Indonesia Catat 3,3 Miliar Unduhan Mobile Game, Terbesar Ketiga Dunia

Penyedia analisis data mobile data.ai (sebelumnya App Annie) mengungkap Indonesia sebagai pasar mobile game terbesar ketiga berdasarkan unduhan Google Play di 2022. Total unduhannya mencapai 3,37 miliar di mana posisi pertama ditempati oleh India (9,52 miliar), lalu disusul Brasil (4,42 miliar).

Namun, daya beli konsumen untuk membeli item mobile game masih kalah dari negara lain. Dalam laporan bertajuk “State of Mobile Gaming 2023”, para gamer Indonesia menghabiskan $288 juta untuk belanja mobile game di 2022, menempati posisi ke-16 dari 20 negara se-dunia. Di atas Indonesia, ada Thailand dengan total belanja $329 juta.

Sumber: State of Mobile Gaming 2023 by data.ai

Laporan tersebut juga mengungkap, game terfavorit yang banyak diunduh orang Indonesia. Per kuartal I 2023, game Mobile Legends: Bang Bang menduduki posisi teratas, juga terdepan dalam hal belanja konsumen, serta pengguna aktif bulanan. Sebelumnya, action game ini juga memimpin pertumbuhan belanja konsumen di Indonesia yang melonjak sebesar $9,9 juta dari tahun 2021 hingga 2022, diikuti oleh Higgs Domino Island yang tumbuh $7,6 juta.

“Riset kami menunjukkan bahwa minat terhadap mobile game masih sangat tinggi. Sebagai salah satu pasar terbesar untuk industri mobile game dengan lebih dari 3 miliar unduhan tahun lalu, terdapat peluang untuk pertumbuhan yang signifikan bagi pasar game di Indonesia. Industri game di Indonesia yang dinamis ini akan terus mencetak pertumbuhan yang luar biasa di tahun-tahun mendatang,” ujar Lexi Sydow, Head of Insights at data.ai dalam keterangan resmi, kemarin (17/4).

Menariknya, dua game lokal berhasil masuk ke dalam daftar game yang paling banyak diunduh, yaitu Clackers Master: Latto Latto oleh Own Games Indonesia di posisi ke-7 dan Aku si PETERNAK LELE oleh KAJEWDEV di posisi ke-4. Serupa dengan dengan Clackers Master, game Latto-Latto ini juga tumbuh mengesankan dengan kenaikan 621 peringkat ke posisi 8.

Popularistas game ini berkaitan dengan nostalgia para pemain terhadap mainan anak Indonesia zaman dulu, yaitu bola kentongan atau yang biasa disebut latto-latto, yang kembali populer di kalangan anak-anak zaman sekarang.

Data global

Laporan data.ai juga mengungkap, jumlah belanja konsumen mobile game secara global turun -5% menjadi $110 miliar pada 2022. Hal ini dapat dikaitkan dengan dua tren, yakni resesi dan ketidakpastian ekonomi global, serta perubahan peraturan tentang user targeting yang berdampak pada pendapatan para penerbit mobile game.

Menurut data kuartal I 2023, hal ini dapat menjadi koreksi jangka pendek dalam pola kenaikan jangka panjang, mengingat mobile gamer di dunia saat ini menghabiskan sekitar $1,64 miliar dan mengunduh hampir 1,2 miliar game setiap minggunya. Meski angka-angka ini belum mencapai tingkat belanja konsumen di masa puncak pandemi, para gamer di dunia mengikuti tren untuk terus mengeluarkan uang melampaui total nominal belanja mobile game pada kuartal I 2020, atau naik hampir 30% dari masa sebelum pandemi.

Amerika Serikat ($9,66 miliar), Jepang ($4,48 miliar), dan Korea Selatan ($4,16 miliar) memberikan kontribusi terbesar terhadap tingkat belanja konsumen di dunia (berdasarkan unduhan Google Play) pada kuartal I 2023. Demikian pula pada iOS, performa teratas ditempati oleh AS ($14,35 miliar), Tiongkok ($14,34 miliar), dan Jepang ($8,61 miliar). Sementara, Jepang, Taiwan, dan Korea Selatan mengalami pertumbuhan terbesar dibandingkan kuartal IV 2022.

Bila melihat dari segi unduhan, India (9,52 miliar), dan Brasil (4,42 miliar) memimpin sebagian besar aktivitas di Google Play, dengan Turki, Rusia, dan Irak mencatat pertumbuhan jumlah unduhan absolut terbesar dalam perbandingan kuartal ke kuartal. Pada iOS, pasar terbesar dipimpin oleh AS (2,19 miliar) dan Tiongkok ($1,36 miliar), dengan AS, Turki, dan Rusia menambah jumlah unduhan terbanyak dibandingkan dengan kuartal IV 2022.

Riset Terbaru Ungkap Kehidupan Developer Game Jadi Lebih Baik Selama Pandemi

Sejak pandemi menyebar di seluruh dunia pada 2020 lalu, hampir semua sektor tekena dampaknya. Termasuk para studio developer game yang kini harus beralih ke work-from-home (WFH). Meskipun kadang pengerjaan projek game mereka menjadi semakin lama namun ternyata keputusan tersebut membawa dampak yang positif bagi para pengembang.

Asosiasi Pengembang Game Internasional atau IGDA baru saja melakukan riset untuk Survey Kepuasan Para Pengembang Game 2021. Dari survey tersebut didapat hasil bahwa 43% responden mengungkapkan bahwa keseimbangan kehidupan kerja mereka menjadi lebih baik selama pandemi.

