HardwareZone celebrates Singapore’s 61st birthday with a sequence of articles showcasing native tech manufacturers which have helped construct our nation and put us on the world stage. A few of these manufacturers have develop into family names, whereas others are lesser-known however no much less modern. You may even be stunned to find out about some in style applied sciences that bought their begin, originated from proper right here on our little Crimson Dot.
(This text is one of 7 parts in our National Day Tech Special series.)
Over the many years, Singapore’s gaming business has grown from humble beginnings right into a thriving world powerhouse. From revolutionary gaming {hardware} to globally in style video video games, these native corporations have redefined what it means to play, create, and compete. On this characteristic, we highlight the manufacturers which have turned Singapore from a little bit crimson dot right into a hub for gaming innovation, creativity, and excellence.
1. Artistic Know-how
Co-founder Sim Wong Hoo.
Picture: HWZ
Based in 1981 by native childhood buddies – the late Sim Wong Hoo and Ng Kai Wa – Artistic Know-how is a pioneer in Singapore’s tech scene and have become globally famend for its Sound Blaster audio playing cards, which revolutionised PC audio within the Nineties.
Nevertheless, Artistic’s journey didn’t start with audio playing cards. In truth, it began as a pc restore store. And in 1984, the corporate launched the “Speaking Pc” Cubic 99, that includes a vocal synthesizer. This was adopted by the Cubic CT, a PC with multimedia options and Chinese language language capabilities. Sadly, each merchandise weren’t commercially profitable.
From 1987 to 1989, Artistic shifted its focus to sound know-how. In 1989, it struck gold with the Sound Blaster audio card, which enabled PCs to play high-quality sound. For PC avid gamers again then, a Sound Blaster card was an important gaming rig part. At its peak, Artistic offered 10,000 Sound Blaster items monthly. In 1992, it grew to become the primary Singaporean firm to be listed on the US Nasdaq inventory alternate.
Within the early 2000s, Artistic launched its ZEN MP3 gamers, a direct competitor to Apple’s iPod. Notably, it famously received a patent dispute over the MP3 participant’s person interface in 2006, forcing Apple to pay Artistic US$100 million.
At this time, Artistic continues to innovate with its award-winning Tremendous X-Fi holographic audio know-how, launched in 2018. The know-how powers Artistic’s gaming headsets and different merchandise, cementing its legacy as a key participant in audio innovation. Though co-founder Sim Wong Hoo handed away in 2023, his legacy continues to encourage.
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2. Razer
Minister for Digital Improvement and Data Josephine Teo and Razer chief govt Tan Min-Liang on the opening of Razer’s AI Centre of Excellence.
Picture: Straits Occasions
Razer is synonymous with gaming, because of its iconic “For Avid gamers. By Avid gamers.” slogan. Co-founded by Singaporean Tan Min-Liang and American Robert Krakoff in 2005, Razer developed from a small startup into a world gaming big.
Razer started life in San Diego as a subsidiary of Karna LLC, producing the Boomslang gaming mouse, the world’s first high-performance gaming mouse. After Karna’s chapter, Razer’s co-founders acquired the model, rebranding it into the corporate we all know at the moment.
In 2006, Razer launched the DeathAdder gaming mouse, which grew to become a bestseller and a gaming business icon. This success was adopted by different groundbreaking merchandise, such because the BlackWidow mechanical gaming keyboard in 2010, and the Razer Blade laptop in 2011, which redefined gaming laptops with its modern, skinny design.
Razer’s progress continued with its itemizing on the Hong Kong Inventory Trade in 2017 and its bold foray into smartphones with the Razer Phone. Though the cellphone was discontinued in 2019, Razer’s income exceeded US$1 billion in 2020, cementing its place as a pacesetter in gaming {hardware}.
Now headquartered in Singapore (walk through the new HQ with us) and Irvine, California, Razer has expanded into fintech and synthetic intelligence. In August 2025, Razer launched an AI Centre of Excellence in Singapore, aiming to rent 150 native AI specialists.
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3. Garena
Picture: Garena (SEA)
Based in 2009 by entrepreneur Forrest Li, Garena is finest recognized for growing Free Hearth, one of many world’s hottest cell battle royale games. With a large participant base of over 100 million lively customers, Garena has solidified its place as a world big within the gaming business from our little crimson dot.
