The Singapore gaming billionaire, Min-Liang Tan, is steering his company Razer into a new era. Known globally for high-end gaming hardware, Razer is now pivoting toward artificial intelligence, a move Tan believes will transform the entire gaming industry.
At Razer’s $75 million regional headquarters in Singapore, teams are developing two breakthrough products: QA Co-AI for game developers and Game Co-AI for players. QA Co-AI promises faster, cheaper, and more accurate testing of games, identifying bugs and performance issues in real time. Game Co-AI, still in beta, offers personalized coaching for players—helping both professionals and casual gamers sharpen their skills without leaving the game to search for tutorials.
Tan, Razer’s chairman and CEO, is convinced AI will reshape the industry. “We believe that AI gaming is going to completely disrupt all of the game industry, and we want to be at the forefront of it,” he said during an interview at Razer’s One-North campus.
This strategic pivot comes as hardware sales, which make up 90% of Razer’s revenue, face slowing growth. Inflation, supply chain disruptions, and consumer belt-tightening have all taken a toll. By contrast, the AI game development market is booming. It was worth $2.3 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow to $28 billion by 2033, according to Market.US.
Razer’s investors are watching closely. Backed by CVC Capital Partners and billionaire board member Lim Kaling, the company aims to unlock new revenue streams while preparing for a possible return to public markets. After delisting in 2022 in a $3.2 billion buyout, Tan says Razer’s AI play could be the catalyst for a stronger valuation.
Razer’s advantage lies in its network. With ties to over 55,000 developers and esports giants like Faker and OpTic, the company can quickly adapt its AI tools to new gaming trends. “We put our resources on what gamers are focused on,” Tan explains, pointing to genres like MOBAs and third-person shooters.
Still, competition is fierce. Established players such as Unity Technologies, Keyword Studios, and Tencent are already leveraging AI in development and gameplay. Analysts warn Razer is entering a “battle royale” of its own, but Tan believes the company’s mix of hardware dominance, software experience, and esports partnerships gives it a unique edge.
Financial results remain mixed. Regulatory filings show Razer (Asia-Pacific) reported S$708 million ($551 million) in revenue in 2024, but net profit plunged over 90% to S$3 million. Tan remains optimistic, noting that software could eventually deliver higher margins than hardware. “Within the next couple of years, I would expect that AI game revenues would be a significant part of our revenues,” he said.
Razer has already begun expanding its AI workforce, planning to triple its specialist team in Singapore to 150 and open new AI hubs in the U.S. and Europe. These teams are building proprietary large language models while also working with third-party systems from OpenAI and Anthropic. The goal: to develop tools that can power the next generation of immersive, intelligent games.
The Singapore gaming billionaire has a history of bold moves. From cloud-based gaming software to fintech experiments like Razer Gold, Tan has repeatedly pushed the company beyond hardware. Now, his bet is that AI will be Razer’s next big leap—one that could not only redefine the company but also reshape how the world experiences gaming.