Meskipun hampir separuh total responden mengungkapkan demikian namun sebanyak 21,4% pengembang mengungkapkan bahwa mereka malah merasa lebih buruk. Sedangkan 32,4% mengatakan bahwa mereka membutuhkan dukungan kesehatan mental.

“Dengan demikian, setiap perusahaan yang mendukung work-from-home harus memastikan bahwa mereka memiliki komunitas, sumber daya sosial, dan juga kesempatan bagi para karyawan remote.” Ungkap Direktur Eksekutif IGDA, Renee Gitens kepada GameDaily.

Bila hambang yang masihpir sebagian besar para pengem aktif mengatakan bahwa mereka mendapat manfaat dari pandemi ini, para pengembang yang belum memiliki pekerjaan ternyata mengatakan hal yang sebaliknya.

Sebanyak 52% responden yang belum bekerja mengatakan bahwa mereka kesulitan untuk mencari pekerjaan baru. Dampak yang paling parah ternyata terjadi pada para pengembang ‘freelance’ yang sebanyak 72% respondennya mengatakan bahwa mereka kesulitan untuk mencari projek selama pandemi.

Survei tersebut juga menunjukkan bahwa para pengembang game wanita lebih sering melaporkan penundaan proyek daripada para pengembang laki-laki, namun tidak jelas mengapa hal itu bisa terjadi.

Gittens juga mengatakan bahwa ketika kondisi work-from-home ini telah menjadi hal yang normal, maka para pengembang tersebut juga memiliki potensi untuk mendapatkan akses ke berbagai hal lebih baik.

“Karena efek jangka panjang dari pandemi terus berdampak pada pekerjaan yang berhubungan video game, sangat penting bagi industri game untuk mempertimbangkan peluang kerja yang fleksibel untuk beradaptasi dengan banyak situasi unik yang dihadapi orang.” Ungkap Direktur Eksekutif IGDA Foundation.

IGDA Foundation juga mendukung normalisasi work-from-home tersebut dan percaya bahwa industri game dapat menuju lingkungan kerja yang lebih baik.

Why the Gaming Market in Southeast Asia Will Be Significantly Important In the Future

The gaming industry used to be monopolized by several large firms from the United States, Europe, and Japan in the 20th century. However, since the 2000s, this trend began to change. Today, even small indie developers can target the global market thanks to the development of the internet and mobile devices. The internet has allowed small developers to share their products and creativeness with gamers around the world without any boundaries. Some examples of these games that have, out of nowhere, exploded in popularity are Flappy Bird and Among Us.

However, not much research or studies have been conducted that discuss the development of the gaming industry and gaming culture in Asia. To fill the void, Phan Quang Anh conducted a research titled Shifting the Focus to East and Southeast Asia: A Critical Review of Regional Game Research. The study discusses the gaming industry and culture in the Asian region, particularly East Asia and Southeast Asia.

East Asia’s Gaming Industry and Culture

There are several reasons why Asia is becoming increasingly important for the gaming industry. One of these reasons is the size of the gaming market in the region. Both in terms of revenue or player numbers, Asia is a very profitable region for many gaming companies. Furthermore, several Asian countries also house many of the big gaming companies we know today, such as Nintendo and Sony in Japan, Nexon in South Korea, and Tencent in China. A majority of governments in Asian countries also put a substantial amount of investment towards the development of the game industry in their respective countries.

Walkman became one of the primary culprits behind the individualistic culture iin Japan. | Source: SCMP

However, each country in the Asian region has different gaming cultures. For instance, gamers in Japan tend to be more individualistic. The culture of individualism in Japan itself began to emerge in the 1970s when Sony launched the Walkman. The growth of the game ecosystem in Japan is also heavily correlated with its local culture. As a result, most Japanese gamers prefer to play single-player games.

On the other hand, gamers in South Korea and China actually consider gaming as a social activity. They like to play games with their friends, hence why co-op games or competitive games are more popular. In fact, the social or competitive culture of gaming cultivated in South Korea and China is one of the reasons why the two of them produce so many successful pro esports players.

The online gaming culture in South Korea emerged around 1998 when Blizzard launched StarCraft. Playing online games quickly became a favorite hobby for the younger generation at that time. Through the widespread PC bangs — or internet cafes — across the country, playing games is also a relatively inexpensive activity. South Korea’s competitive culture has also made its esports ecosystem flourish. Local TVs began broadcasting esports, and being a pro player became a legitimate career path. This esports phenomenon in South Korea will later spread to other countries in East Asia and Southeast Asia.

Despite the similar gaming culture between South Korea and China, the two countries still have quite a contrasting gaming market. For example, China’s government is far more involved with its local gaming industry than South Korea’s. They frequently create regulations and promote local game companies to compete with foreign brands. Chinese game companies with innovative ideas will often receive government support for their growth. As a result, in 2020, 19 of the 100 games with the largest revenue generated in the United States were all produced by Chinese companies.

Southeast Asia’s Gaming Industry and Culture

Apart from East Asia, Southeast Asia is also a region to be reckoned with by game companies. According to Newzoo and Niko Partners, the growth rate of mobile games in Southeast Asia in 2014-2017 reached more than 180%. This figure is also predicted to continue to grow for the next five years. Shibuya Data Count also forecasted that the Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of the gaming industry in Southeast Asia will reach 8.5% in the 2020-2025 period. The six countries in Southeast Asia with the largest gaming markets, with no particular order, are Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, and the Philippines.

One of the factors driving the growth of the game industry in Southeast Asia is the development of internet infrastructure or, more specifically, the emergence of 5G technology in 2020. Another factor that comes to play is the rising popularity of esports. As esports content in YouTube and Twitch continues to amass thousands of viewers, game companies invested in the region will also thrive . Free fire, for example, benefitted a lot from content creation and managed to become the most downloaded mobile game in 2019.

