Photo by Streamline Media Group: Alt text: Streamline Media Group logo black
Streamline Media is a game development company that was founded in 2001 in Hilversum, Netherlands by four passionate gamers who wanted to create games of their own. Streamline Studios’ company’s HeadQuarters is based in Las Vegas, United States of America while the Production HeadQuarters is based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Photo by Streamline Media Group
[Alt text: Alexander Fernandez headshot, black and white]
We will be going in-depth to get to know the company from when they first started, how the company is handled to how the games are created with an interview with Alexander Fernandez,
Co-Founder and CEO of Streamline Media Group. Alexander describes Streamline Media Group to be a company filled with dreams and dedication as game development is not an easy job. He sees all the dedication that everyone puts into creating games.
Photo by WOBB [Alt Text: Streamline Media Group Production Floor, KL, Malaysia]
Why did you choose Malaysia as the base for Streamline Media Group’s Production HeadQuarters?
The Production Studio in Hilversum, Netherlands had to be shut down in 2008 due to a financial crisis. “When we shut down the studio in Hilversum, we went looking in 17 different cities around the world to find the right place for the company”. Alexander and his team needed to find a place with talent and a good economical climate to be favorable for Streamline. “Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia won over every other city we looked at”. This led Streamline’s Production HeadQuarters to be based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia since 2008.
What’s the first game Streamline ever created?
The first game created by Streamline back in 2010 was ‘HoopWorld’. ‘HoopWorld’ is a 4-on-4 basketball game with kung fu elements and power-ups to help you do different tricks.
Photos by Streamline Media Group [Alt text: HoopWorld level artwork]
What is the inspiration and the story behind ‘HoopWorld’?
‘HoopWorld’ took 7 years to get to its final and complete game. “We really just wanted to make games that brought people together to emphasize teamwork”. This game reflects back on the company itself by showing that being in the business is to always come together to bring ideas together and to be able to work together with people from different backgrounds.
Photos by Art Station and YouTube Thumbnail
[Alt text 1: Monster of the Deep: Final Fantasy XV poster][Alt text 2: From left to right: Hasnal Hadi Samsudin, former VP of Digital Creative Content Division at MDEC, Alexander Fernandez, CEO and Co-Founder at Streamline Media Group, Wan Hazmer, former Lead Designer at Square Enix]
What is it that got Streamline to be part of the creation of Final Fantasy XV?
Streamline was one of the developers for Final Fantasy XV alongside many other developers including Hajime Tabata, Director of Final Fantasy XV. Alexander himself said that he started playing Final Fantasy VII when he was 15 years old at that time, recognising it for its revolutionary design and graphics. Years later, Streamline got the chance to work on Final Fantasy XV which was released in 2016.
“It was like a dream come true”
- Alexander Fernandez
Streamline built a really good relationship with SQUARE ENIX, a Japanese game development company that published Final Fantasy XV. It became clear to each other that they both wanted to work together on Final Fantasy XV. They went on a crazy journey together to create Final Fantasy XV that took a lot of time in an effort to make it perfect. Working with a Japanese game development company, they have a certain level of expectations, dedication and detail that you will need to meet when working with them, and that pushes you to do the best that you can do. “It helped our team and all of us to become better developers, it helped us grow as people and as a business”.
By Dephyn Chew