Meet Matthew Quek, Co-founder and CEO

Matthew has always been interested in the art of storytelling. He grew up an avid reader and cinephile, but once he discovered video games, he knew he had found his calling. Matthew worked hard to pursue his dreams of being a part of the games industry and earned a degree from one of the top schools in game design and development globally, Digipen Institute of Technology, in 2015. While studying, he collaborated on multiple projects with Haskel, fostering a strong friendship. In 2018, Matthew joined an independent game studio in Singapore, starting as an intern where he worked on multiple projects. During this time, he noticed a lack of proper management and development techniques despite the incredible passion and talent of the team. There, he also learned about the problems that indie developers face firsthand: the lack of funding due to the improper fundraising processes, lack of experienced leadership to properly manage a budding game studio, and the lack of visibility that launched games were receiving.

From there, Matthew joined Virtuos as an R&D Engineer, working on the technology behind the game development process for multiple impressive AAA games. He quickly learned the ropes and was soon promoted to Senior R&D Engineer, leading a small team before moving on to join Epicsoft Asia, a leader of PC & Console game distribution across Asia, as a lead engineer and subsequently Director of Technology. He spearheaded a successful digitization process, replacing the traditional marketing and distribution with tech-driven social media influencers campaigns.

At the same time that he was earning firsthand experience in the industry, Matthew continued to follow up on the idea of an incubator/publisher hybrid that he and Haskel had conceptualized while studying together at DigiPen, the two eventually collaborating to create The Iterative Collective.

What do you want the world to know about gaming in Southeast Asia?

Southeast Asia is one of the most rapidly growing regions for video games, both in terms of players and game development, with a thriving gaming community of over 250 million gamers growing at 16% each year. While a majority of gamers from the region primarily play on their mobile devices, the PC gaming market is also growing. In fact, SEA accounts for 5% of Steam’s overall traffic, highlighting the continued demand for PC gaming in the region.

As for game development, the SEA region is home to many talented game developers and studios that are producing innovative games. The region’s rich cultural heritage is also increasingly reflected in the games developed here. These games are successfully attracting a global audience and are helping to drive the growth of the industry in the region.

In short, the gaming industry in SEA is rapidly expanding and has a lot to offer the world–if you haven’t already, do check out some of the games from the region and support the developers!

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What do you love about working at TIC?

I love the sense of purpose I get from supporting budding game developers. Being extremely passionate about the industry, I find it incredibly fulfilling to be able to contribute to the successes of these independent developers. Whether it’s through providing resources and support to help developers bring their ideas to life, or by fostering a supportive and collaborative community, I feel proud to be a part of this vibrant industry. By supporting and promoting the work of up-and-coming game developers, I am helping to ensure that the industry continues to thrive and bring new and exciting experiences to players. This work is not only important for the industry, but it also provides me with a deep sense of fulfilment and satisfaction.