What does it take to build a career and a legacy in one of Singapore’s most intriguing creative industries? Video Game Nation, an eight-part short-form documentary series by No Average Joe (NAJ), dives into the heart of Singapore’s growing indie game scene with candour, craft, and a dash of chaos.
Produced as part of SGStory’s Our Singapore, Our Stories campaign commemorating 60 years of nationhood, the series spotlights the people and studios behind some of Singapore’s most distinctive video and tabletop games. Each themed episode runs 4–8 minutes in vertical format for TikTok and other social platforms, exploring four themes and structured in two parts, each spotlighting one local indie studio. Some put a uniquely Singaporean spin on global genres, while others have birthed global ideas on our shores.
From established hits like Cat Quest III’s swashbuckling RPG felines and the satirical world-building of Let’s Build a Dungeon, to the culinary chaos of Cuisineer and the pixel-noir intrigue of Chinatown Detective Agency, Video Game Nation uncovers how Singaporean imagination has found its way into code, art, and community.
“Video Game Nation is really a collection of underdog stories,” says Joe Peter, Producer-Director / Executive Producer / Managing Director, NAJ. “Singapore-made games often only get noticed when they go global, but there are plenty more that thrive in their own ways. Games born here, shaped by the Singapore experience, built with equal parts creativity, grit, and heart.”
Synopsis
From bedroom prototypes to studio launches, this eight-part micro-documentary series follows the journeys of Singapore’s game makers, tracing the risks, resilience, and remarkable ideas shaping a home-grown creative industry that is quietly finding its place on the world stage.
Episodes
THEME 1: HEAVY HITTERS
Ep 1 – The Gentlebros: Cat Quest trilogy
One of Singapore’s biggest game exports, fur real. How The Gentlebros clawed their way into the global spotlight with a cat-themed action RPG.
Ep 2 – Springloaded: Let’s Build a Zoo / Let’s Build a Dungeon
Build a zoo. Build a dungeon. Build a global following. The studio behind some of Steam’s weirdest and wildest management games shares how it all started and why they kept going.
THEME 2: INCREDIBLE ITERATIONS
Ep 3 – General Interactive: Chinatown Detective Agency
Inspired by Carmen Sandiego and powered by a love for the Lion City. A remote team builds a cyber-noir detective game with a Singapore soul.
Ep 4 – AT-AT Games: Ghostlore
What if Southeast Asian myths met classic action RPGs? What started as a love letter to Diablo became a modern indie hit handcrafted by two developers.
THEME 3: CODING CATHARSIS
Ep 5 – Landshark Games: Zen Koi series
It began with koi doodles in a notebook during a seminar. It became a chill mobile hit that proves you do not need explosions to go global.
Ep 6 – No Average Joe: Owe Money Pay Money / Own Time Own Target
Fed up with errant clients, a film studio channels frustration into two over-the-top games inspired by retro classics. A little bit of therapy and a whole lot of revenge.
THEME 4: MAKAN MANA
Ep 7 – Battlebrew Productions: Cuisineer
Fight monsters, serve hotpot, and cook up mayhem. A last-roll-of-the-dice roguelite from one of Singapore’s most recognisable indie studios.
Ep 8 – Kopiforge: Sedap!
A student project turned full release. First-time developers tackle food and identity, and cook up something truly sedap.
Premiere: 8 November 2025 on TikTok: @sgstory.sg with behind-the-scenes clips on Instagram: @sgstory.sg and permanent archival at sgstory.sg.
About SGStory
Our Singapore, Our Stories is a landmark SG60 initiative featuring 150 short-form videos designed to resonate with Singaporeans, foster unity, and inspire action as we look to the future of our nation. Led by the Association of Independent Producers (AIPRO) and supported by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), it empowers storytellers to bring Singapore’s unique stories to life.
About No Average Joe (NAJ)
Founded in 2004, No Average Joe is a Singapore-based production company known for its documentary-led approach to brand films, social content, and motion design. Its work spans continents and industries, from Discovery’s Revealed and Nat Geo’s Monster Fish to Capcom’s Street Fighter anniversary special and global campaigns for Adidas. The studio also experiments in animation, installations, and game development.
IMDb Profile
About Joe Peter
For nearly three decades, Joe Peter has chased stories across continents, from Varanasi to Vegas, crafting award-winning documentaries, brand films, and short-form content for global audiences. His factual work includes Capcom’s Street Fighter documentary, National Geographic’s Monster Fish, and Discovery’s Revealed, alongside campaigns for Adidas, Puma, and Red Bull. Since founding NAJ, the studio has become known for bold, story-driven content and constant reinvention across new media. Under his creative direction, NAJ ventured into game development, earning a National Award at the inaugural Asian Academy Creative Awards (2018) for Best Video Game with its debut title Owe Money Pay Money. Today, Joe continues to bring real stories to life through fresh formats and emerging platforms.
IMDb Profile
