The 2025 Taipei Game Developers Forum ( TGDF ) Grandly Kicks Off! Gathering industry professionals from around the world, the forum features developers behind iconic titles such as The Witcher series, Cyberpunk 2077, Monument Valley 3, and Frostpunk 2, who share their insights and experiences, fostering dialogue on industry trends and innovation. This year, Winking Studios was once again invited to participate, with Founder and CEO Johnny Jan taking the stage to discuss how the company has continued to innovate and move forward steadily, transforming challenges into opportunities amid an increasingly uncertain global environment.
Johnny opened his talk by reviewing the major macro developments of the past five years: pandemic lockdowns, geopolitical tensions, post-pandemic economic downturns, waves of layoffs, the rapid rise and growing pains of AI, and the resurgence of protectionism and tariff disputes — all of which have disrupted and destabilized the gaming industry.
Winking Studios made a key strategic decision to establish its headquarters in Singapore, enabling the company to maintain a balanced approach between public health and business growth during the pandemic. The studio later secured investments from Acer Group and Acer Gaming, and went public on the Singapore Exchange. These moves have further strengthened Winking’s shareholder structure and resilience, providing a solid foundation to navigate global market risks.
On the topic of AI, Johnny reflected on earlier industry reports that predicted significant breakthroughs in AI-powered 3D production by 2025. In hindsight, many of these predictions have proven premature. Current AI models still struggle to replace 3D art production pipelines due to a critical lack of high-quality 3D assets for training. Even if long-term challenges such as data availability and copyright concerns are overcome, Johnny noted that the revenue generated by blue-chip gaming titles can be hundreds of times greater than the potential cost savings AI might offer. As such, major developers are more focused on sustaining high-grossing, evergreen franchises than investing in AI simply to cut what amounts to just 1% of their total development costs.
Addressing the rise of protectionism and tariff policies, Johnny shared his observations: Since the World Trade Organization’s 1998 moratorium on digital tariffs, digital goods like video games have been relatively insulated from trade wars. However, the global trend toward protectionism underscores a broader shift as companies re-evaluate how to enhance economic efficiency. Asia, with its lower development costs and flexible talent pool, has been gaining ground in the global market. This is driving a new structural model in the gaming industry centered around professional outsourcing and high-efficiency collaboration — a key reason the industry continues to grow even amid economic downturns and widespread layoffs.
Driven by its global ambitions, Winking Studios continues to push forward despite the turbulence. Following its successful Singapore IPO, the company also went public on the London Stock Exchange in 2024, cementing its presence in international capital markets and reinforcing its commitment to serving clients worldwide with a diversified, global outlook.
Johnny concluded his talk by emphasizing that no matter how the world changes, the human need for connection and entertainment remains constant. As a medium that brings joy and emotional relief, games have a powerful role to play. Winking Studios will continue to invest its expertise and passion to work hand-in-hand with global partners, playing an active role in advancing the future of the gaming industry.
