THE GENESIS, SELF-RELIANCE, AND CAREER LOYALTY OF INDONESIAN LOCAL GAME DEVELOPERS AS THE NATIONAL CREATIVE LABOURS

Abstract

This study examined the contemporary condition of Indonesian local game developers as a part of the national creative workers. The case study method was applied in parallel with the participant’s observation and the results were retrieved by exploring, comparing interviews and observation findings. Furthermore, the subjects include state-related ministries (The Ministry of Manpower as well as The Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy), 12 founders of the Indonesian first generation local game developer studios, 10 experienced local game workers, and 2 representatives of the Indonesian Game Association as a labour union. The results figured out the characteristics of Indonesian local game developers as youth-subcultural movements and recent challenges of state patronage, incentives, and human resource issues. The situation forced them to survive and organizing a supportive labour union as a major incubator platform and crowdfunding scheme in developing local games. Consequently, their loyalty to stay in the local game industry is very much in questioned. Later on, three independent variables of self-authorship, job insecurity and patronage trust are applied to assess the level of adaptability and measure the career loyalty among local game developers in contemporary Indonesia. The result can forecast the sustainability of Indonesian local game industry particularly from the human resource point of view.

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