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Straits Times
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
From passion to product: Artist Alley kicks off at sold-out Hoyo Fest convention
Over 6,000 tickets for the event, which runs from July 25 to 27, were all sold out on its opening day. SINGAPORE - It is shaping up to be a dream weekend for full-time crochet artist Sherry Mak. Just as she has in years past, the gaming fan, who is in her late 30s, is attending the three-day Hoyo Fest Singapore, an annual event organised by industry giant Hoyoverse. But this year's edition is different: She is among 38 artists granted a spot at the Artist Alley, where creators can sell their fan-made merchandise , sanctioned by Hoyoverse. It is a first in five editions of the event and deviates from the industry norm - where large media franchises are typically protective of its intellectual property. The air at Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre, where the event is held, buzzed with excitement on July 26 as fans gathered to celebrate their shared love for Hoyoverse's sprawling universes. Fans dressed up as their favourite characters at Hoyo Fest on July 26. ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG Event-goers are greeted by snaking queues, cosplayers, and merchandise booths, each vying for attention at every corner. Over 6,000 tickets for the event, which runs from July 25 to 27, were all sold out on its opening day. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Students hide vapes in underwear, toilet roll holders: S'pore schools grapple with vaping scourge Singapore 'I've tried everything': Mum helpless as son's Kpod addiction spirals out of control Singapore Almost half of planned 30,000 HDB flats in Tengah to be completed by end-2025: Chee Hong Tat Singapore From libraries to living rooms: How reading habits take root in underserved S'pore kids Asia Johor faces healthcare worker shortage amid population boom, pull of higher Singapore salaries Asia Death toll climbs as Thai-Cambodia clashes continue despite calls for ceasefire Asia Thousands rally in downtown Kuala Lumpur for resignation of PM Anwar Asia Shunsaku Tamiya, who brought perfection to plastic race car models, dies at 90 In the spotlight this year are four of the company's games – Genshin Impact, Honkai: Star Rail, Honkai Impact 3 and Zenless Zone Zero, which has generated about $112 million in total revenue from the Singapore market, according to data analytics firm Sensor Tower. Ms Mak's booth was down to its bare bones when The Straits Times visited at about 2.30pm. Her stock of about 100 self-made wares - from keychains and crocheted card pouches, to spectacle holders - were mostly replaced with 'sold out' signs. Her creations range from $18 to $30, with larger customised dolls from $68. With her lunch placed aside, she was busy making restocks of her standout attraction: crochet stuffed dolls of characters from Hoyoverse games, each taking her about five hours to craft. Ms Sherry Mak's most popular products are a series of Honkai: Star Rail characters redesigned as little crochet birds. ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG 'Many of my items were sold out on the first day, and I'm hoping to restock as much as I can for tomorrow,' quipped Ms Mak, adding that this has been her most successful sales outing at an event since she converted to selling fan-made merchandise full-time over a year ago. 'I appreciate that Hoyoverse allows us to make fan merchandise and sell them without having to worry about intellectual property issues,' she said. Her experience mirrors that of several other participating artists, including 29-year-old Jie Yin Yong, professionally known as Jyyin. Ranging between $2 and $85, some of her creations were already sold out, something that she said she was not expecting to happen this quickly at this event, given her experience at other events previously. The star items at her booth are a series of character birthday cards, and miniature charms of characters from Genshin Impact - one of three Hoyoverse games she has played every day for the past four years, averaging up to two hours daily. To date, she has made a charm for 110 characters, including all 101 playable characters. She takes a day or two to draw each creation, before they are turned into a charm, or a Polaroid-style print. 'I usually just see clips of Hoyo Fest online and felt like I really missed out! I'm just happy to be able to attend this year,' Ms Yong said, adding that she looks forward to participating again next year. Ms Jie Yin Yong said she was surprised to see the Artist Alley being introduced this year, and applied without a second thought. ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG A Hoyoverse spokesperson said: 'We are thrilled to have these talented creators display their fan merchandise at the Artist Alley at Hoyo Fest. 'At the same time, it is also heartening to see the Hoyoverse community respond so positively to the artists, and supporting them and their craft.' Hoyo Fest started out at a cafe the Aniplus Cafe at Esplanade Mall in 2021, and expanded into a lobby space at Suntec City mall in 2024. The 2025 iteration is the largest one in terms of event space, and the first time it is ticketed.