Free Fire is the most downloaded game in 2019.

Furthermore, free-to-play games also play a huge role in the success of the game industry in Southeast Asia. Combine this with the vast implementation of cloud gaming, the possibilities for the gaming industry in SEA will be limitless. Interestingly, more than 55% of mobile gamers in Southeast Asia are over 55 years old, while only 8% are teenagers. These stats can be explained by the fact that mobile games are usually catered to more casual users.

However, these casual mobile games usually don’t last long, and their popularity can be vulnerable at most times. Thus, most developers of these types of games need to continuously promote their games through advertising. If constant advertising is not conducted, the relevance of casual games can fade in a matter of weeks or even days.

Game Industry in Indonesia

Just like China, the governments of Southeast Asian countries are also involved in the local gaming industry. However, the regulations set by Southeast Asian governments are usually not as strict as those in China. Therefore, foreign gaming companies might have a better chance to expand their market in the SEA countries like Indonesia.

Indonesia is a country with the 4th largest population in the world. Its population is also mostly dominated by the younger generation, who loves building online communities. According to Newzoo, this is a massive advantage that the Indonesian gaming market has over other countries in SEA. The popularity of mobile games in Indonesia is, undoubtedly, a golden opportunity that local developers need to seize

Mobile games have dominated the Indonesian gaming market for the past few years, and fortunately, 49% of mobile gamers do not hesitate to spend money to buy in-game items. Newzoo’s data showed that Indonesian mobile gamers spend an average of $9 USD every year. The strategy game genre is also a favorite among Indonesian gamers and is also populated by gamers with large spendings. 41% of gamers, in fact, are willing to buy in-game items in the strategy genre.

The cost of making mobile games is much cheaper than online PC games.

Mobile games are also generally cheaper to produce than PC games. As a comparison, creating mobile games usually cost around $1 thousand USD, while the expenses of making PC games can cost 10 times more than that. Therefore, it is not surprising that most game developers in Indonesia opt to create and develop mobile games.

The potential of the gaming industry is also recognized by the Indonesian government. The government often supports local gaming companies by holding various gaming-related events, such as Game Prime. Additionally, a lot of ministers, such as the Minister of Communication and Information and the Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, have expressed their support towards the local gaming and esports industry. Prior to this, Indonesia was also successful in lobbying ASEAN countries to include esports as an exhibition sport at the 2018 Asian Games and declaring esports as a legitimate sport (winners will get medals) at the 2019 SEA Games.

Game Industry in Singapore

According to Darang S. Candra, Director for Southeast Asia Research, Niko Partners, the spendings of gamers in Southeast Asian countries is directly proportional to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita in each country. Countries with relatively low GDP per capita, such as Indonesia and the Philippines, have an Average Revenue per User (ARPU) of around $4-6 USD for PC games and $5-8 USD for mobile games. On the other hand, countries with higher GDP per capita, such as Malaysia and Singapore, have higher ARPU, reaching $15-20 USD for PC games and $25-60 USD for mobile games.

Singapore, for many years, has been considered the economic center or powerhouse in Southeast Asia. Although Singapore’s population is far smaller than Indonesia’s, its internet penetration rate is exponentially superior, reaching 80% of the total population. Furthermore, 60% of Singaporean internet users are classified as gamers who spend over $189 USD on games every year. English is also one of the primary languages used in Singapore, which is why Western games also have a relatively high penetration rate in the country.

The Singapore government itself has been interested in developing its gaming industry since 1995. The government has supported startups in the gaming sector while also opening and financing various research labs dedicated to gaming. They also set strict regulations, especially those related to piracy. Heavy penalties and charges were imposed to discourage people from using pirated products. As a result, foreign established gaming companies became highly interested in investing and opening offices there. Ubisoft and Electronic Arts, for instance, have opened branches in Singapore.

Translated by: Ananto Joyoadikusumo. Featured image via: Unsplash.com.

Bukalapak Acquires itemku, a Synergy to Boost Digital Asset Sales in the Game Industry

Bukalapak is acquiring itemku, an online platform marketplace for game-related digital products. This news was first confirmed by Khailee Ng, Managing Partner of 500 Startups, through uploads on his personal LinkedIn – it is known that 500 Startups are investing in both Bukalapak and itemku. Not long afterm, itemku team has also confirmed directly.

Previously, on May 11, 2021, Bukalapak also announced its strategic partnership with itemku, with a mission to facilitate access to the video game industry in Indonesia. Bukalapak’s COO, Willix Halim said, “I realize that the need for home entertainment has increased during the pandemic, and itemku are doing a great job of understanding those needs. I hope that with our shared strength, we can help catalyze the need for digital gaming in Indonesia.”

Meanwhile, itemku’s Founder & CEO Denis Kim said, “Millions of Indonesians have used itemku for years. However, we want to go beyond just making digital entertainment inclusive. I fully agree with Bukalapak’s vision to build an economy that is fair for all, and that’s why we decided to collaborate with them. We want to have a big impact on hundreds of millions of Indonesians, just as they have done. Along with the social impact, I hope this collaboration can bring rapid development in this industry.”

In this partnership, both itemku and Bukalapak will have a strong strategic collaboration commitment, including:

Synergize the team: Bukalapak and itemku work together as a team.
Reach more users throughout Indonesia: itemku products are widely distributed through the Bukalapak network including in rural areas.
Doing new project development together: many types of new projects will be developed together.

itemku representative said, for now and in the future itemku will still stand as a separate entity. There is no plan to merge with the Bukalapak’s marketplace. In a general note, itemku provides a marketplace service that allows users to buy and sell digital game assets. They also sell various vouchers for premium access to a game.

itemku is part of Five Jack, founded in 2014. In addition to 500 Startups, they also received funding from Bon Angels Venture Partners.

