
WINKING STUDIOS
LIMITED
(the
"Company", and together with its subsidiaries, the
"Group")
(Company
Registration No. 159882)
(Incorporated in the Cayman Islands)
7 March 2025
THIRD PHASE OF JOINT AI
DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
Winking Studios Limited (AIM: WKS,
SGX: WKS), a leading provider of AAA art outsourcing and game
development services, announces the next phase of its joint
artificial intelligence ("AI") project with Acer Incorporated
("Acer Inc."), building on
the success of its GenMotion.AI to deliver the next milestone in
advancing 3D animation technology using generative AI.
Further to the Company's
announcement of 5 December 2024, its wholly-owned subsidiaries:
Winking Entertainment Corporation, Shanghai Winking Entertainment
Ltd, and Nanjing Winking Entertainment Ltd. (collectively, the
"Winking Entities"), have
entered into a third-phase agreement for the co-development of a
three-dimensional animation AI generation software (the
"AI Tool") (the
"Phase Three AI Agreement")
with Acer Inc., for the duration from 1 January 2025 to 31 August
2025.
Rationale and Benefits of the Phase Three AI
Agreement
Building on the "GenMotion.AI" core
technology developed during the first two phases, this new phase of
the AI Project will further refine and enhance existing project
outcomes by integrating additional resources and research and
development ("R&D")
capabilities to strengthen AI applications within game development.
GenMotion.AI is designed to generate 3D animations from text-based
inputs using carefully curated training data derived from the
gaming industry, ensuring accurate and authentic 3D character
designs and movements.
Continuous AI-driven innovations in
3D animation are poised to increase efficiency, accelerate
production cycles, and improve the overall visual quality of gaming
and digital art assets. By integrating deep AI capabilities within
established animator workflows, the Company aims to equip game
artists and creators with cutting-edge tools that drive both
enhanced productivity and creativity. The AI technology has already
been successfully tested with a select customer; in January 2025,
the Company successfully completed a project with a major
international client, paving the way for the technology to be
deployed more broadly within the customer base.
Collaboration with Acer
With the conclusion of the
previously announced first two phases of the AI development project
(the "AI Project"), and
this newly announced third phase, Acer's total investment in the AI
Tool will amount to an aggregate value of approximately US$1.5m.
Under the Phase Three AI Agreement, Acer Inc. will contribute up to
US$0.5m towards further research, development, and testing of the
AI Tool to be performed by the Winking Entities, while the Winking
Entities will continue to provide the necessary manpower, software,
and hardware. Both Acer Inc, and the Winking Entities may continue
to use the AI Project outcomes without charge for their respective
business purposes. In the event that any new inventions arise from
this collaboration for which applications for intellectual property
("IP") rights are filed,
such IP rights will be held on a 50:50 ownership basis by the
Winking Entities and Acer.
Mr.
Johnny Jan, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer
(Founder) of Winking Studios Limited, commented:
"The third phase
of our AI collaboration with Acer Inc. represents yet another
milestone in advancing 3D animation technology. Building on the
success of GenMotion.AI, we remain confident that ongoing
integration of advanced AI solutions will empower our teams and our
clients, yielding greater efficiency and enhancing creative
opportunities. We greatly value Acer's commitment to pioneering
AI-driven applications, and we look forward to the innovations this
collaboration will bring to digital art
creation."
Mr.
Jerry Kao, Chief Operating Officer of Acer Inc. and Non-Executive
Director of Winking Studios Limited, added:
"Our continued
partnership with Winking Studios is grounded in the shared belief
that AI can redefine industry standards in gaming and digital art.
Through this third phase of development, we intend to explore
additional cutting-edge possibilities for 3D animation, providing
next-generation tools that benefit both creators and end users. We
look forward to building on our joint achievements as we shape the
future of digital art creation."
Related Party Transaction (Under Rule 13 of the AIM Rules for
Companies)
Acer Inc., via its subsidiaries
namely, Acer Gaming Inc. and Acer SoftCapital Inc., holds
approximately 64.16% of the Company's issued share capital, making
it a related party under the AIM Rules for Companies.
Accordingly, the Phase Three AI
Agreement constitutes a related party transaction pursuant to Rule
13 of the AIM Rules for Companies. The independent Directors to the
Phase Three AI Agreement (being the full Board, excluding Mr. Kao
Shu-Kuo, who is a Non-Executive Director of the Company and also
Chief Operating Officer of Acer Inc. and a director of Acer Gaming
Inc.), having consulted with Strand Hanson Limited, the Company's
Nominated Adviser, believe that the terms of the Phase Three AI
Agreement are fair and reasonable insofar as shareholders of the
Company are concerned.
Interested Person Transaction ("IPT") (Under Catalist
Rules)
The Phase Three AI Agreement also
constitutes an IPT under Chapter 9 of the Listing Manual Section B:
Rules of Catalist of the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading
Limited (the "Catalist
Rules"). However, this transaction falls within the scope of
the prevailing IPT general mandate approved by shareholders at the
extraordinary general meeting held on 28 October 2024.

Enquiries
Singapore
|
UK
|
Winking Studios Limited
Johnny Jan, Executive Director and
Chief Executive Officer (Founder)
Oliver Yen, Finance Director and Group
Chief Financial Officer
|
Via Alma
|
8PR
Asia (Singapore Investor Relations)
Alex Tan
+65 9451 5252
alex.tan@8prasia.com
|
Alma Strategic Communications
Justine James / David Ison / Emma
Thompson
+44 (0)20 3405 0205
WKS@almastrategic.com
|
PrimePartners Corporate Finance Pte. Ltd. (Sponsor)
Foo Jien Jieng
sponsorship@ppcf.com.sg
|
Strand Hanson Limited
(Financial and Nominated Adviser)
James Harris / James Bellman
+44 (0)20 7409 3494
|
|
SP
Angel Corporate Finance LLP (Broker)
Stuart Gledhill / Charlie Bouverat
(Corporate Finance) Abigail Wayne / Rob Rees (Corporate
Broking)
+44 (0)20 3470 0470
|
|
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Winking Studios Limited (the "Company") was listed on Catalist
of the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited (the "SGX-ST")
on 20 November 2023 and dual listed on AIM Market of the London
Stock Exchange on 14 November 2024. The initial public offering of
the Company on the Catalist of
SGX-ST was sponsored by PrimePartners Corporate Finance Pte. Ltd.
(the "Sponsor"). This announcement has been reviewed by the
Sponsor. It has not been examined or approved by the SGX-ST and the
SGX-ST assumes no responsibility for the contents of this
announcement, including the correctness of any of the statements or
opinions made or reports contained in this
announcement.
The contact person for the Sponsor is Ms. Foo Jien Jieng, 16
Collyer Quay, #10- 00 Collyer Quay Centre, Singapore
049318, sponsorship@ppcf.com.sg.