Bogor, January 24, 2025 – The era of viewing gaming as a mere waste of time is long gone. Today, the gaming industry, especially locally developed games, must be encouraged to reach a global audience.
This enthusiasm was reflected in the words of Deputy Minister of Creative Economy/Deputy Minister of the Creative Economy Agency Irene Umar during her working visit to Bogor for the opening of Global Game Jam (GGJ) 2025 on Friday, January 24, 2025. Deputy Minister of Creative Economy Irene expressed her appreciation for the game developers participating in the event.
"This is something truly special. I fully understand how these creative economy warriors, with their expertise in gaming, can foster a greater spirit to elevate local gaming platforms and make them more widely recognized," said Deputy Minister of Creative Economy Irene.
GGJ is a global-scale annual event that brings together game developers from various backgrounds to create games within a limited timeframe of 48 hours. Participants form teams based on a predetermined theme.
The event consists of multiple stages, from matchmaking to final prototyping. This year, GGJ is being held in 12 cities, including Bogor.
During her visit, Deputy Minister of Creative Economy Irene was accompanied by Iman Argiyono, Head of the Game Marketing and Commercialization Sub-directorate at the Ministry of Creative Economy. She stated that Indonesia is increasingly seen as a vast market for game development. Local games must be created to strengthen the ecosystem, fostering boundless creativity and innovation.
According to Deputy Minister of Creative Economy Irene, the Ministry of Creative Economy is highly supportive of the game industry as a creative economy sub-sector. Last year alone, two major game-related initiatives were launched: the establishment of a game corner at Soekarno-Hatta Airport and an immersive PlayStation experience for guests at Artotel, providing an alternative leisure activity.
"Playing games can improve focus. This is the time for us to showcase local games so more people will be interested in playing them. Global Game Jam 2025 is an exciting event for sharing game ideas, creating prototypes, and fostering a new generation of creative talent from different regions. From here, the creative economy can grow and become a driving force for the nation," Deputy Minister of Creative Economy Irene added.
GGJ 2025 serves as a hackathon-style competition to discover potential game developers and open doors for local game development in Bogor. Participants will collaborate, exchange knowledge and experiences, and develop a game within a short timeframe based on this year’s theme: BUBBLE. During the opening ceremony, a catalog of local game potentials was also handed over, aiming to further develop the creative economy sub-sector, particularly in game development.
"We hope that the communities and participants joining Global Game Jam 2025 feel inspired after gaining new insights from the Deputy Minister of Creative Economy, who has extensive experience in local game development. This event is a form of pentahelix activation to advance the gaming industry in Indonesia. Moreover, it is held at Bogor Creative Center, which is managed directly by the local community, allowing all stakeholders to collaborate, expand their networks, and gain valuable experiences," said Rispiaga, Head of the Tourism Industry Division of West Java Province.
Kiagoos Irvan Faisal
Acting Head of Communications Bureau
Ministry of Creative Economy / Creative Economy Agency
