7 Top Games by Foreign Developers Showcasing Indonesian Culture

Even though local game production has begun to increase, the game industry is dominated by products from abroad. Nevertheless, Indonesia actually made a deep impression on video game developers. The proof is that several games with Indonesian culture are well-known and successful on the market. Want to know which games? Here are some of them.

1. Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, the Most Popular Game with Indonesian Hero

• Download results: 500 million+
• Google Play Rating: 3.9

A Glimpse

Mobile Legends: Bang Bang is an online multiplayer video game developed and published by Moonton (Shanghai). The game was released in 2016 and is designed for mobile devices. It is available to play on Android and iOS platforms.

Mobile Legends: Bang Bang offers interesting, innovative, and competitive gameplay. Solo and team play are available. Apart from gameplay, the presence of various hero characters with strengths and attractive visuals has become a magnet for Mobile Legends, which is loved by all groups.

It is known that as of February 2024, a total of more than 124 heroes can be played. Awesome hero battles, thrilling tactics, and intense team battles have established MLBB as the king of the MOBA world.

Indonesian Culture Presented in MLBB

As a popular game with Indonesian culture, MLBB presents two hero characters who are clearly local characters. One of them is the hero Gatotkaca, which was released in 2017.

The emergence of game characters adapted from the figure of Gatotkaca is a good approach to introducing native Indonesian culture. Not only for Indonesian citizens, the emergence of this character also introduced Indonesian culture to a wider arena and even abroad.

The character description conveyed in the game is also in accordance with Gatotkaca's character in the original story: strong, never giving up, brave, and having strong patriotism. Apart from Gatotkaca, another character who is considered to come from Indonesian cultural myth is Kadita. Kadita is a representation of the Queen of the South Coast, namely Nyi Roro Kidul. The reason Moonton released a hero inspired by Indonesian legends was to appreciate the enthusiasm of Indonesian MLBB gamers.

2. AOV, Game with Indonesian Culture Featuring Wiro Sableng

• Download results: 10 million+
• Google Play Rating: 4,2

A Glimpse

Arena of Valor (AOV) is a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) developed by TiMi Studio Group and published by Tencent Games (China) for Android, iOS, and Nintendo Switch. The game has found popularity in Asian markets, including China, Japan, Thailand, and Indonesia.

The proof is, that over the years, Arena of Valor has built a rapidly growing esports community in and throughout the Asian continent. In addition to small and medium independent tournaments, AOV has two large international tournaments, AIC and AWC, hosted by Tencent.

Indonesian Culture Presented in AOV

AOV incorporates local elements from various countries, including music, clothing, hero skins, and even hero stories. One of Indonesia's iconic heroes, Wiro Sableng, stands out as the first AOV hero to feature 100% local elements.

This character, originally popularized by Bastian Tito, was brought to life in AOV through a collaboration between Garena AOV Indonesia and Lifelike Pictures. A proud achievement is that Wiro Sableng has gone international, being introduced on AOV servers in countries like Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, and Taiwan.

3. Civilization VI, Game with Indonesian Culture and Legend

• Download results: 1 million+
• Google Play Rating: 3,3

A Glimpse

Civilization VI is a 4X turn-based video game and the sixth game in the Civilization series designed by Sid Meier. The game was developed by Firaxis Games (America), published by 2K Games, and distributed by Take-Two Interactive. Like other games in the Civilization series, players will become Dyah Gitarja (a queen who is on her way to glory) and lead a civilization until it becomes a superpower. To win the game, players can fulfill one of several victory conditions, such as victory through military strength, technological superiority, diplomacy, or cultural influence.

Indonesian Culture Presented in Civilization VI

The news of the presence of Indonesian civilization in Civilization VI makes Indonesian gamers enthusiastic. This game with the slogan "One More Turn" introduces the civilization of the Majapahit Kingdom as downloadable content, aka DLC, that can be played.

The reason is that, in addition to highlighting the Majapahit civilization, the Civilization developers also took other Indonesian themes and nuances, for example, the background of Mount Krakatau and Borobudur Temple. Apart from that, the traditional Indonesian sharp weapon, the keris, is also a weapon that will be used by Indonesian military forces in the game. This is certainly proof that Indonesia has a very interesting culture, to the point that it is being looked at as part of a game as popular as Civilization VI.

4. Just Cause 2, the Most Interesting Game with Indonesian Culture

• Steam Rating: 9/10

A Glimpse

Just Cause 2 is one of the Just Cause series. This game is an open-world and action-adventure genre. Just Cause 2 was created by Avalanche Studios (Sweden), published by Eidos Interactive, and distributed by Square Enix. First launched in 2006, to date there have been four series of Just Cause. Among these four, there is Just Cause 2 which is still interesting to play.

Indonesian Culture Presented in Just Cause 2

This game with Indonesian culture carries several elements that are very typical of Indonesia. First, Just Cause 2 is set in Panau, an island country in Southeast Asia. Panau consists of a combination of three countries, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore.

