LEVEL UP KL 2026 brought together game developers, publishers, investors and technology leaders in Kuala Lumpur on 15 and 16 October 2026, as Malaysia’s games industry signals a shift toward higher-value growth driven by investment, talent development and original intellectual property creation.
Hosted by the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) at Connexion Conference and Event Centre, the event served as a regional platform for business opportunities and international collaboration, building on approximately 12 years of development.
LEVEL UP KL 2026 Programme
Deputy Minister of Digital Datuk Wilson Ugak anak Kumbong officially launched the event, noting that Malaysia is now focused on accelerating industry growth and enabling local developers to compete on the global stage. He highlighted the Digital Creative Ecosystem Roadmap, led by the Ministry of Digital and implemented with MDEC, which targets RM9 billion in digital creative industry revenue, RM6 billion in exports, RM6 billion in strategic investments and 10,000 high-value jobs by 2030.
This year’s edition features more than 50 speakers, 25 conference topics, five partner events and two masterclass workshops. Highlights include the Game UX Summit making its Asian debut, Games for Change, Xsolla Connect KL, Nintendo and PlayStation industry sessions, Unreal Engine training, a Women in Games networking session and an expanded independent games showcase. The SEA Game Awards Show recognized creativity, innovation and technical excellence among Southeast Asian game developers.
LEVEL UP KL 2026 is targeting 400 business meetings, RM120 million in export opportunities and RM100 million in investment opportunities, with 100 businesses expected to benefit from its industry engagement programs.
According to preliminary MDEC data, Malaysia’s digital content ecosystem includes approximately 300 companies with Malaysia Digital status, of which around 100 are involved in game development spanning both development services and original IP creation. The event underscores the need to build more resilient local studios in response to rising global development costs, reduced project financing and studio closures following the pandemic-era expansion.
MDEC Chairman Ganesh Kumar Bangah said: “AI is changing how games are developed, creating opportunities to improve productivity, reduce costs and accelerate production. However, technology alone does not create great games. Creativity, imagination and storytelling remain essential. Malaysia has the talent and capabilities to take advantage of this transition. Our opportunity is to combine these strengths with AI so that our developers compete not just on cost, but increasingly on quality, innovation and productivity.”
Ganesh also highlighted that access to AI computing capabilities will become increasingly important as studios adopt new production tools. MDEC is exploring how the National AI Compute Exchange (NACX) could support this transition by facilitating access to computing resources, potentially enabling faster prototyping and more efficient workflows.
On the talent side, MDEC’s efforts at LEVEL UP KL 2026 include a dedicated Talent Hub offering mentorship, portfolio reviews and career guidance through industry practitioners and educational institutions. Beyond the event itself, MDEC continues to engage game studios to better understand their evolving skills requirements and investment needs for long-term industry growth.
Pokdepinion: Malaysia’s been saying it wants to be a games hub for years, so now comes the part where they actually have to show the receipts.