The corporate initially started life as a recreation distributor throughout Southeast Asia and Taiwan, bringing in style multiplayer on-line battle area (MOBA) video games like League of Legends, Heroes of Newerth, and Arena of Valor to the area. It additionally distributed different video games, akin to first-person shooter Level Clean and the soccer simulation recreation EA Sports activities FC On-line. (Don’t neglect to take a look at our office culture story for Garena.)
The 12 months 2017 proved to be a pivotal 12 months. Garena launched its first self-developed cell recreation, which was Free Fire. It would go on to be essentially the most downloaded cell recreation on the planet for 3 consecutive years from 2019 to 2021. In truth, Free Hearth generated US$3.2 billion in income 2020 alone.
The identical 12 months (2017), Garena underwent a corporate rebranding with Sea being the parent company for its various companies, together with e-commerce (Shopee) and fintech (Monee). The Garena identify is retained for its important branding and presence within the gaming business. Final 12 months, Free Hearth reached 100 million peak each day lively customers and was included within the inaugural Esports World Cup.
Key Occasions:
- 2010: Acquires publishing rights for the favored multiplayer on-line battle area (MOBA) recreation League of Legends in Southeast Asia and Taiwan.
- 2017: Releases Free Hearth, its first personal cell recreation.
- 2019-2021: Free Hearth was essentially the most downloaded cell recreation globally.
- 2024: Free Hearth reached 100 million peak each day lively customers.
4. Secretlab
Founders Ian Ang and Alaric Choo flanking minister Gan Kim Yong who graced the corporate’s new HQ openning.
Picture: Secretlab
Drawing from their shared experience as former esports professionals, Ian Ang and Alaric Choo based Secretlab in 2014 to create the proper gaming chair after being dissatisfied with present choices available in the market.
Their purpose was to create the very best gaming chair available in the market, combining glorious ergonomics with premium supplies, at reasonably priced costs. It does so by promoting its merchandise on to shoppers, with no retail intermediary.
In March 2015, Secretlab launched its first product, Throne V1. Later that 12 months, it adopted up with Throne V2 and Omega. In 2019, Secretlab grew to become the official gaming chair for main esports tournaments, akin to DOTA 2’s The Worldwide, giving it unprecedented publicity.
By 2020, Secretlab had offered over a million chairs and co-founder Ian Ang was named EY Singapore’s Entrepreneur of the Yr. In 2021, the corporate expanded its product line to incorporate gaming desks and accompanying accessories, akin to monitor arms. This was additionally the identical 12 months Secretlab launched their Titan Evo series of chairs that leapfrogged expectations from all different ergonomic (and gaming) chairs within the business. It has since remained their mainstay of choices and has expanded its functionality through add-ons and skins.
It has additionally partnered with beloved franchises, from Game of Thrones to Gundam, from F1 teams to Lamborghini, cementing its standing because the go-to model for gaming chairs. At this time, Secretlab is thought for its ergonomic designs, sturdy supplies, and aesthetic enchantment, with its merchandise offered in over 60 international locations. It continues to take a position closely in research and development, subjecting its chairs to rigorous testing.
Bonus data: Do you know Secretlab additionally affords mesh ergonomic chairs? Launched below the NeueChair brand, it was a standalone providing, however has since been consolidated throughout the Secretlab on-line retailer for ease of buy fulfilment. For these curious, our review is here.
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5. Aftershock PC
Picture: Aftershock
Aftershock PC is a reputation each native PC gamer will know. Based in 2012 by Marcus Wee and joined by his twin brother Joe Wee a 12 months later, Aftershock is a boutique private laptop (PC) builder that caters to avid gamers, creatives, and professionals. It additionally retains its costs reasonably priced by promoting its merchandise on to shoppers, slicing the retail intermediary and passing the financial savings to its clients.
What units Aftershock aside is its dedication to customisation. Clients can design their dream PC rig, from the elements to the aesthetics. Its consideration to element and glorious customer support have made it a favorite amongst tech fanatics. One of many memorable customized PCs constructed was the Aftershock Bubble Tea PC, which its maker claimed to be the world’s first bubble tea themed PC. Discover out extra about how they keep their edge in this story and the way they bagged their first Tech Awards Readers’ Choice win in 2021.
