Opportunities for Indonesian Game Developers to Sustain on Steam with Small-Scale Games
Last month, at Arsanesia, we conducted research on Steam data. The results show that in 2023, there were 9,625 games released in the “indie” main genre. Out of these, 1.92% of the games earned revenue of 1 million dollars, 2.78% made between 200k to 1 million dollars, 4.49% earned between 50k to 200k dollars, and 7.61% made between 10k to 50k dollars. The rest had revenue below 10k dollars.
Interestingly, we can see small-budget games that succeeded, such as Balatro and Buckshot Roulette. This is a huge opportunity for game developers in Indonesia, where the living costs are lower compared to other countries. At Arsanesia, we believe we can also produce games of that caliber. Imagine a team of 5 people with a burn rate of around 5000 dollars per month; the development cost would be only about 30,000 dollars for six months. This makes it more feasible to break even and even have the capital to create another small-scale game within the next six months.
In other countries, the development costs can be 3–4 times higher than in Indonesia, so they need to aim for the revenue bracket above 2% to achieve ROI. This means that for game developers in Indonesia, there is actually a significant opportunity, as long as they can focus on creating well-polished games with a six-month scope.
However, the usual temptation is falling into the scope creeping trap :p. So, it’s crucial for us to stay focused and disciplined in managing project scope. By leveraging lower costs and focusing on quality, we can create games that not only attract local players but also compete in the global market.
Looking ahead, I hope more game developers from Indonesia can seize this opportunity to create and succeed on platforms like Steam. Remember, the key is to focus on polished and manageable six-month projects. Happy developing, everyone!
Versi bahasa indonesia di ardisaz.com (link)
