Neon Doctrine: Bridging the Gap between East and West in the Gaming Industry

Iain Garner, co-founder of Neon Doctrine, never envisioned a career in the gaming industry. Born in rural North England, Garner spent most of his childhood playing games on a black and white screen, unaware that Sonic the Hedgehog was blue. After completing his degree in English literature and history, he taught English in China, which marked the beginning of his decade-long journey in the Far East. Garner's entry into the gaming industry was facilitated by his job at Tech in Asia, where he discovered that his passion for gaming could be transformed into a rewarding career. However, he soon realized that the East and West were divided, with Chinese games being underrepresented on the global stage. To address this issue, Garner co-founded Neon Doctrine with Vlad Tsypljak, with the goal of bridging the gap between Eastern and Western game development. Located in self-ruled Taiwan, Neon Doctrine faces unique challenges in maintaining effective partnerships, particularly with those in mainland China. Despite these challenges, the company has managed to mitigate location-related issues and foster strong national and international partnerships. According to Tsypljak, "most of the time, we don't encounter any concerns from our partners regarding these issues – except for my paranoid parents!" Neon Doctrine's strategic location allows for easy access to both Western and Chinese markets, enabling the company to work seamlessly with developers in mainland China. The company boasts 33 employees and offers a range of services, including in-house PR and marketing, project management, QA, localization, funding support, porting, co-development, and consultancy. Garner and Tsypljak emphasize the importance of safety for their teams in both Taiwan and mainland China, navigating cultural aspects and being mindful of the impact of their actions on team members. The company's success is exemplified by The Legend of Tianding, a 2D RPG that showcases Taiwanese culture and talent, with an overwhelmingly positive review score on Steam. Neon Doctrine provides internships to local talent and is in talks with local universities to provide access to their knowledge and expertise. The company advises Taiwanese game developers to think globally, leveraging professional localization services and avoiding reliance on personal connections. With their recent expansion, Neon Doctrine aims to bring more games to market, foster Taiwan's growing profile on the global development stage, and improve representation for regional talent. Ultimately, Neon Doctrine's mission is to bridge the gap between East and West, enabling global audiences to appreciate titles from around the world. As Tsypljak notes, "there's so much amazing talent here that often gets overlooked on the global stage, and that's a pity."