The corporate additionally affords customisable gaming laptops, providing high-performance machines for gaming, video enhancing, and different demanding functions. Aftershock also founded PRISM+ and Omnidesk famed for gaming shows and gaming desks respectively, earlier than PRISM+ grew to become an unbiased firm.
In 2022, Aftershock opened its first brick-and-mortar retail outlet in Suntec Metropolis (now relocated to Bendemeer), breaking from its online-only retail mannequin. The outlet additionally showcases Omnidesk merchandise. Aftershock has additionally expanded into the Malaysian and Australian markets since 2014, however stays a staple of many Singaporean PC avid gamers.
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6. The Gentlebros
Gentlebros are most recognized for his or her Cat Quest sequence.
Picture: Apple App Retailer
Anybody who loves role-playing video games (RPGs) and cats will adore the Cat Quest sequence by native indie studio The Gentlebros, based in 2015 by former Koei Tecmo colleagues Desmond Wong, Leon Ho and Nursyazana Zainal.
The corporate first launched Slashy Hero, a free-to-play cell recreation, that very same 12 months. Whereas the sport shouldn’t be a large hit, it is a sign of what’s to return.
Its subsequent recreation, Cat Quest, an motion RPG set in a whimsical, feline-filled world, hit the jackpot. Out there on all main platforms, together with macOS, Android, Home windows, and numerous consoles, the sport’s charming graphics, humorous dialogue, and polished gameplay have received it quite a few awards and a devoted fanbase.
The Gentlebros has since launched two sequels, with Cat Quest II being an Apple Arcade early unique when it first launched in 2020, whereas Cat Quest III was launched in 2024. The Gentlebros revealed that it had revamped S$5 million in three years from the Cat Quest video games.
Not unhealthy for a crew that originally consisted of simply three to 4 folks, which has since grown to eight. The Gentlebros exemplifies how ardour, creativity, and a small crew from Singapore with massive concepts could make a world affect within the gaming business.
Key Occasions:
- 2015: Releases Slashy Hero, a free-to-play cell recreation.
- 2017: Cat Quest is launched to essential acclaim.
- 2019: Cat Quest II is launched as Apple Arcade unique.
- 2020: Revamped S$5 million from the Cat Quest video games.
- 2022: Lastly expands its crew from a core of three to eight.
- 2024: Cat Quest III is launched.
7. Virtuos
You won’t have heard of Virtuos, however one can find their prints on the video games you play.
Picture: Virtuos
Cyberpunk 2077, Forza Horizon, Microsoft Flight Sim 2024, and Subnautica 2. What do all these video games have in widespread? One developer which labored on all of them: Virtuos.
You won’t have heard of them, however they’ve had their fingers in some massive titles over the previous 20 years. Based in 2004 in Shanghai and establishing their HQ and R&D centre in Singapore in 2018, Virtuos doesn’t make their very own video games. As a substitute, they’re the corporate that main builders flip to for issues like artwork manufacturing, recreation engineering, growing ports, amongst many different issues.
They will’t precisely be described as a solitary “studio”, both. Moderately, they’re a community of studios internationally working on a global scale, with some based by Virtuos themselves and others acquired.
Among the achievements they’ll lay declare to incorporate the manufacturing of over 286 champion skins in League of Legends, supporting Konami in its Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater remake, and performing as a serious co-developer in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, overhauling Oblivion’s graphics with Unreal Engine 5. In whole, they’ve labored on over 1,500 video games.
Although headquartered in Singapore, the corporate has a number of branches and studios in areas like Paris, Montreal, Warsaw, Tokyo and Kuala Lumpur, to not point out their authentic location in Shanghai. And opposite to their low-key public presence, they at present make use of virtually 4,000 folks throughout 23 areas. Regardless of unlucky layoffs that occurred in 2025, the corporate continues its enlargement throughout the globe, opening its latest studio department in Seoul the identical 12 months.
Key Occasions:
- 2004: Based in Shanghai.
- 2011: Acquires Vietnamese studio Sparx*, their first studio acquisition.
- 2018: HQ and R&D centre established in Singapore.
- Apr 2025: The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, co-developed with Bethesda, is launched.
- Aug 2025: Steel Gear Strong Delta: Snake Eater, with help from Virtuos, is launched.
Word: SPH Media is a principal companion of Nationwide Day 2026.