📝 Summary
The Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) delegation visited two game development studios in New Zealand, gaining insights into game development, mixed reality, and live-service development. The students learned about the game development lifecycle, prototyping, and testing, as well as the expanding possibilities of mixed reality. The visit provided a practical understanding of game development and industry practices, bridging the gap between academic theory and real-world commercial application.
CHRISTCHURCH, Sep 3 – Transitioning from academic and cultural immersions to real-world industry practices, the New Zealand XR Trip 2026 (NEXT’26) delegation from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) visited the EPIC Innovation Campus to engage with two game development studios, Fantail Games and Digital Confectioners. The industry visit provided Bachelor of Computer Science (Graphics and Multimedia Software) with Honours students from the Faculty of Computing with direct exposure to global game production, mixed reality (MR) innovations and live-service development.
The industry engagement began at Fantail Games, where Founder and Developer Steven Linton shared comprehensive insights into the game development lifecycle. He emphasized the critical role of prototyping, testing ideas early and continuously refining gameplay to transform concepts into engaging interactive entertainment.
During the visit, students learnt about the expanding possibilities of MR. Steven Linton demonstrated how MR allows players to remain aware of their physical surroundings while interacting with digital content, creating highly active and social gaming environments. In an exclusive opportunity, the delegation gained firsthand experience testing the upcoming 8-player update for the multi-user MR party game Game Night prior to its official release.
By playtesting several of its interactive mini-games, including Fishing Frenzy, Penguin Pucks and Final Throwdown, the students gained a practical understanding of how gameplay mechanics and multiplayer features are polished for launch.
Next, the industry visit continued with an insightful session led by Director James Tan at Digital Confectioners. Tracing the studio’s roots back to 2007, James Tan shared how the company evolved from executing Unreal Engine contract work to developing its own highly successful original titles.
Through this discussion, the delegation gained valuable insights into large-scale game production, the dynamics of cross-studio collaboration and the complex realities of live-service game development.
The conversation naturally shifted from coding to the realities of launching international hits like Depth and Dread Hunger. James Tan made it clear that to succeed on a global scale, developers need more than just programming skills. They must master professional collaboration, creative problem-solving, and continuous adaptability.
These exclusive industry insights successfully bridged the gap between academic theory and real-world commercial application. By exposing the Faculty of Computing delegation to international professional environments, the NEXT’26 trip reinforces UTM’s commitment under the UTM ASCEND 2030 vision to nurture adaptable, globally competent graduates who are thoroughly prepared to innovate within the interconnected global digital and game development industries.
