Are you ready for 'Ang Panday' mobile app?

Don't look now but actor Coco Martin could soon  be a force to reckon with in the gaming industry as he ties up with another company which will develop the mobile game for his forthcoming movie "Ang Panday."

Martin, star of the popular teleserye "Ang Probinsyano," has put up a company with Synergy 88 Studio, Inc. to promote computer and mobile games in the future.

"We put up a company together few months ago. That's why it's called 'CoSyn" (Co for Coco and Syn for Synergy 88). We will be coming up with digital products together for online games, business apps, websites," said Jackeline Chua during an exclusive interview at her office in Timog, Quezon City recently.

For their first venture together, CoSyn is currently developing the game for Martin's forthcoming Metro Manila Film Festival entry in December.

Asked about the requirements of Martin in the joint venture, Chua said: "Definitely Coco wants good graphics. Yun kasi ang expertise namin. A lot of our game assets like Games of War for Microsoft medyo heavy yung graphics namin. That's one of the things na nabanggit n'ya."

These days, Chua said that the "Ang Panday" game is on pre-production stage. "We want the game to go with the movie. Hopefully by October, just in time for the MMFF in December."

"Siguro we will reveal more about the game soon. Basta all I can say is that it's not just an ordinary game.

"One thing I can really assure the gamers is that it is something different. This is not the usual game that you will see. Although I cannot reveal so much now because baka ma-spoil. But we will start to promote it heavily in October," said Chua.



Martin is very hands-on with the "Panday" mobile game, she said.

"We're getting our creative direction from him. He's fun to work with. Nakaka-encourage  din kasi yung passion nya so nakakahawa sya.  He's very passionate about what he does. So I think it's a good tandem kasi pareho ang level of passion namin to something that is really good, something that the consumers will really like. Yun kasi yung iniisip namin when we created the game," Chua said.

After the "Ang Panday" game, Chua said that the company has already lined-up a number of games.

Chua said that this is the first time that the company is teaming up with a celebrity.

"When you meet the right people, somehow, nagkakaroon ka ng idea to do something and create more products," she said.

Chua said that the future of gaming industry in the Philippines is so bright.

"Five years from now, I think the gaming industry in the Philippines will be a big thing. Right now, the Philippines some 50 million pa lang among Filipinos.  So in five years time, baka everybody will have smartphone already. Imagine the market.  It's very good na magma mature 'yung gaming industry natin like Japan," she said.

Chua is hopeful that the local gaming industry will achieve its maturity status similar to that of Japan. "The gaming industry in Japan has matured and they really invest in gaming. Malakas silang gumastos and they are willing to pay.''

At present, the Philippines ranks No. 29 for the world's population of gamers with 30 million. US, Japan and China lead the pack in that order. - ROBERT REQUINTINA