Depok-The Master of Applied Creative Industries study program in Vocational Education Program, Universitas Indonesia (UI), held a guest lecture entitled “The Role of the Game Industry in Increasing State Foreign Exchange: Opportunities and Challenges.” Held on November 17, 2025 in the Master of Applied Creative Industries Room, the guest lecture featured Shafiq Husein, CEO of Gambir Studio, as a resource person.
As an Indonesian game development studio that has released over 13 titles and achieved over 10 million downloads globally, Gambir Studio outlined the trends, growth, and economic opportunities of the gaming industry, which is now one of the fastest-growing creative economy sectors in the world. In the session, Shafiq explained the gaming industry’s contribution to increasing the country’s foreign exchange through various channels, ranging from game product exports, international co-development services, global IP monetization, and growing esports opportunities.
“The Indonesian gaming industry has enormous potential to compete in the global market. With more local studios producing quality work, our opportunities to strengthen foreign exchange through digital exports are wide open,” Shafiq said in his presentation.
Furthermore, Shafiq also highlighted the importance of strengthening the capacity of creative human resources and the courage of local studios to present original IP. Shafiq said, “Games aren’t just entertainment. They’re an industry based on creativity, technology, and culture. If we can package local content into engaging gaming experiences, such as incorporating Indonesian cuisine or stories, then we’ll not only penetrate the global market but also export our national identity.”
(Photo: Atmosphere of the guest lecture featuring Shafiq Husein, CEO of Gambir Studio)
Shafiq also shared Gambir Studio’s experience in developing games with an artistic approach, such as Spices of Life, which uses a Ghibli-style hand-drawn animation, as well as ongoing projects that highlight culinary culture and human interest. He emphasized that creativity and cultural differentiation are Indonesia’s competitive strengths in the global market.
The Head of the Creative Industries Applied Masters Study Program, Dr. Dewi Kartika Sari, S.E., M.S.Ak., CA., said that this guest lecture is integrated with the Creative Industries Selected Chapters course. Ika said, “After attending this guest lecture, we hope that students will be able to critically examine the development of the creative industry and its theoretical, political, practical perspectives, and future challenges. The gaming industry is one of the creative economy subsectors that is growing rapidly with technological advances. Therefore, we also want students to be able to combine the latest concepts, theories, and practices to understand the dynamics of the creative industry business, including the ever-evolving gaming industry.”
Sonny Satriyono Edi Wibowo, a student in the Master of Applied Creative Industries program, said the guest lecture provided new insights. “I understand that games can have a significant economic impact, even contributing to the country’s foreign exchange earnings. Mr. Shafiq’s explanation was very insightful and provided a concrete picture of how the games industry operates globally,” he said.
This guest lecture is expected to strengthen collaboration between academia and industry, and encourage students to become creative individuals who are adaptive, innovative, and ready to contribute to the development of Indonesia’s creative economy.
