Overview
- My Lovely Empress offers a unique indie empire sim experience inspired by Asian fantasy and developed by Indonesian creators.
- Riris Marpaung, an Indonesian game developer, discusses how the Xbox Global Expansion Team played a vital role in expanding the reach of My Lovely Empress beyond Southeast Asia.
- My Lovely Empress is now available for Xbox Series X|S.
When we talk about games originating from Asia, our minds often default to titles from Japan or China. However, Asia encompasses a vast array of talent waiting for recognition, especially among smaller developers from emerging regions that struggle to gain visibility.
The Xbox Global Expansion team serves a crucial role in supporting developers from areas like Southeast Asia, India, Africa, and Latin America to connect with global audiences. This is the story of how the Xbox Global Expansion team shed light on a small Indonesian team and their recent release, My Lovely Empress.
My Lovely Empress is a captivating dark fantasy empire management game that draws inspiration from Asian mythology. Crafted by GameChanger Studio in Jakarta, the game puts you in the shoes of Emperor Hong, the most influential figure in the Ashuwa continent. Emperor Hong’s life takes a tragic turn when his beloved Empress Xiang falls prey to a mysterious ailment.
Refusing to accept defeat, Emperor Hong delves into dark magic, invoking supernatural creatures known as Yaoguai to manage his empire and ultimately bring back his empress.
Promoting a game deeply rooted in the lore of East and Southeast Asia poses a challenge for indie developers seeking to attract an audience unfamiliar with the cultural references. This is where the support of the Global Expansion Team became invaluable.
In April 2023, Riris Marpaung, CEO of GameChanger, engaged with the Global Expansion Team to strategize the optimal release of My Lovely Empress on Xbox. The partnership led to the game being featured in the Xbox Digital Broadcast at Tokyo Game Show 2023, marking a significant milestone for GameChanger and its publisher Neon Doctrine. The exposure drew international attention to My Lovely Empress, eliciting widespread interest and support for the studio.
The support provided by the Global Expansion team extended beyond the game’s sales, fostering meaningful connections and unlocking new opportunities for GameChanger Studio. This initiative highlights the discovery of innovative games through regional events and programs like Game Camp Asia and the Developer Acceleration Program, offering financial assistance to underrepresented developers to share their creations with a global audience.
GameChanger aspires for players worldwide to appreciate the cultural essence of East and Southeast Asia encapsulated in My Lovely Empress and hopes for further discoveries of diverse games supported by such crucial initiatives.
My Lovely Empress debuted on Xbox on August 21, 2024. To contribute to the growth of the Southeast Asian indie gaming scene, consider experiencing My Lovely Empress and exploring other captivating indie titles from the region!