In our previous interview, itemku’s CPO, Virdienash Haqmal said, the company’s GMV per month had increased by 15-20%, as well as revenue during 2020. Customer growth also increased by 60% from January to June 2020. Meanwhile, for marketing activities, the company reduced its budget by 80%.

Game industry market landscape

According to a report from Verizon, mobile game usage rose 75% during the first phase of lockdown in 2020, compared to the pre-pandemic period, and there were more than 2.3 billion mobile game downloads between March 5 and April 5, up 60% at the same time the previous year. Based on data presented by Nielsen, spending on video games increased by 11% in March 2020.

IDC analysts predict that there will be a 20% increase in global video game revenue in 2020 to $179.7 billion, higher than the film sector. The data shows that a large number of people were acquainted with and tried video games for the first time during the pandemic and that many of them will continue to play games in the future. This prediction is reinforced by a survey conducted by Google and Savanta in May 2020 of 7,611 people, the fact is that 40% of new players will tend to continue playing when this pandemic situation is over, and as many as 65% say they will play the game longer each session than previous.

Another study released in November 2020, conducted by NPD, found that people between the ages of 45 and 54 saw a 59% increase in spending their time playing games over the past year, while the amount of money they spent on or playing games games increased by 76%. For those between the ages of 55 and 64, the time spent playing games increased by 48%, while the amount of money they spent playing games increased by 73%.

Also, another fact shows that out of 5,000 people surveyed, 79% said they had played video games in the previous six months, up 6% from the previous year. These studies and research show that video games are not only attractive to children and adolescents, but for those who are older, video games are a solution for them in distracting boredom during the Covid-19 pandemic.

–
Original article is in Indonesian, translated by Kristin Siagian

Application Information Will Show Up Here

Bukalapak Akuisisi itemku, Sinergi Perkuat Lini Penjualan Aset Digital di Industri Game

Bukalapak mengakuisisi itemku, sebuah platform online marketplace produk digital terkait game. Kabar ini pertama kali disampaikan Managing Partner 500 Startups Khailee Ng melalui unggahan di LinkedIn pribadinya –diketahui 500 Startups berinvestasi baik di Bukalapak maupun itemku. Kemudian juga dikonfirmasi langsung oleh pihak itemku.

Sebelumnya pada 11 Mei 2021 lalu, Bukalapak juga mengumumkan kerja sama strategisnya dengan itemku, dengan misi untuk mempermudah akses industri video game di Indonesia. COO Bukalapak Willix Halim menyampaikan, “Saya menyadari bahwa kebutuhan akan home entertainment semakin meningkat selama pandemi, dan itemku sedang melakukan pekerjaan yang luar biasa dalam memahami kebutuhan tersebut. Saya berharap dengan kekuatan bersama, kita dapat membantu mengkatalisasi kebutuhan akan digital gaming di Indonesia.”

Sementara itu Founder & CEO Denis Kim itemku mengatakan, “Jutaan orang Indonesia telah menggunakan itemku selama bertahun-tahun. Namun, kami ingin lebih dari sekadar menjadikan hiburan digital inklusif. Saya setuju sepenuhnya dengan visi Bukalapak yakni untuk membangun ekonomi yang adil bagi semua, dan itulah mengapa kami memutuskan untuk berkolaborasi bersama mereka. Kami ingin memberikan dampak yang besar bagi ratusan juta rakyat Indonesia, seperti yang telah mereka lakukan. Seiring dengan dampak sosial, saya berharap kolaborasi ini dapat membawa perkembangan pesat di industri ini.”

Dengan komitmen kemitraan ini, baik itemku maupun Bukalapak akan memiliki komitmen kolaborasi strategis yang kuat, antara lain:

Melakukan sinergi tim: Bukalapak dan itemku bekerja sama sebagai satu tim.
Menjangkau akses ke lebih banyak pengguna di seluruh Indonesia: produk itemku didistribusikan secara luas melalui jaringan Bukalapak termasuk di pedesaan.
Melakukan pengembangan proyek baru bersama: banyak jenis proyek baru yang akan dikembangkan bersama.

Tim itemku mengatakan, untuk saat ini dan di waktu mendatang itemku masih akan tetap berdiri sebagai entitas terpisah. Belum ada rencana dilebur dengan marketplace Bukalapak. Seperti diketahui, itemku menyediakan layanan marketplace yang memungkinkan pengguna untuk melakukan jual-beli aset permainan digital. Mereka juga menjual berbagai voucher untuk akses premium ke sebuah game.

itemku merupakan bagian dari Five Jack, didirikan pada tahun 2014. Selain 500 Startups, mereka juga mendapatkan dukungan pendanaan dari Bon Angels Venture Partners.

Dalam wawancara kami sebelumnya, CPO itemku Virdienash Haqmal menyebutkan, selama tahun 2020, GMV per bulan perusahaan mengalami kenaikan hingga 15-20%, demikian juga dengan revenue. Pertumbuhan pelanggan juga mengalami peningkatan sebanyak 60% sejak Januari hingga Juni 2020. Sementara untuk pengeluaran kegiatan pemasaran, perusahaan menurunkan budget hingga 80%.

Gambaran pasar industri game

Menurut laporan dari Verizon, penggunaan game seluler naik 75% selama lockdown fase pertama di tahun 2020, dibandingkan dengan masa sebelum pandemi, dan ada lebih dari 2,3 miliar unduhan game seluler antara 5 Maret dan 5 April, naik 60% pada waktu yang sama periode tahun sebelumnya. Data lain yang disampaikan Nielsen, pengeluaran untuk video game naik 11% pada Maret 2020 saja.

