Malaysian game founders: culture plus cash discipline wins

What happened

At BAGFest 2026 in Kuching, Metronomik co-founder Wan Hazmer and 7th Beat Games founder Hafiz Azman shared their contrasting routes to the global games market. Hazmer returned to Malaysia in December 2017 after working on Final Fantasy XV at Square Enix. Azman built his studio from a student project with friend Winston Lee.

Both founders concluded that a distinctive game still needs commercial discipline to survive. They spoke alongside Streamline Studios' Lalitha Krishnan, who advocated a services-first approach.

Why it matters

Hazmer's debut game No Straight Roads blended Malaysian culture into a global story, while Azman's A Dance of Fire and Ice was deliberately abstract. Their different paths show there is no single Malaysian playbook for going global. The key lesson is that cultural identity works only when it fits naturally inside the game.

Hazmer warned that the danger is becoming self-indulgent, so culture must be wrapped in something relevant. Azman said anyone playing his abstract game would have no idea it was Malaysian.

Community as multiplier

Azman credited community building as the multiplier after core game mechanics worked. A level editor let players create and share challenges, which helped grow the audience. The audience was international from the start, particularly in China and Korea.

An unexpected boost came from Lee "Faker" Sang-hyeok, a South Korean League of Legends star. Faker played A Dance of Fire and Ice between matches, exposing it to millions of followers and driving sales.

Financial discipline

Hazmer said Metronomik's mistake after No Straight Roads was not having another revenue plan ready. "One of the biggest enemies of indie game development is always cash flow," he warned. Newer deals are structured to bring in revenue before release rather than depend on royalties.

Azman's scaling problem was management, as his distributed team needed more visibility. The studio introduced regular sprint meetings and leadership updates.

Impact on Malaysia

Both founders argued that Malaysia's next breakout needs more than funding. Azman stressed mentorship and time to experiment. Hazmer wants the wider financing ecosystem to understand the long development cycles of games.

Hazmer said if finance companies and ministers understand how the video game industry works, that will be the next breakthrough. He also advocated greater use of Malaysian co-development partners.

Looking ahead

Metronomik's sequel to No Straight Roads is due in 2026. 7th Beat's Rhythm Doctor reached full release in December 2025. Both studios continue to navigate the balance between creative ambition and business fundamentals.

The BAGFest discussion highlighted that Malaysian games can succeed globally through different models, whether culture-led or abstract, as long as community and cash flow are managed well.