[fuyumi]

SINGAPORE said on Thursday it is providing up to $350,000 in funds to boost development in the city-state of casual computer games for the global market.

Major casual game publishers such as Seattle-based Big Fish Games, PlayFirst of San Francisco, Encore, a subsidiary of New Hope and video game maker Navarre, will advise local teams on their concepts, the Media Development Authority said in a statement.

Up to 10 computer development teams with winning proposals will receive $35,000 each in funding for projects, the statement said.

The teams are each expected to produce a playable demo by January.

Casual games are simple, one-player puzzles that can be played on desktop computers, gaming consoles, cell phones or hand-held computers.

It takes less than a minute to understand the rules, structure and plot. The games often revolve around spelling, trivia, arithmetic or geometry.

The government has been trying to diversify its economy toward the service as well as the arts and media industries, amid competition from lower-cost economies like China and Vietnam.