Analis IDC memperkirakan bahwa akan terdapat peningkatan sebesar 20% dari pendapatan video game global pada tahun 2020 menjadi $179,7 miliar, hal ini lebih tinggi dari sektor film. Data tersebut menunjukkan bahwa sejumlah besar orang mengenal dan mencoba video game untuk pertama kalinya pada saat pandemi berlangsung dan akan banyak dari mereka ke depannya akan tetap bermain game. Prediksi tersebut diperkuat dengan survei yang dilakukan Google dan Savanta pada bulan Mei 2020 terhadap 7.611 orang, bahwa faktanya terdapat 40% pemain baru akan cenderung terus bermain ketika situasi pandemi ini telah selesai, dan sebanyak 65% mengatakan mereka akan bermain game lebih lama setiap sesinya daripada sebelumnya.

Studi lain yang dirilis pada November 2020, yang dilakukan oleh NPD, menemukan bahwa orang yang berusia antara 45 dan 54 tahun, terdapat peningkatan dalam menghabiskan waktu mereka untuk bermain game sebesar 59% selama tahun lalu, sementara jumlah uang yang mereka habiskan untuk atau dalam bermain game meningkat sebesar 76%. Bagi mereka yang berusia antara 55 dan 64 tahun, waktu yang dihabiskan untuk bermain game meningkat sebesar 48%, sementara jumlah uang yang mereka habiskan untuk bermain game meningkat sebesar 73%.

Dan fakta lain menunjukkan bahwa dari 5.000 orang yang disurvei, 79% mengatakan mereka telah memainkan video game dalam enam bulan sebelumnya, hal tersebut naik 6% dari tahun sebelumnya. Studi dan riset tersebut menunjukkan bahwa video game tidak hanya menarik bagi kalangan anak dan remaja, namun bagi mereka yang berumur, video game merupakan suatu solusi untuk mereka dalam menghilangkan kejenuhan selama pandemi Covid-19 berlangsung.

Application Information Will Show Up Here

Positive and Negative Effects from the Petition to Bring Social Media Under Broadcasting Law

A while ago, a piece of news made Indonesian netizens mad. RCTI and iNews TV called for a judicial review to Constitutional Court, to bring social media under broadcasting law.

Upfront, I will tell you that I absolutely against this petition. However, I genuinely believe that to be critical, we have to be able to see every phenomenon from opposing perspectives.

That’s why I want to write the positive and negative effects if the petition is granted.

Before going further, there are two things that I need to clarify. First, Hybrid is indeed an esports and gaming media. However, since the impacts of this petition could affect so many people, we may discuss this beyond esports and gaming industry.

Secondly, this article mostly consists of my opinion, based on my experience working in the media industry since 2008 — when I was starting my career in a printed magazine.

Positive effects with social media brought under broadcasting law

As I mentioned previously, even if I firmly against it, it doesn’t mean I can see positive things from it. I think it needs to explain since I know so many people suffer from cognitive bias.

The first positive effect that I can see is from taxation from content creators in social media. I know taxation couldn’t be seen as positive from the anarchists… However, bigger taxes from a specific industry means more significant leverage it has against national policy. Of course, another good thing is in the form of higher income for this country.

If the petition is granted, anyone has to become a broadcasting institution with permission if they want to live stream or put content in social media. This is said by The Communications and Information Ministry’s informatics director general, Ahmad M. Ramli. Cited from The Jakarta Post, he said, “If the petition is granted an added definition […] it will cause legal uncertainty for broadcasting and the public,” Ahmad said during a hearing at the Constitutional Court last Wednesday. “Expanding the definition of ‘broadcast’ to include activities such as Instagram TV, Instagram Live, Facebook Live, YouTube Live and the distribution of audio-visual content on social media platforms […] means requiring [the companies] to register as broadcasting firms, which, in turn, requires the formation of entirely new broadcasting bodies that are not accommodated by the Broadcasting Law.”

By changing all streamers and content creators into legal institutions, it should be easier to monitor taxation from them.

Currently, I’m pretty sure there are many content creators from Indonesia on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and the others that don’t pay taxes even though they get revenue from doing it. If they are forced to become a legal institution, they could have an obligation to submit a tax report to have the broadcasting permission.

Another positive effect is about credibility and accountability. ‘Traditional’ media such as printed media, radio, or TV station could be said better in terms of accountability — generally — compared to the others posting contents in social media. Meanwhile, anonymity is one of the most significant factors that can be abused in the internet world; to escape from consequences. An example of this comes from the gaming community when anonymity creates toxicity among players.

However, this argument is flawed since, lately, the chaos in the virtual world caused by public figures — not from anonymous social media account with no name behind it. For example, the conspiration theory and bringing questionable sources to be interviewed came from public figures.

When talking about credibility and accountability, rules could be made to make sure more useful contents creation — rather than sensational or wasting time. Sadly, again, this is debatable.

Let me ask you this. Every content from TV stations is monitored by a government institution. However, is every content from them useful? Is there a bad quality or political contents on TV currently? This is me asking, not accusing…

Honestly, after 2 days and nights searching for positive impacts, I could only found the taxation argument that’s truly positive. However, there are more elegant ways to increase taxes from content creators.

If you find another argument that supports this petition, we can discuss it.

Negative effects with social media brought under broadcasting law

I still remember when I was working for a printed media. At that time, media become one of the few that could control information.

As a writer, I know exactly how precious information is. Business owners also know that information is expensive. That’s why the marketing budget is usually enormous for those who want awareness in a short time.

