BAGFEST 2026 is the first international animation and games festival of the creative industry spectacle, to be held in Borneo and will take place in Kuching.
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s digital creative industry is poised for stronger growth after establishing a strong reputation for producing globally recognised animation, games and digital content.
The next challenge for the industry is not just about intellectual property (IP) but about building a sustainable ecosystem that supports local companies and helps startups commercialise ideas, penetrate global markets, and compete on a larger scale.
In this space, the Borneo Animation & Games Festival (BAGFEST) 2026 aims to play a crucial role in the country’s digital creative industry.
With the involvement of government agencies, private companies, and stakeholders from the creative industry, the festival is banking on long-term talent development and international collaboration to position Sarawak as an emerging hub for animation, games, and broader creative economic growth.
BAGFEST 2026 is the first international animation and games festival of the creative industry spectacle, to be held in Borneo and will take place in Kuching. It will be a 5-day event running from August 19-23, 2026.
This international event in Sarawak will showcase Malaysia’s growing national commitment to cement Malaysia as the centrepoint for regional and international creative industry growth through the creation of new ideas and collaborations.
With the theme ‘Forging Sarawak’s Digital Future as the Regional Hub for Animation & Games’, BAGFEST 2026 will showcase joint collaborative efforts by the federal and state governments to establish Malaysia as a strong foothold in the regional and international digital creative industry.
Further, through the Ministry of Digital and the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), BAGFEST 2026 is poised to deliver positive economic spillovers and strengthen Malaysia’s competitiveness in the growth of the regional and global creative industries.
Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC) CEO Datuk Ir Ts Sudarnoto Osman echoed this sentiment, saying, “The success of a digital creative ecosystem is measured not only by the talent it produces, but by its ability to transform creativity into sustainable businesses and long-term economic value.
“BAGFEST 2026 is an important step towards that vision for Sarawak, bringing together government, industry and global partners to create opportunities that extend well beyond the festival itself,“ he said.
Digital minister Gobind Singh Deo said BAGFEST 2026 is the platform for the federal and Sarawak state governments to showcase the established strong partnerships, unlocking future talent development and opportunities for innovation, creating a new economic growth engine in the digital creative economy in East Malaysia.
“Our greatest investment is in our people. By connecting Malaysian talent with international industry leaders, investors and global markets, we are creating opportunities for our creators to develop world-class intellectual property, build globally competitive businesses and showcase Malaysian creativity on the international stage,“ he said.
BAGFEST 2026 is targeted to attract more than 1,500 industry players, experts, and delegates from more than 20 countries, facilitate over 200 business-to-business meetings, showcase over 50 exhibitors and attract over 20,000 visitors through conferences, meetings, live demonstrations and programmes.
Importantly, BAGFEST 2026 is projected to generate RM100 million in export opportunities and RM50 million in investments, placing Malaysia as a hub for digital content creation, creative AI technologies, and innovation.
These target projections will cement MDEC’s continued efforts to accelerate Malaysian creative industry players toward a more export-ready platform, enabling them to compete internationally.
MDEC CEO Anuar Fariz Fadzil said that by connecting local players and creators to global partners, BAGFEST 2026 plays a vital role in strengthening and positioning Malaysia’s digital content industry on the global stage.
“Sarawak is blessed with abundant creative talent, strong institutional support and solid digital foundations to emerge as a regional centre of excellence for animation and games.
“Through BAGFEST 2026, we aim to turn that potential into commercial outcomes by connecting Malaysian studios and creators with global partners, investors and markets,“ he said.
“This initiative is about building exportready intellectual property, strengthening our digital content ecosystem and creating new pathways for Malaysian creative companies to grow with purpose beyond our borders,“ he added.
On the commercial front, BAGFEST 2026 will be supported by participation from industry leaders, publishers, investors, technology companies, and studios.
The festival will also bring in speakers and experts from Malaysia, the United States, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, France, the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada.
The participation of industry players and stakeholders from these countries will open opportunities for local players to establish tangible partnerships and collaborations, explore new growth markets, and showcase talents and capabilities on the international stage.
Apart from that, BAGFEST 2026 also aims to develop new talent by creating a sustainable ecosystem and a pipeline of skilled professionals to further expand the industry to greater heights.
Between 500 and 1,000 jobseekers are expected to connect with employers in Malaysia’s creative industry at the Anuar Gobind MYFutureJobs Creative Speed Dating Fair, organised by PERKESO.
Further, through sessions presented by local and international speakers and live demonstrations conducted by digital content creators and innovators, local students and aspiring professionals will gain access to and acquire in-depth knowledge from regional and globally experienced gaming and animation industry players.
Apart from exhibitions, gaming showcases, esports activities, cosplay competitions, stage performances and industry-focused perspectives, BAGFEST 2026 will also broaden its reach by creating industry-led programmes for public engagement.
BAGFEST 2026 will be introducing Wayang Pacak at Taman Perpaduan, Kuching. This three-night outdoor animation screening is inspired by Malaysia’s traditional open-air cinema culture and will be Sarawak’s first zeroemission outdoor animation screening experience.
These initiatives are packaged together to provide a broader strategy and experience for visitors, reinforce close collaboration among government, industry, academia, and the community, reflect global competitiveness in the digital creative industry, and simultaneously create opportunities for businesses, investors, and creative talent.
BAGFEST 2026 will signal a strategic shift in the nation’s aspiration for regional and global digital economic growth by building a robust digital creative ecosystem, export-ready intellectual property and sustainable industry growth.
BAGFEST 2026 will position Sarawak as a regional centre for the digital creative industry, particularly in games and animation, while establishing stronger opportunities for digital economic growth.
For Malaysia, BAGFEST 2026 reinforces the country’s ambition to be recognised not only for producing creative talent, but also for building an internationally connected digital creative ecosystem capable of generating longterm economic value.
