Sony Corp.'s gaming arm will establish its first Southeast Asian video game studio in Malaysia in 2020.
Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC and the Malaysian government jointly said the studio, named Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide Studios Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., will provide art and animation to develop global game titles for its PlayStation consoles.
Sony Interactive Entertainment President and CEO Jim Ryan said in a statement the firm decided to set up the studio in Malaysia because of the country's talented human resources, vibrant game ecosystem and the government's support.
Malaysian International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Darell Leiking said in the statement that the Sony studio "is a key win for Malaysia and a testament to the nation's efforts to attract strategic high-quality investments from international companies."
Malaysia's successful campaign to host a global video game studio is a big boost to the government's policy to promote the digital content industry.
The gaming industry contributed $100 million to the nation's economy in 2018, and is projected to post average annual growth of 10.9 percent through 2023, according to the Malaysian Investment Development Authority.