Nowadays, every person could share information (whether positive or negative, true or false) using any platform they want. Some people call this phenomenon with the democratization of information. This also means that people could choose which kind of information becomes trending and viral.

Indeed, democracy has big flaws — at least according to Socrates. A popularity contest isn’t always good compared to curator-based contents. For example, nowadays, personal drama becomes more popular than useful contents in the esports community — because of the fact that people prefer banal things. This is why the internet filled more with negativity.

However, I do know that many content creators have good intention, spreading positive and useful contents. So, nowadays, it’s up to us as consumers to choose whether we want to consume junk or meaningful contents. I prefer to spend my time to watch videos from Wisecrack, The Royal Institution, Economics Explained, Kurzgesagt, and the others.

If we look back to the previous era, when the information flow is controlled by a few people, the consumers are not the deciders on what kind of content that could be consumed.

Once again, I don’t deny that there are so many malicious and useless contents in the virtual world and social media. However, right now, I could choose to spend my time wisely or making a fool of myself. The choice is in your hand — not in the hand of some few people who have different purposes and agendas (though it could be positive or negative too).

The second negative effect is on the complication with the permit application. Let’s say every content creators from Indonesia must have a broadcasting license, how about the content creators from all over the world? Do they have to apply for a permit too?

On 2019, there are more than 31 million channels on YouTube. I don’t know how many of them come from Indonesia. What will happen if millions of them don’t have a broadcasting license?

Those numbers are just counting from YouTube. We haven’t touch Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, NimoTV, or the others. Besides the complications, the time to handle all of that application is absurd. Furthermore, we have seen more government institutions taking focus on morality rather than practicality. Maybe they don’t have any spare time to manage the applications for broadcasting licenses.

Another adverse effect is from the new industries that will be delayed with this new law, such as the esports industry. It’s undebatable that broadcasting is an integral part of the esports industry. If the petition is granted, there will be many organizations having difficulty to broadcast their esports events. Even though some companies may be able to get that, the process will take time. Should every event be put on hold because of that?

I’m pretty sure the law will delay other industries, other than esports and game. Indonesia is already left behind compared to the other countries, in terms of creative industries. Is it worth to delay it further just to make a few people happy?

Last words…

Finally, I know that it’s not possible to list every single possible positive and negative effect. Although, I think most arguments could be covered with the concept of the democratization of information.

On the other side, I, who have been working in the media industry from 2008, know precisely that this democratization of information make traditional media lose influence and revenue. Traditional media isn’t only competing with Google and Facebook in getting advertising budgets, but also with content creators in social media.

However, I do know that accepting reality and adapting is easier and more profitable, rather than being unable to move on from the past…

Feat Image: via Medium. The original article is in Indonesian, translated by Yabes Elia

Virtual Product Marketplace Itemku Reveals Business Growth During Pandemic

In addition to the e-commerce services that experienced business growth during the Covid-19 pandemic, the gaming industry also experienced a significant increase. In mid-March 2020 the largest digital game market platform in the world, Steam, reported the largest user growth increase in history. They claim to raise more than 20 million active users on Steam within 24 hours, both for playing games or practically online.

As a marketplace platform that serves digital product sales, especially game demand such as goods, accounts and vouchers; The company claims to have experienced rapid growth. Recorded since March 2020, their monthly active users increased by 78%, with the number of new registrations experiencing a sharp increase of up to 97%. In addition, the ratio of users who visit Itemku for the first time has also increased, from 70% to 76%.

Founded in 2015, Itemku run by Five Jack has helped gamers sell and buy virtual products in their favorite games.

Itemku’s Chief Product Officer, Virdienash Haqmal told DailySocial, during 2020, the company’s GMV per month has increased to 15-20%, as well as revenue. Customer growth also increased by 60% from January to June 2020. While for marketing activities, the company reduced its budget by 80%.

“The company currently focuses on affiliate marketing (Itemku Creators Guild) which has a low cost-high impact and has a snowball effect on the number of registrants and new buyers.”

Similar products can also be purchased at several other popular marketplaces. For example through Tokopedia, the platform allows players to buy virtual assets using credit. Another convenience is also presented by the GoPay platform, which has been connected with payment services on Google Play.

Fundraising plan

Previously, the company has launched an application available on the Play Store. The use of applications has also increased during the pandemic. The company noted the number of downloads increased from an average of 2800 to 5100 per week or about 77%.

In terms of users, both buyers and sellers are mostly fond of the simple features fast delivery process. In Itemku, there is an “Instant Delivery” feature that allows the system to send the seller’s product automatically after it is paid for. This feature is only available for voucher products. For top-up products and other virtual items, a 10 Minute Delivery Guarantee is available which is only available for sellers with good sales records.

“In terms of business, the company is conducting research to reach the physical product market in order to become a hobby marketplace. As for the target that is still to be achieved this year, Itemku wants to improve services for sellers and become a marketplace for hobbies. Currently, the company is in the process of fundraising,” Virdienash said.

In 2017, Itemku has secured fresh funding worth of $1.2 million (around 16 billion Rupiah) from 500 Startups and several unnamed South Korean venture capitals. Funding is channeled to dominate the Indonesian virtual item market while expanding into the Southeast Asian market.

–
Original article is in Indonesian, translated by Kristin Siagian

Application Information Will Show Up Here

Startup Marketplace Produk Virtual “itemku” Klaim Pertumbuhan Bisnis Selama Pandemi

Selain layanan e-commerce yang mengalami pertumbuhan bisnis saat pandemi Covid-19 berlangsung, industri game juga mengalami kenaikan yang cukup signifikan. Pada pertengahan bulan Maret 2020 platform pasar game digital terbesar di dunia, Steam, melaporkan peningkatan jumlah pengguna terbesar dalam sejarahnya. Mereka mengklaim bahwa dalam rentang 24 jam, ada lebih dari 20 juta pengguna aktif di Steam, baik untuk bermain game atau sekadar online.

