Overview

While so many sectors relating to tourism and the creative economy have been experiencing a significant economic downturn of late as an impact of the ongoing Corona Virus Disease 2019 (“COVID-19”) pandemic, the gaming industry, in contrast, is currently thriving as people spend more time playing games in their homes during lockdowns and as they attempt to minimize their physical interactions with other citizens.[1] The Indonesian Gaming Association (Asosiasi Game Indonesia/AGI) presented data recently showing that the number of game developers had increased by between 10% and 20% in line with a recent surge in the number of digital platform users.[2] Moreover, the Director of Creative Industry, Film, Television and Animation at the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy/Tourism and Creative Economy Agency has confirmed that in 2017, developers of applications and games contributed 1.93% of gross domestic product (GDP) within the Indonesian creative economy sector, an amount roughly equivalent to IDR 19.11 trillion.[3]