capital, which stands at Bt100 million, by seeking fresh investment from a couple of new financial institutions.

The funds will be used for the global marketing effort which will continue throughout the year. CyberPlanet will also set up two offices in the United States and the United Kingdom next year.

Asina Pornwasin

The Nation