Sebagai platform marketplace yang melayani pembelian dan penjualan produk digital, terutama kebutuhan game seperti barang, akun, dan voucher; itemku mengklaim telah mengalami pertumbuhan yang cepat. Tercatat sejak bulan Maret 2020, pengguna aktif bulanan mereka meningkat hingga 78%, dengan jumlah pendaftaran baru yang mengalami kenaikan tajam hingga 97%. Selain itu, rasio pengguna yang mengunjungi itemku untuk pertama kalinya juga meningkat, dari 70% menjadi 76%.

Didirikan pada tahun 2014 lalu, itemku, yang dijalankan oleh Five Jack, membantu para gamer untuk menjual dan membeli produk-produk virtual di permainan favoritnya.

Kepada DailySocial Chief Product Officer itemku Virdienash Haqmal menyebutkan, selama tahun 2020, GMV per bulan perusahaan mengalami kenaikan hingga 15-20%, demikian juga dengan revenue. Pertumbuhan pelanggan juga mengalami peningkatan sebanyak 60% sejak Januari hingga Juni 2020. Sementara untuk pengeluaran kegiatan pemasaran, perusahaan menurunkan budget hingga 80%.

“Saat ini perusahaan berfokus pada affiliate marketing (itemku Creators Guild) yang low cost-high impact dan memiliki snowball effect ke jumlah pendaftar dan pembeli baru.”

Porduk serupa sebenarnya juga bisa dibeli di beberapa marketplace populer lain. Misalnya melalui Tokopedia, platformnya memungkinkan pemain beli aset virtual menggunakan pulsa. Kemudahan lain juga disajikan platform GoPay, yang telah terhubung dengan layanan pembayaran di Google Play.

Rencana penggalangan dana

Sebelumnya perusahaan telah meluncurkan aplikasi yang bisa diunduh di Play Store. Penggunaan aplikasi juga mengalami kenaikan selama pandemi berlangsung. Perusahaan mencatat jumlah unduhan meningkat dari rata-rata 2800 menjadi 5100 per minggu, atau sekitar 77%.

Untuk pengguna itemku, baik pembeli maupun penjual kebanyakan menyukai fitur yang mempermudah dan mempercepat proses pengiriman. Di itemku, terdapat fitur “Pengiriman Instan” yang memungkinkan sistem untuk mengirim produk penjual secara otomatis setelah dibayar. Fitur ini hanya tersedia untuk produk voucher. Untuk produk top-up dan item virtual lainnya, tersedia Garansi Pengiriman 10 Menit yang hanya tersedia untuk penjual-penjual dengan catatan penjualan yang baik.

“Dari sisi bisnis, perusahaan sedang melakukan riset untuk menjangkau pasar produk fisik agar bisa menjadi marketplace hobi. Sementara untuk target yang masih ingin dicapai tahun ini, itemku ingin meningkatkan pelayanan untuk penjual dan menjadi marketplace untuk hobi. Saat ini perusahaan juga sedang dalam proses penggalangan dana,” kata Virdienash.

Pada tahun 2017 itemku telah mengantongi dana segar senilai $1,2 juta (sekitar 16 miliar Rupiah) dari 500 Startups dan beberapa venture capital Korea Selatan yang tidak disebutkan namanya. Perolehan pendanaan digunakan untuk menguasai pasar virtual item Indonesia sambil berekspansi ke pasar Asia Tenggara.

Application Information Will Show Up Here

Empat Hal Seputar Membangun Industri Game Lokal

Diakui saat ini, skala industri game Indonesia belum sebesar di Tiongkok ataupun Jepang. Bagi sebagian pihak, industri game lokal kita juga belum dianggap menarik seperti bisnis-bisnis digital lainnya.

Indonesia memang salah satu gudang gamer terbesar di dunia. Akan tetapi tidak banyak yang tahu bahwa Indonesia juga melahirkan sejumlah pengembang game terkemuka dengan game buatan lokal yang tak kalah saing dari luar.

Seperti apa gambaran industri game di Indonesia saat ini? Apakah kita mampu mendunia dan bersaing dengan pemain global?

Untuk menjawab pertanyaan di atas, di sesi #SelasaStartup kali ini DailySocial menghadirkan topik menarik seputar industri game yang dibawakan CEO dan Co-Founder Agate Arief Widhiyasa.

“The next dopamine industry“

Bagi Arief, industri game dapat diibaratkan sebagai industri dopamin atau industri yang produknya dapat dinikmati orang. Industri film dan musik juga termasuk di dalamnya.

Dopamin sendiri merupakan senyawa penting dalam tubuh yang dapat menciptakan perasaan senang dan memotivasi. “Saat main game, hormon-hormon kebahagiaan keluar,” candanya.

Bicara skala, ia menilai industri game sudah melampaui produk hiburan lain, seperti industri film. Sebagai perbandingan, ungkapnya, nilai industri game di 2017 telah mencapai $108,9 miliar, hampir tiga kali lipat dari industri film yang sebesar $40,6 miliar.

“Saya meyakini industri game bakal menjadi the next huge dopamine industry ke depannya,” tutur Arief.

Apalagi, industri game telah berevolusi sejak 2015. Industri game tidak lagi melulu pada produk konsol dan PC yang cenderung tak praktis dan lebih mahal. Kehadiran smartphone memunculkan potensi lebih besar terhadap pertumbuhan industri game.