Straits Times
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Gaming giant Hoyoverse embraces fan-made merch at upcoming Hoyo Fest convention
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Singapore-based artist Astrea Lim is among a cast of 38 creators now in the limelight at Hoyo Fest 2025. SINGAPORE - Fan-made merchandise will be in the spotlight at an upcoming event by a major gaming company, an unusual move in an industry that is usually protective of its intellectual property (IP). Some 38 creators will be allowed to hawk their wares at Hoyo Fest, held at Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre from July 25 to July 27. 'We are devoted to engaging fans and fostering an enthusiastic and inclusive global community that provides access and encouragement for people to share their passion for ACG (anime, comics, games) through their own creativity and skills,' said a spokesperson for event organiser Hoyoverse - the global publishing and branding arm of Mihoyo, a major Chinese video game developer. The creators to be featured at the event's Artist Alley have been vetted by the company to ensure product quality and non-usage of AI, its spokesperson added. Fan-artists such as Ms Astrea Lim and Ms Emi Moreno are thrilled by Hoyoverse's move. This will be their first time selling fan-made Hoyoverse merchandise at a convention targeted at fans of the franchise. 'It's a very good opportunity for creators to show their works while also being surrounded by the community,' said Ms Lim, who is known as Astrea on social media. Ms Lim's signature line of jewellery, featuring necklaces, rings and earrings inspired by Hoyoverse character, are her most popular offering. ST PHOTO: GIN TAY Supporting fan artists is a 'win-win' situation for Hoyoverse since game developers get to focus on the game development, while ensuring that their fans are still entertained by fresh ideas, said Ms Moreno. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore No train service across entire Bukit Panjang LRT line due to power fault Asia 4 dead, 38 missing after ferry sinks on way to Indonesia's Bali Singapore $500 in Child LifeSG credits, Edusave, Post-Sec Education Account top-ups to be disbursed in July Singapore Pedestrian-only path rules to be enforced reasonably; focus on errant cyclists: Baey Yam Keng Singapore 17-year-old youth charged with trespassing on MRT tracks; to be remanded at IMH Business Microsoft cutting 9,000 jobs companywide in second major wave of layoffs this year Asia Malaysian nurses following the money abroad for more opportunities World Trump tax Bill stalled by Republican rebellion in Congress 'This is a really big change in the industry… they (Hoyoverse) are a company that really understands the value of the hype,' said the illustrator and video game concept artist, who goes by the handle Eggyolkceo. Across four of Hoyoverse's major action-role playing game titles - Genshin Impact, Honkai: Star Rail, Honkai Impact 3, and Zenless Zone Zero - Hoyoverse has generated about $112 million in total revenue from the Singapore market, according to data analytics firm Sensor Tower. Sensor Tower noted that, since its release in September 2020, the Genshin Impact mobile game has accumulated over 215 million downloads across both App Store and Google Play worldwide. Over 677,000 downloads were estimated to come from Singapore. Hoyo Fest started out at the Aniplus Cafe at the Esplanade Mall in 2021, and expanded into a lobby space in the Suntec City Mall in 2024. The event, which also ran in Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam, had about 150,000 participants across these countries in 2024, according to the company's spokesperson. In terms of event space, the fifth iteration of Hoyo Fest here will be the largest one thus far. It is the first time the annual event will be ticketed. For years, fan-made merchandise - prints, pins and plushies - thrived at ACG conventions and online marketplaces. However, the sale of fan-made merchandise may constitute copyright infringement. While some companies tolerated it, others cracked down. Large media franchise companies are typically highly protective of their IP and do not permit the sale of fan-made merchandise without authorisation. This is because IP makes up a substantial part of the company's value, said Mr Mark Teng, executive director at LLC. One example is how Pop Mart, the IP holder for Labubu and The Monsters, reportedly considered taking action against unauthorised use of its characters , including in food products sold by vendors. Poorly executed or off-brand fan creations may dilute the distinctiveness of the brand or adversely affect how it is perceived by the public, Mr Teng explained. The Artist Alley thus 'reflects a forward-looking strategy that embraces the creative energy of fan communities,' added Mr Teng, who is also a co-vice-chair of the IP Practice Committee at the Law Society of Singapore. Ms Moreno, who started creating fan art in 2023 after she graduated from a private art school here, said fan-made merchandise offers a meaningful way to re-imagine and relive the stories they love. 'I expand on the original IP, not because it is missing something, but to explore different narratives and spaces within a story I already know,' she said. Ms Moreno's art prints - priced at $18 for A3, $14 for A4, and $8 for A5 - are her most popular products among Singaporean customers. PHOTO: EGGYOLKCEO Ms Lim said fan-made items are popular because of the variety in offerings, a point echoed by Ms Lee Leen, a 23-year-old freelance illustrator who has been collecting fan-made merchandise for over eight years. 'There are times when I can't find the type of merchandise I want from the official store, and when I find the fan artists' style to be very appealing,' she said, adding that she prefers buying fan-made merchandise over official products. Hoyo Fest 2025 will also be concurrently held in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand.
