Pinoy game developers dominate Global Top Round’s Pre-Acceleration program, win top 2 places

Filipino game development studios Keybol Games and ThinkBIT Games won first and second place respectively in Global Top Round’s 2019 Southeast Asia Pre-Acceleration program, which was held in Bangkok, Thailand from June 17 to 28, 2019.

Ten Southeast Asian studios showcased their games at the Pre-Acceleration program,  then received feedback and advice on game development, publishing, fundraising, and more from the Global Top Round (GTR) team.

On June 28, GTR announced the top three studios: Keybol Games, ThinkBIT Games, and Aeonsparx Interactive, a Malaysian studio that placed third for its game “ZombieSoup”

1. Keybol Games and “Jack Axe”

Keybol Games placed first for its entry “Jack Axe,” a 2D side-scrolling action platformer with a strong focus on puzzles and exploration. Developed with Mike Studios, “Jack Axe” has you playing as the axe-throwing warrior Jack (and her sisters in multiplayer co-op), who must explore a colorful open world inspired by Filipino and Norse mythology.

As the first place winner, Keybol Games will now be one of the Top 20 studios going to the GTR Conference on September 9 and 10 in Busan, South Korea.

At this event, the studios’ games will be evaluated by the GTR core team; the 10 best studios will then be eligible to join the GTR acceleration program.

In addition to the GTR Conference invite, Keybol Games was awarded a cash prize of $500; travel and accommodation subsidy of up to $2,000; and a 50% discount on GTR’s G.Round game market research platform.

Keybol Games’ “Jack Axe” has impressed audiences in many international gaming events, including Malaysia’s SEA Game Awards 2018 and MIX: Asian Game Showcase, which was held this year at IGN’s San Francisco headquarters. 

“Jack Axe” will soon be available for the Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam. 

2. ThinkBIT Games and “Brawl Quest”

ThinkBIT Games nabbed second place for its game “Brawl Quest,” an arcade brawler for Android devices. It features fast-paced action, mobile-optimized controls, 2D hand-drawn graphics, more than 50 levels, and a diverse range of collectible playable characters, each of whom boasts their own unique skillset and play-style. It’s inspired by classic arcade beat 'em ups such as “Streets of Rage,” “Double Dragon,” and “Golden Axe.”

For winning second place at the GTR Pre-Acceleration program, ThinkBIT Games took home a $300 cash prize, and a 30% G.Round discount.

“Brawl Quest” previously won first place in Pocket Gamer’s Big Indie Pitch at G-STAR 2018 in South Korea. The game has also entertained crowds at events like ESGS 2018 and CONQuest Festival 2019 at Iloilo.

You can download the Early Access version of “Brawl Quest” from the Google Play Store. 

The other studios that showcased their games at the GTR Pre-Acceleration program were Igloo Studio, Cloud Colour Games, FairPlay Studios, Bala Vicknesh, ForLoop Studios, Clay Game Studio, and Sroth Code Games. They represented countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Philippines, and Thailand.

GTR Conference and acceleration program

The GTR Conference is a global initiative and annual networking event attended by partners, publishers, investors, and the aforementioned Top 20 studios—developers from around the world whose indie games have been considered by GTR to have excellent potential for success.

Out of these 20 studios, the Top 10 will receive an initial $40,000 investment, and an invitation to participate in a 6-month global acceleration program designed to provide them with game development support, global publisher exposure, fundraising assistance, and more.

GTR will still be accepting submissions for the GTR 2019 Conference Busan till July 5. Interested parties can start the application process by visiting this link.  For more information on the GTR Conference, click here.