Gaming is not a game for the government, which has seen its efforts to develop the country’s blossoming industry begin to bear fruit despite the parental and religious concerns that loom in the background.

A key character of this story has been President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, who conveyed his vision for the industry to become one of the key drivers of economic growth during a presidential debate back in April. During the debate, the President said the industry was valued between Rp 11 trillion (US$774.85 million) to Rp 12 trillion in 2017 with an annual growth rate of 25 to 30 percent.

“Our kids now love to be gamers, so the government has developed digital infrastructure, such as the Palapa Ring [nationwide broadband network] and 5G,” he said.

Jokowi has long promoted the creative economy, which includes the gaming industry, and tourism as new sources of economic growth amid cooling domestic consumption, slowing investment and falling exports due to global uncertainties.

Indonesia’s Creative Economy Agency (Bekraf) has also supported the industry by holding Bekraf Developer Day, supporting the establishment of game developer offices in cities across the country and sending local game creators to international events, among other things.

“Bekraf provides around Rp 50 million to Rp 100 million to selected startups, some of which are game developers,” said Bekraf infrastructure deputy head Hari Sungkari.

However, this mission has not been without its challenges. Some Indonesian parents still see video games as bad for their children, while several religious leaders have chosen to ban certain games over similar concerns.

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