Second, several character names in Just Cause 2 have very Indonesian or Malay names. For example, Abdul Rahman, Tom Gunawan, Sri Irawan (head of Ular Boys), and many more.

It's not just about character names; several villages also use Indonesian names that usually start with the word Kampung, for example, Kampung Danau Lengkong, Kampung Pantai Berangin, etc. Because several characters in Just Cause 2 have very Indonesian names, it is not surprising that these characters also speak Indonesian.

5. Far Cry 3, Open-World FPS Game with Indonesian Culture

• Steam Rating: 9/10

A Glimpse

Far Cry is known as an action-adventure FPS game franchise that likes to be set in exotic, beautiful locations that have not yet been touched by human hands. This step is in line with the open-world concept they are promoting. And for Far Cry 3, Ubisoft (a game publisher from France) made Indonesia the main setting for their game.

One of the most interesting things about this game is the graphics, which feature detailed mecha designs and atmospheric environments, even though they look dated at the moment. The cut-scene animations and battle graphics are also quite impressive.

Indonesian Culture Presented in Far Cry 3 Indeed, they did not clearly mention that the setting of this game is Indonesia. However, looking at the description, which states that this place is on a tropical island sandwiched between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, this further convinces the players that this place is truly Indonesia.

If that's not enough, this game with Indonesian culture also features the main character, Jason Brody, who has to deal with a local tribe called the Rakyat, which is led by a tough woman named Citra.

In this game, you can also find many Indonesian elements, such as the natural environment, buildings that resemble Hindu-Buddhist temples, and even endemic Indonesian animals, for example, birds of paradise (Cendrawasih), Sumatran tigers, tapirs, and Komodo dragons.

6. PUBG Mobile, Mobile Game with Indonesian Culture

• Download results: 500 million+
• Google Play Rating: 3,8

A Glimpse

PUBG Mobile is a free-to-play battle royale video game developed by LightSpeed ​​and Quantum Studio, a division of Tencent Games (China). PUBG Mobile is a mobile game that is popular among game fans all over the world, including Indonesia.

This battle royale game has the concept of players being "dropped" onto a large island and having to survive by defeating other players. This game can be played as a team, with up to four people in one team.

Indonesian Culture Presented in PUBG Mobile

Collaborating with the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy (Kemenparekraf), Tencent introduced Indonesia to the world through Map Nusa (taken from the word Nusantara). This map was designed by taking inspiration from the beauty of Bali, which is described as a tropical island with high cliffs and wide beaches with typical Balinese ornaments.

The Nusa PUBG map consists of eight regions spread across the island. There is Shipyard, Cavern, Bulan Bay, Crystal Bay, Science Center, Telepak Town, Pink Beach, etc. Each area has its own characteristics. Not only that, Tencent also collaborated with PUBG Mobile Indonesia Country Manager, Elvarica Noviyanti, to launch exclusive Indomie-themed in-game items into the game, where Indomeisa is a brand that is familiar to young Indonesians.

7. Front Mission 3, Legendary Strategy Game with Indonesian Culture

• IGN Rating: 8,8/10

A Glimpse

Front Mission 3 is a role-playing strategy video game (RPG) developed and published by Square Enix (Japan) for the PlayStation console. Released in 1999 in Japan and 2000 in North America (by Electronic Arts), the game is the third entry in the acclaimed Front Mission series, combining elements of mecha and tactical strategy with an in-depth storyline.

Indonesian Culture Presented in Front Mission 3

In the game Front Mission 3, there is a story that is set in a location in Southeast Asia, namely Indonesia. Here, the players will face a mission that takes place on the islands of Sumatra, Aceh, and Sulawesi. This game is also equipped with several characters who are also very Indonesian, such as Hatta Mirza and Linny Barilar. Even the previous series, Front Mission 2, also included Indonesian elements in the story.

It is said that the Bariliar family came from an agricultural area in Rantepao, Sulawesi. Linny Barilar is one of the characters you can play if you choose the People's Republic of Da Han Zhong (DHZ) scenario. In this game, players can fight together with mecha robots against Indonesian troops, which are not only filled with special soldiers but also local residents such as farmers and others.

Takeaways

Indonesia is a very potential market for game developers to expand their target market. This is proven by the many international games that have successfully dominated the Indonesian game market by incorporating Indonesian elements, starting with civilization, culture, features, maps, heroes, etc.

However, in order for games with Indonesian culture to reach new markets and be accepted by the player base in Indonesia, developers must carry out localization. One way to successfully localize games is to collaborate with experienced and professional local game localization service companies, such as Digital Trans-Asia.

If you want your game to be well-received in the Indonesian market, make sure to invest in the localization process. Not only does it just translate textually, but it also involves the process of adapting the language, culture, and visuals of the game so that it remains appropriate to the target audience, making it more accessible and fun to play.

To help you in the process of localizing games, Digital Trans-Asia is here as a trusted and experienced game localization partner. Every localization project at Digital Trans-Asia is handled comprehensively. This involves using professional translation tools and thoroughly checking the User Interface and bugs before the game is released to the market.