Digital creative industry nets RM5.3 billion and over 10,000 jobs in 2023

MALAYSIA’S digital creative sector posted a robust performance in 2023, recording RM5.3 billion in revenue and RM800 million in exports, while creating over 10,000 high-value jobs, Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo announced on Thursday.

Speaking at the launch of the ‘Upin & Ipin Universe’ video game, Gobind said the achievements reflect the country’s growing stature in the global digital economy and underscore the government’s commitment to positioning Malaysia as a regional hub for digital content creation by 2030.

“Under the Digital Creative Ecosystem Roadmap (DICE) by the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), the government is showing a strong commitment to develop the digital creative sector with the objective of making Malaysia a regional and global hub for digital content creation by 2030,” he said.

“DICE is not just an initiative; rather, a holistic strategy to build a sustainable ecosystem that supports talent development, market access, investment, and innovation in this industry,” he added.

Gobind highlighted the rapid growth of the animation and games sector, which the ministry has prioritised as a key pillar of the nation’s digital transformation strategy.

Recognising the digital creative industry as “a backbone of national progress in the digital economy,” the minister said two new MDEC programmes – the Animated Shorts Challenge and Digital Games Testbed – reflect the government’s drive to nurture innovation and creative excellence.

On the launch of ‘Upin & Ipin Universe’, Gobind said: “Today’s launch of ‘Upin & Ipin Universe’ is a shining example of what Malaysia can achieve when creativity meets opportunity. This game, developed through a collaboration between Les’ Copaque Production and Streamline Studios, embodies the innovation and cultural richness that make Malaysian games stand out.”

Set for release on 17 July, ‘Upin & Ipin Universe is an open-world video game based on the popular Malaysian animated series. It features a 12-hour narrative campaign and will be available on PC (Steam and Epic Games Store), PlayStation 4 and 5, and Nintendo Switch.

Also present at the launch were Les’ Copaque managing director Burhanuddin Md Radzi, National Film Development Corporation of Malaysia (FINAS) chairman Datuk Gerald Hans Isaac, and Streamline Media Group chief executive officer Alexander Fernandez. - July 4, 2025