Creative Economy Ministry and US Embassy Boost Collaboration in Gaming Industry

Jakarta - Creative Economy Minister Teuku Riefky Harsya has invited the United States Embassy in Jakarta to facilitate more collaboration between creative economy players from both countries, particularly in the gaming industry. “We hope the US Embassy can bring more creative economy players and sub-sectors from the United States to collaborate and share experiences in Indonesia,” he said in an official embassy statement received in Jakarta on Saturday. He expressed hope that this strengthened cooperation could be realised through the presence of American Corners in every creative hub across Indonesia in the future. “With this collaboration, we are confident it will be easier for us to activate and optimise the functions of these creative spaces,” Riefky said. The ministry also views esports as a continuously growing sector that drives the creative economy and supports the American Spaces Indonesia Esports Development (ASIED) initiative launched by the US Embassy. “Esports today has become an important part of Indonesia’s creative economy. It includes not only athletes but also casters, content creators, coaches, event organisers, and many other creative professions that grow together in one ecosystem,” he said. He noted that human resource development in the gaming sub-sector aligns with efforts to strengthen the creative economy ecosystem. Through collaboration with various partners, the Creative Economy Ministry continues to expand access to learning spaces, workspaces, and creative hubs for young people across regions so that more creative talents are ready to enter the national gaming industry. “Therefore, we are ready to continue this collaboration so that more young Indonesian talents have the opportunity to develop,” said Teuku Riefky Harsya. The ASIED programme is a digital talent development initiative for Indonesian youth that uses esports as a medium through workshops on competition management, broadcasting, league operations, graphic design, content creation, and match commentary. The nationwide programme ran for over seven months and was held in seven cities—Padang, Pontianak, Semarang, Yogyakarta, Malang, Makassar, and Ambon—with more than 1,750 participants and 50 esports communities across Indonesia taking part. As the culmination of the ASIED programme, the US Embassy collaborated with the Indonesian Esports Executive Board (PB ESI), Yayasan Odong Prestasi Indonesia, and Akademi Garudaku to hold the Final Round of the Indonesian Esports National Championship at @america in Jakarta on Friday (17/7). US Embassy Acting Public Affairs Officer Abraham Lee said the digital ecosystem can serve as a catalyst for building friendships between nations. He added that esports has become one of the main platforms for connecting young people across cultures and continents. “Through ASIED, we can see firsthand how a shared love of gaming can foster friendships, build skills, and open doors of opportunity for Indonesian youth and for the broader US-Indonesia relationship,” said Abraham Lee.