While Japanese companies have long dominated the electronic mahjong market, the Hong Kong-developed game "Mahjong World" has emerged as a dark horse, achieving over 8 million global downloads and innovatively transforming this cultural heritage into a silver tech product. This traditional yet groundbreaking Hong Kong game is reinventing tradition through technology, skillfully integrating AI with the essence of Hong Kong mahjong culture, preserving the wisdom of local mahjong masters while endowing the traditional game with new social value.
Research shows that mahjong games can effectively stimulate prefrontal cortex function and significantly help delay cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer's disease. Derrick Ngan, Honorary President of the Cyberport Start-up Alumni Association, introduced that "Mahjong World" is a digital sharing platform aimed at promoting social and cultural activities and raising awareness about cognitive impairment. With the support of Cyberport, they hope to provide free platform access to senior activity centers and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
A game that helps activate seniors' brain activity
As a seasoned mahjong enthusiast, Derrick also shared the unique features of their mobile game with the journalist, "Our game incorporates AI functions to teach beginner seniors, such as analyzing the best tile-discarding strategies. With AI assistance, participants can quickly learn different tile combinations, especially those with cognitive disorders, who can activate their brain activity by engaging with new things."
He added that the platform collaborates with multiple partners to promote activities, and Cyberport has provided substantial support in terms of venues and resources. By integrating Hong Kong culture, they have incorporated techniques from mahjong masters into the game, thereby promoting local culture. Additionally, during the game's development, extensive testing was conducted to ensure functionality.
Currently, they are gradually introducing more advanced AI technology to more efficiently simulate and learn mahjong strategies. According to Derrick, the goal is to maintain game balance, ensuring the AI isn't overly powerful and negatively impacting players' experience. The platform will also host esports mahjong tournaments, keeping the operations simple so participants can easily organize large or small-scale events.
Foreign interest in mahjong
Regarding talent training, Derrick believes the government should increase efforts to help the industry better understand and apply AI technology. The company also hopes to engage in more exchanges in the Greater Bay Area, particularly with Foshan. Moreover, he has noticed strong foreign interest in mahjong and hopes to partner with international brands to promote mahjong culture. The mahjong game has already been adapted into an English version, making it convenient for foreign players to understand the rules and participate in tournaments.
"Mahjong World" was established over a decade ago by two founders with an investment of approximately HK$500,000, with Derrick being one of them. He revealed that the entrepreneurial inspiration came from daily life, "I enjoy playing mahjong but am not very skilled—I often lose to friends. Because mahjong has many variations and rules, I wanted to create a mobile mahjong game to teach different mahjong strategies and allow beginners to enjoy the fun of winning."
In an earlier interview, Derrick also mentioned that with a sufficiently large customer base, the game automatically generates six-figure Hong Kong dollar revenue annually.
Creating value between commerce and public welfare
The success of "Mahjong World" proves that business models combining local culture, innovative technology, and social needs are the most viable. Derrick summarized their development vision: "We look forward to continuing to advance mahjong's internationalization process, allowing more seniors to enjoy the fun brought by technology." This is not just the vision of one company but a microcosm of Hong Kong's industrial transformation—finding balance between tradition and innovation and creating value between commerce and public welfare.
In the future, with the maturation of VR/AR technology, "immersive mahjong" may become a new trend. Moreover, the health data generated by the game could potentially integrate with medical systems, forming a complete health management loop. This blue ocean of silver tech awaits more Hong Kong innovators to set sail. As Derrick said, "Technology should not only serve the young but also allow seniors to enjoy the convenience and joy of the digital age." This may well be the ultimate goal of Hong Kong's silver tech development.
(Source: Wen Wei Po; Journalist: Ivy Chong; English Editor: Darius)
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