Indonesia pushes gaming firms to go global by weaving local culture into titles
Indonesia's gaming industry posted $1.3 billion in 2025 revenue and is seeking worldwide reach by embedding Indonesian cultural elements, Ministry of Creative Economy official Luat Sihombing said at the World Conference on Creative Economy.
At the World Conference on Creative Economy 2026, Luat Sihombing noted that Indonesia's gaming sector generated about $1.3 billion in 2025, supporting roughly 257,400 jobs. He argued that incorporating local cultural references, such as popular internet memes, can help games appeal to international audiences. Bus Simulator Indonesia serves as a case study, having grown its monthly active users and drawn players from markets like India by featuring the "Om Telolet Om" meme.
The Ministry of Creative Economy is preparing regulatory updates to the 2024 Presidential Regulation on accelerating the national game industry. The Tencent White Paper, prepared by Access Partnership, projects the industry could reach $3.3 billion in revenue and 476,000 jobs by 2030.
Why it matters
The strategy could boost Indonesia's economy and position its gaming sector as a major global player.
In this story
