Amin Abbas

DUBAI: Passion Republic Games is a Malaysian video game developer founded by a new team of game creators and artists based in Malaysia with a decade’s experience in providing outsourcing services for AAA developers and publishers worldwide. The company is recognized for its game ‘GigaBash’.

“The idea for ‘GigaBash’ originated from casual conversations among our team members. Many of us are huge fans of the Tokusatsu genre, and we noticed there were very few games focused on giant monsters at the time,” Tan Zong Yi and Lim Boon Keong, co-directors of ‘GigaBash,’ told Arab News Japan. “During our brainstorming sessions, we decided to focus on creating a game that would allow players to experience the fantasy of being a giant monster—something they can’t do in real life—while also causing destruction and demolishing buildings.”

“The development process wasn’t without its challenges, especially since most of our team had an art background and no prior experience in game development. However, with a lot of hard work and the addition of programmers to the team, we were able to overcome these obstacles,” said Zong Yi.

Zong Yi added that the project was initially an internal project to learn game development. “Showcasing our early builds at Tokyo Game Show 2019 was a turning point for us,” Zong Yi said. “The positive feedback from players was incredibly encouraging, and receiving recognition in the form of the Dengeki Indie Prize gave us even more confidence in our vision. That support fueled our drive to keep pushing forward.”

The game features characters from well-known franchises such as ‘Godzilla’ and ‘Ultraman’, something that Zong Yi found very challenging. “We had to ensure that each character not only fit within the game’s world but also stood out with unique mechanics that made them feel fresh and exciting.” 

Boon Keong echoed Zong Yi’s statement, saying, “The integration of collaborating IP characters into ‘GigaBash’ has been quite challenging, particularly in terms of playstyle and movement animation. Since ‘GigaBash’ is a fast-paced fighting brawler, most of the movements are quick and responsive, which contrasts significantly with the slower, more deliberate movements seen in movies. We need to ensure that these IP characters seamlessly blend into the game’s dynamic environment while still retaining their unique personalities.” 

The game was initially released in August 2022 on PlayStation and PC platforms and the following year on Nintendo Switch and Xbox platforms. It has received positive responses from players since then. “We are thrilled that we’ve been able to turn our love for Tokusatsu (live-action movies) into a game and share it with the world. We are  also actively reaching out to more Tokusatsu and monster franchises to expand our character roster and continue to enhance the game,” said Zong Yi.

Boon Keong added, “So far, we’ve received very encouraging feedback from players. ‘GigaBash’ has fulfilled our dreams and we hope that it does the same for our players. We are deeply grateful for all the love and support from our players.” 

Capcom’s Monster Hunter franchise is Zong Yi’s favorite video game series that inspired him to pursue a career in video game development. He started working in the industry in 2018.

“To me, video games are like a dream brought to life in a virtual world. They allow players to experience fantasies that would be impossible in real life—whether it’s flying around the world as a superhero, getting up close to a giant monster, or even taking on a completely different job than what I do in reality. Video games offer a unique way to step into worlds beyond our own and explore endless possibilities,” the developer said. 

Zong Yi visited Japan in the past and shared that he loved it. “I can confidently say that it has one of the largest and most dynamic gaming markets in the world. Not only is Japan home to major gaming console producers like Nintendo and Sony, but it also boasts a rich arcade culture with a wide variety of arcade machines found throughout the cities. This unique blend of console gaming and vibrant arcade scenes truly showcases Japan’s deep-rooted connection to the gaming industry.”

On the other hand, Boon Keong’s first video game project was a 3D modeler artist for ‘The Order 1886,’ where he was working on the 3D environment modeling asset examples like props and buildings.

Passion Republic Games was established in 2018 with a vision of embracing their passion and dedication for arts as well envisioning to be a proud homegrown icon, adopting a bold approach as a game developer and publisher to deliver extraordinary content and experiences that attract gamers around the world.