Selain itu, lanjutnya, definisi game kini telah berkembang luas dan telah diadopsi lintas industri, mulai dari militer hingga kesehatan. Ada banyak kasus pemanfaatan game untuk kebutuhan simulasi, seperti operasi jantung dan latihan menembak.

Industri hit-driven tetapi dikuasai asing

Kendati demikian, industri game juga memiliki dua sisi mata uang. Menurut Arief, industri game dikatakan sebagai industri yang hit-driven karena penjualannya bisa meraih return sangat besar, tetapi bisa juga sebaliknya.

“Kalau ada sepuluh game, satu produk bisa mendapat return 100 kali, sedangkan sembilan lainnya tidak mendapat return sama sekali. Ini bisa menjadi masalah,” ujarnya.

Di samping itu, industri game di Indonesia juga dihadapi oleh kekuatan pasar asing sehingga sulit untuk bersaing. Ia mengungkap pangsa game lokal hanya berkisar 0,4 persen atau setara Rp45 miliar dari total pasar game Indonesia.

Nilai investasi yang dikucurkan untuk industri game di Indonesia juga hanya $2 juta atau Rp30 miliar per tahun, tertinggal jauh dari Tiongkok yang sudah mencapai $5 miliar per tahun.

“Pasar kita dikuasai asing karena belanja [investasi game] di Indonesia rendah. Ada mismatch yang terjadi di lapangan dengan yang diyakini investor. Mereka belum aware dan yakin dengan industri ini,” katanya.

Perkuat ekosistem dari bawah ke atas

Permasalahan tak hanya soal investasi. Dalam pengalamannya membangun Agate, Arief dihadapkan pada minimnya jumlah pengembang atau talenta di bidang ini. Dengan kata lain, Indonesia mengalami kekurangan talenta.

Ia membandingkan jumlah pengembang game di Indonesia yang masih kalah jauh dengan negara-negara di Asia. Indonesia tercatat memiliki 1.200 pengembang, masih tertinggal jauh dari Tiongkok (250 ribu), Korea Selatan (95 ribu), dan Vietnam (10 ribu).

“Kalau mau scale [up] di sini sulit karena jumlah pengembang game sangat terbatas. Jadi secara ekosistem, kita kalah karena jumlah investor kurang, game company sedikit, dan talenta kurang. Ini jadi PR kita bersama. Kalau mau ekosistem besar harus bisa solve dari bawah,” jelasnya.

Kerja keras untuk mengejar kualitas

Tak kalah penting, Arief menekankan pentingnya mengejar kualitas di industri ini. Menurutnya, industri game berbeda dengan perusahaan teknologi atau startup.

Karena dalam hal ini, game tidak lagi dilihat oleh konsumen sebagai produk lokal atau global. Namun, lebih kepada game apa yang disukai dan berkualitas. Dengan kata lain, pengembang lokal harus bisa mengejar kualitas dari pemain global.

“Dari awal, kita harus bisa kejar kualitas sebagus-bagusnya. Masalahnya, kita tidak punya bekal untuk meraih itu. Caranya tidak ada, cuma perlu bekerja keras. Di Agate, kami bekerja 90 jam seminggu, dari jam 8 pagi hingga 11 malam selama enam hari.”

Bekraf Bersama Asosiasi Mulai Rumuskan Roadmap untuk Industri Game Indonesia

Badan Ekonomi Kreatif (Bekraf) dan Asosiasi Game Indonesia (AGI) telah selesai menyelenggarakan Bekraf Developer Conference (BDC) 2018 dengan menghadirkan pengembang game dan aplikasi tanah air. Acara tahunan ini juga dilaksanakan dengan tujuan untuk merumuskan roadmap pengembangan industri digital untuk tahun mendatang, salah satunya fokus pada industri game.

“Indonesia adalah salah satu negara paling berpotensi sebagai negara produsen game bermutu. Penghasilan yang diperoleh Indonesia setiap tahun dari industri game mencapai 1 triliun Rupiah. Itulah mengapa jumlah studio game di Indonesia juga semakin meningkat. Melihat potensi ini, game developer menjadi salah satu profesi yang sangat dicari,” terang Deputi Infrastruktur Bekraf, Hari Sungkari, dalam ketarangan resminya.

Narenda Wicaksono, Founder Dicoding sekaligus Ketua Umum AGI, menjelaskan perumusan roadmap merupakan langkah para pelaku industri untuk memberikan masukan kepada pemerintah. Harapannya dapat dipertimbangkan dalam kebijakan yang diambil untuk memajukan industri digital.

“Industri game di Indonesia masih dalam tahap berkembang, masih banyak yang harus dibenahi; market lokal juga masih dikuasai asing. Namun di sisi lain, terjadi peningkatan yang sangat signifikan, terutama di platform konsol. Banyak game yang di-publish oleh anak bangsa di konsol-konsol ternama, sebut saja seperti Valthirian Arc, Ultra Space Battle Brawl, Fallen Legion, dan lain-lain,” terang Narenda.

Menurut Narenda peningkatan industri game lokal turut dipengaruhi beberapa hal. Pertama adalah faktor edukasi, melibatkan institusi pendidikan untuk menghasilkan talenta pengembang dan pendukung kreativitas game. Kedua adalah investasi, karena ini menjadi salah satu hal penting untuk mengakselerasi jalannya industri.

“Harapannya dengan adanya roadmap ini dapat memberikan insight kepada pemerintah, sehingga membuahkan akselerasi pertumbuhan industri digital, khususnya game. Peningkatan industri game lokal juga diharapkan dapat mengambil alih pasar di negeri sendiri. Selain itu diharapkan pula adanya kolaborasi lebih lanjut dengan sub sektor lainnya, misal film, dan komik,” imbuh Narenda.