For the love of play: How one local business turned a passion into a brand built on joy

At the tender age of 25, twins Wong Kai Jun and Wong Kai Lin turned their love of games into a business.

In 2009, the sisters left their jobs in auditing and market research, joining forces with Ms Wong Kai Jun’s husband, Mr Gabriel Leow, to open Play Nation – a games cafe where guests can enjoy board and console games over food and drinks, all in a relaxed, welcoming space. 

They described their early days of entrepreneurship as a “learn as you go” experience. “We didn’t know what it would take to run a business full-time. Our mindset was to give it a go – and if it didn’t work, we’d go back to our jobs,” said Ms Wong Kai Lin. 

Over the past 16 years, the journey has brought its share of challenges and growth – and, along the way, a banking partner that has helped them stay focused on their purpose of bringing people joy, even in difficult times.

FINDING STABILITY AMID RENTAL CHALLENGES 

One of Play Nation’s biggest challenges in the early years was finding a permanent space. The sisters struggled to keep up with rent hikes at the end of each lease. 

In 2017, they approached DBS Bank for a long-term loan to buy a commercial unit at Prinsep Street – a move that would give the business greater stability. From the outset, the DBS team took a hands-on approach, visiting the cafe to meet the founders and better understand their needs.

DBS’ offer of an affordable loan proved to be a turning point for Play Nation. “Because we no longer had to deal with wild rental swings, we could stabilise our cash flow and focus on building the business and our teams,” said Ms Wong Kai Jun. 

STRENGTHENING RESILIENCE THROUGH THE PANDEMIC

By 2020, Play Nation had expanded to three game cafes and launched Play Nation Studio, which developed a line of original titles, including Dream Catchers, a well-reviewed board game where players protect sleeping children from nightmares and monsters under the bed. 

Encouraged by the momentum, the sisters began exploring regional expansion.

But those plans never materialised. When COVID-19 struck, safe distancing measures hit retail and F&B outlets hard. Footfall at Play Nation’s cafes fell sharply and the founders made the difficult decision to consolidate their operations into a single outlet at their flagship Prinsep Street location.  

“We were dealing with stores that had few to no visitors,” recalled Ms Wong Kai Lin. “Revenue dropped significantly, our team worried about job security and the landlords raised rents. The odds were stacked against us.” 

Relief came in the form of a call from DBS, asking how it could help Play Nation navigate the crisis. The bank moved quickly to refinance their loan at a lower interest rate and defer principal repayments to free up cash flow.

“Running a business means navigating constant pressures – from juggling rising costs to staying agile in a fast-changing market. Yet through it all, Play Nation found new ways to grow,” said Mr Chen Ze Ling, group head of Corporate and SME Banking at DBS. “At DBS, our roots as a development bank continue to shape how we support businesses. For Play Nation, that meant enabling greater financial certainty – giving them the flexibility to pivot and move forward with confidence.” 

With more stability, the founders had the space to step back and plan their next move. “We analysed consumer behaviours and patterns, and relooked how a local business like ours could stay resilient through future disruptions,” shared Ms Wong Kai Lin.

The solution? If customers couldn’t visit its physical outlets, Play Nation would bring the fun to them. In 2020, the founders launched an e-commerce store, curating a lineup of games and toys from internationally renowned brands.

In 2022, they also launched Play Nation Originals, a range of Singapore-themed creations, including playing cards and building block kits of local icons like the Toa Payoh dragon playground and a kopitiam. 

To help set up Play Nation Originals, the founders turned to DBS, which extended new credit facilities to support the move. The bank’s team also shared case studies and explained the financing options available.

Beyond helping business owners understand its financial products, DBS organises events and programmes for its small- and medium-enterprise clients on topics ranging from digitalisation to sustainability – a valuable resource for enterprises navigating a shifting business landscape.

LOOKING AHEAD WITH CONFIDENCE

As Play Nation continues to focus on original products and play-centred experiences, its founders expect that challenges such as geopolitical tensions and evolving trade rules will require greater agility from businesses like theirs.

The future may be uncertain, but one thing is clear – DBS will continue to support Play Nation as it grows and adapts. 

“DBS’ support helped us make the most of opportunities as they came,” said Ms Wong Kai Jun. “We plan to remain resilient, be open to change – and in the words of Steve Jobs, ‘stay hungry, stay foolish’.” 

Learn how DBS helps businesses pivot and transform to meet new challenges.