Thai digital delights: DEPA and partners unlock future of gaming, animation, characters

The Digital Economy Promotion Agency (DEPA), in collaboration with esteemed partners including the Thai Digital Content Association (DCAT), Thai Animation and Computer Graphics Association (TACGA), Thai Game Software Industry Association (TGA), Bangkok ACM SIGGRAPH, and Atwise Consulting Company, has unveiled a comprehensive survey and evaluation report on the state of the Thai digital content industry encompassing games, animation, and characters for the year 2022, accompanied by a forward-looking three-year forecast.

It was revealed that the total value of the Thai digital content industry in 2022 witnessed an average decline of 4%, due to the contraction of the game industry, which makes up a significant 85% of the total value of the industry, totalling 40,518 million baht. Despite this, it’s estimated that the digital content industry will continue to grow, with the total value expected to expand to 44,983 million baht by 2025.

The gaming industry in 2022 had a total value of 34,556 million baht, a decline of 7% due to a decrease in the number of players and playtime as people’s lifestyles return to normal. However, the gaming industry has the potential to grow due to the development of new player experiences and the emergence of GameFi or Game NFT, which allows investment and revenue generation.

The animation industry expanded by an average of 15% last year, with a total value of 3,936 million baht. Thailand is a key outsourcing location for animation and CG/VFX work, receiving orders primarily from China, Japan, South Korea, Europe, the United States, Hong Kong, Singapore, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Canada.

The character industry in 2022 grew by 26% with a total value of 2,025 million baht, due to an increase in tourists and an improved economic situation. However, a significant issue for the character industry is the lack of awareness about intellectual property and copyright.

For the first time, DEPA and its partners included the electronic book industry in their survey.

Last year, the e-book industry had a total value of 3,712 million baht, driven by the lifestyle of modern consumers who prefer convenience and the ability to access content anywhere, anytime, without having to carry physical books.

The behaviour of the younger generation, who prefer to create content and distribute it on online platforms such as Web Novel, E-book, E-comic, and Webtoon, also contributes to this growth.

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