Pixel P&L: Malaysia's $4.35M Bet on Esports

Good morning. It’s Tuesday, 22nd October. Malaysia bets big on esports! We dive into the government’s $4.35 million investment to boost infrastructure, talent, and careers as part of the 2025 Madani Budget.

Also on our radar: Bethesda’s uphill battle with The Elder Scrolls VI and Ubisoft’s 2025 esports calendar for Rainbow Six Siege.

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The Malaysian government has committed RM20 million ($4.35 million) to developing its esports industry as part of the Malaysia Madani Budget 2025, marking a significant investment in the country's growing gaming sector. Announced by the Department of Finance and confirmed by Malaysian news agency Bernama, the esports funding is part of a broader RM230 million ($50.1 million) allocation aimed at bolstering the nation’s sports industry.

This injection of funds is designed to strengthen the local esports ecosystem, focusing on infrastructure development, talent cultivation, and the grassroots foundation of the industry. The investment will also provide increased support for esports careers, including coaches, desk hosts, and other essential staff.

A national esports center is also set to be developed as part of this initiative, providing facilities for teams and players to conduct bootcamps, organize events, and access production resources. The move underscores the government's recognition of esports as a key area for growth and its potential to create career opportunities for the nation’s youth.

The initiative has garnered support from the Malaysian Olympic Committee, reflecting growing institutional recognition of esports as a legitimate competitive arena.

Bethesda Game Studios, once revered for shaping the RPG genre with titles like The Elder Scrolls and Fallout 3, is now facing mounting pressure with its next installment: The Elder Scrolls VI. Following Microsoft’s $7.5 billion acquisition of Bethesda’s parent company, ZeniMax Media, in 2020, fan expectations skyrocketed. Many hoped the studio’s creative vision would be bolstered by Microsoft's resources, but over four years later, the excitement has given way to growing concerns. Delays, rumors of internal struggles, and the mixed reception of Starfield—Bethesda’s first new intellectual property in over 25 years—have cast a shadow over the highly anticipated release.

At the center of these concerns is Bethesda’s reliance on its aging Creation Engine, the same technology behind Skyrim and Fallout 4. In an era where competitors like Baldur’s Gate 3 and Cyberpunk 2077 have set new benchmarks for technical sophistication and immersive storytelling, Bethesda's decision to stick with its outdated engine is raising eyebrows. With The Elder Scrolls VI rumored to be years away from release, questions abound about whether Bethesda can meet the high expectations of fans and industry insiders alike.

In our feature story, we explore the challenges facing The Elder Scrolls VI, from technical limitations to a changing gaming landscape. Can Bethesda reinvent itself, or will the series be left behind?

Ubisoft has outlined key changes to the 2025 esports season for Rainbow Six Siege, introducing a new competitive structure designed to enhance the game’s ecosystem. The season will kick off with a LAN event in May, followed by two regional league stages from June to October, and a Major in November. The season will culminate with the Six Invitational 2026, scheduled for February in France.

A central element of the new structure is the introduction of the Challenger Series, aimed at strengthening grassroots competition. The Challenger Series, set for March and April 2025, will feature open qualifiers, group stages, and playoffs, offering tier-two teams a path to enter Rainbow Six’s Regional Leagues. The number of teams eligible for promotion has not yet been disclosed.

Ubisoft has also revamped its in-game revenue-sharing system, R6 Share, limiting the number of partner teams to 20 for the 2025 season. Partner teams will now receive two in-game bundle releases per year, expanding into new item categories. The decision to reduce the number of teams was made to ensure sufficient resources for these releases, according to Ubisoft.

The updated esports structure continues Ubisoft’s partnership with tournament organizer BLAST, with further details expected at the upcoming Montreal Major in November.

Former Supercell Developers Launch Antihero Studios

A group of former Supercell developers have founded Antihero Studios, focused on multiplayer games. Led by CEO Brice Laville Saint-Martin, former creative director at Supercell, the team includes Frank Yan, ex-Brawl Stars senior game designer, and Andre Parodi, former King technical director. The studio has secured backing from Sisu Game Ventures and the Finnish government, according to MobileGamer.biz, and is gearing up for its seed funding round. Based in Finland with offices in Barcelona, Antihero Studios aims to create "games worth sharing," in response to dissatisfaction with industry reactions to Apple's IDFA changes.

Fallout Season 2 Filming to Begin in November

Filming for season two of Fallout will begin in November, according to cast member Leslie Uggams. During an interview at New York Comic Con, Uggams confirmed the production schedule, adding that she’s excited to return. The Amazon series, which premiered in April, was well-received and quickly renewed for a second season. Showrunners Geneva Robertson-Dworet and Graham Wagner have stated that the team is working to expedite the next season’s release, aiming to deliver it as quickly as possible.

Amazon’s God of War Adaptation Starts Over After Showrunner Departs

Amazon’s adaptation of God of War is reportedly starting from scratch after the departure of showrunner Rafe Judkins and executive producers Hawk Ostby and Mark Fergus, according to Deadline. Despite multiple completed scripts, Amazon and Sony are "apparently looking to move in a different creative direction," with both studios reportedly praising the original scripts. A new writers’ room is expected to be assembled. Judkins, under an overall deal with Sony, will continue working on other projects. Announced in December 2022, the series is based on Santa Monica Studio’s 2018 title and will be co-produced by Sony and Amazon.

Solitaire, one of the most iconic computer games of all time, was created by an unpaid Microsoft intern. In 1989, Wes Cherry developed the game as a way to familiarize users with the drag-and-drop functionality of a mouse, which was still a relatively new feature at the time. Surprisingly, Cherry received no compensation for what became one of the most widely played computer games ever.

Bill Gates himself tested the game but found it a bit too challenging, complaining that it was too difficult to win. However, the game was still included in the Windows 3.0 operating system, released in 1990, becoming an instant hit with office workers worldwide.

One of the game’s lesser-known features from its early versions was a hidden "boss mode." Cherry included a fake Excel spreadsheet that players could instantly toggle to if their supervisor happened to walk by. While this feature didn’t make it into the final version, it reveals a playful nod to the reality of how Solitaire was often used as a discreet distraction during work hours.