Jakarta, August 11, 2026 – Deputy Minister of Creative Economy/Deputy Head of the Creative Economy Agency, Irene Umar, attended the Nintendo Business Conference in Indonesia to officiate the launch of Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 in Indonesia. The Deputy Minister said that Nintendo's presence in Indonesia also demonstrates the growing importance of the domestic game market and ecosystem at the regional level.
Deputy Minister of Creative Economy, Irene Umar, tries out the Nintendo Switch 2 at the Nintendo Business Conference in Indonesia in Jakarta, Tuesday (August 11, 2026).
“We appreciate Nintendo's official presence in the Indonesian domestic market. This step reflects the government's commitment to strengthening copyright protection and addressing copyright issues in the game industry. Nintendo's official entry is expected to serve as an important turning point in advancing the national creative industry,” said the Deputy Minister of Creative Economy at The St. Regis, Jakarta, on Tuesday (August 11).
Nintendo's official presence in Indonesia follows a series of intensive coordination efforts initiated by the Ministry of Creative Economy since its first meeting with Nintendo and The Pokémon Company (TPC) in March 2025. The Deputy Minister emphasized that Nintendo's presence would not only have a commercial impact but also open up broader opportunities for collaboration with local game developers.
“The creative economy is a new engine of growth that creates tremendous digital opportunities for game developers in Indonesia. By leveraging Nintendo's extensive platform ecosystem, Indonesian game developers are expected to have greater opportunities to increase productivity and expand Indonesian game exports to the global market. The Ministry of Creative Economy has asked Nintendo to officially provide development kits, which serve as one of the enablers for facilitating the integration of local game products into the Nintendo ecosystem,” the Deputy Minister added.
Doc. Bureau for Communication, Ministry of Creative Economy/Creative Economy Agency.
In the context of global expansion, the relationship between Nintendo and Indonesia is expected to develop beyond product distribution. Collaboration can be expanded through talent development, knowledge sharing, engagement with developers, localization, creative collaboration, and IP development. The synergy between Nintendo's global technology and experience and Indonesia's diverse local perspectives is expected to serve as an important momentum for strengthening Indonesia–Japan cooperation in the game industry.
Nintendo, a Japanese company established in 1889, has transformed from a manufacturer of Hanafuda playing cards into a global video game giant. The company officially announced the commencement of its business operations in Indonesia through an exclusive distribution partnership with Salim Group, with the commercial launch of its products tentatively scheduled for December 2026. In addition to Nintendo and Pokémon games, the event also showcased local games from Toge Productions, namely Coffee Talk and A Space for the Unbound, as part of Nintendo's support for the local developer ecosystem.
Doc. Bureau for Communication, Ministry of Creative Economy/Creative Economy Agency.
“We believe this console is a good fit for Indonesia because its gaming characteristics are well suited to Indonesian society, which greatly values family and friendship. Therefore, we hope users will have the opportunity to try and enjoy various types of games in different ways together with their loved ones,” said Nintendo Executive Officer Juro Takeuchi.
At the event, the Deputy Minister of Creative Economy was accompanied by Deputy for Digital Creativity and Technology, Muhammad Neil El Himam, and Director of Games, Luat Sihombing.
Kiagoos Irvan Faisal
Head of Bureau for Communication
Ministry of Creative Economy / Creative Economy Agency
