Launching Ceremony of the 4th Hong Kong Game Enhancement and Promotion Scheme

Announced 12 Selected Local Game Start-ups

Guest Speakers Shared Insights into Future Trends of Gaming Industry

HONG KONG, Aug. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Organised by The Hong Kong Digital Entertainment Association (HKDEA) and primarily sponsored by the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA), as the lead sponsor, the "Hong Kong Game Enhancement and Promotion Scheme" (GEPS) has been highly praised for effectively assisting local game start-ups in improving and promoting their dedicated games. This year, with renewed funding from the CCIDA, The HKDEA launched the 4th GEPS to support another 12 local game start-ups to further enhance the competitiveness of Hong Kong's gaming industry.

The Launching Ceremony of the 4th GEPS was held on 14 August 2024 with Mrs. Lowell Cho, Acting Commissioner for Cultural and Creative Industries, as the officiating guest. She, along with Mr. Gabriel Pang, Chairman of the HKDEA, hosted the ribbon-cutting ceremony. During the ceremony, 12 selected local game start-ups selected to participate in the 4th GEPS were also announced, and their dedicated games were introduced. Additionally, interns assigned to the selected companies and representatives in previous editions of the GEPS were also presented to share their experiences.

Mrs. Lowell Cho, Acting Commissioner for Cultural and Creative Industries congratulated the 12 local start-up game companies for being selected to participate in the 4th GEPS.

Mr. Gabriel PANG, Chairman of The HKDEA, said at the Launching Ceremony, "I understand that the challenges encountered by local game start-ups in various stages from concept to finished product are beyond what most people can imagine. These challenges are especially pronounced when they try to commercialise their games, yet meeting the public's increasing expectations in terms of the overall gaming experience. Therefore, we arrange industry veterans to personally mentor and support the selected start-ups under the scheme. The GEPS aims to accelerate their dedicated games' development processes, effectively enhancing their ability to use technology and data in game development and promotion, in order to help these 12 selected start-ups get on track quickly for business development."

The 4th GEPS specifically supports 12 selected local game start-ups, aiming to elevate the quality and profitability of their newly launched designated games. The support includes: each selected game start-up is offered a marketing subsidy ranging from HK$ 450,000 to HK$ 550,000 to promote its dedicated game, disbursed on a reimbursement basis; free technical and promotional guidance from industry veterans to improve the start-ups' operations and game promotion experience; and participation in a series of training sessions on marketing, game testing, and fundraising to optimize their designated games. Additionally, two interns from relevant institutions are assigned by the GEPS to work in each selected game start-up as beta testing technicians for free for a two-month period, with the interns' salaries covered by the GEPS. The GEPS will further promote the selected game start-ups and their dedicated games to the public through various channels, including print media, the internet, social media, websites, the launching ceremony, and experience-sharing seminars, to increase visibility of the company and their dedicated games.

In addition to the support mentioned above, the HKDEA plans to set up a Hong Kong pavilion at the Tokyo Game Show 2024, from 26 to 29 September to showcase the dedicated games supported under the 4th GEPS.  This initiative will help the selected game start-ups concerned promote in the international market and seek new business opportunities. Not only are they exempted from the rental of the Hong Kong pavilion, but these start-ups will also receive subsidies from the GEPS covering their travel expenses to Japan and most of their hotel accommodation costs for up to two representatives from each company, and the production fee of their booths at the Hong Kong pavilion.

The GEPS supports 12 local game start-ups in each edition, and to date 40 companies have completed their support period and attained good results in the market.

For the information on the 4th GEPS and the 12 selected local game start-ups, please visit the project website at https://www.geps.hk. 

Selected Local Game Start-ups Participating in the 4^th GEPS (in alphabetical order of the company names)

source: The Hong Kong Digital Entertainment Association