Deputy Minister of Creative Economy and Deputy Head of the Creative Economy Agency, Irene Umar, stated that Indonesia’s game industry has the potential to become a new engine of economic growth for the country. She made this remark during the Grand Final of the M7 World Championship at Stadion Madya GBK in Jakarta, noting that the economic impact from such events is significant, especially in putting Indonesia on the global stage of the gaming industry, which continues to attract strong public interest. According to her, international teams attending the event brought significant numbers of people—potentially more than 500 if each team has around 30 members—which benefits nearby hotels and service sectors. In addition, the event’s M7 Carnival involved many Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), amplifying economic activity and local business participation.
Irene emphasized that because of this broader economic effect, the government’s support for gaming events goes beyond simply acknowledging them as hobbies; instead, they serve as catalysts for economic circulation and growth. She described gaming as more than just play, asserting that it now contributes meaningfully to Indonesia’s economy and helps encourage the creative sector’s expansion. For this reason, she expressed hope that Indonesia will continue to have more opportunities to host international gaming events in the future. The article also mentioned that in the championship final, Indonesia was represented by the team Alter Ego (AE) competing against the Philippines’ Aurora Gaming.
