When you think of games made in Asia, your mind most likely goes to games made in Japan or, more recently, China. Asia’s a big continent though, with plenty of talent just waiting for their time to shine – but it’s tough out there for small developers from developing regions to get the attention often focused on their larger neighbors.

That’s why the Xbox Global Expansion team exists, designed to help developers from places like Southeast Asia, India, Africa and Latin America reach audiences around the world. Here’s how the Xbox Global Expansion team put a spotlight on a small Indonesian team and their new title, My Lovely Empress.

My Lovely Empress is a dark fantasy empire management game inspired by Asian mythology and created by Jakarta-based developer GameChanger Studio. You play as the most powerful man in the Ashuwa continent, Emperor Hong of the Crimson Empire, and your life is torn to pieces after your beloved Empress Xiang succumbs to a mysterious disease.

Unwilling to accept that there are limits for even an emperor, you turn to black magic and begin summoning the supernatural Yaoguai to help you run your empire and eventually resurrect your empress.

With a game so clearly based on the myths and legends of East and Southeast Asia, it can be quite a challenge for indie game developers to get the word out, especially when it comes to audiences unfamiliar with the original tales. This is where the Global Expansion Team came in to help.

In April 2023, GameChanger’s CEO Riris Marpaung met with the Global Expansion Team to discuss strategies on how to best release My Lovely Empress on Xbox, as well as share the game’s development progress from using 2D art to 3D models.

Discussions culminated in My Lovely Empress being featured in the Xbox Digital Broadcast at Tokyo Game Show 2023, helping GameChanger and their publisher Neon Doctrine set the stage for the game’s world premiere. This was an incredible opportunity for GameChanger to get the game in front of players outside their own region, and for its founder and CEO Riris Marpaung to appear on camera speaking directly to global audiences. The response was amazing with people from around the world reaching out to share their interest in My Lovely Empress and their support for the studio.

The Global Expansion team’s support provided GameChanger Studio more than just the ability to sell copies of the game, it provided a platform from which a small team could create meaningful connections and foster more opportunities. And more such games are being discovered through the Global Expansion team’s work, traveling to events around the region, and through initiatives such as Game Camp Asia – Xbox’s education program to uplevel developers in regions like Southeast Asia and India – and the Developer Acceleration Program which provides funding and support for underrepresented developers sharing their games and stories with the world.

It is GameChanger’s hope that players from around the world enjoy My Lovely Empress’ take on East Asian and Southeast Asian culture, and that people find many more games from all over the world supported by these invaluable initiatives.

My Lovely Empress launched on Xbox August 21, 2024. If you’d like to support the growth of the wonderful Southeast Asian indie scene, do give My Lovely Empress a chance and check out all the other indie titles the region has to offer!

My Lovely Empress

Neon Doctrine

☆☆☆☆☆ 7

★★★★★

$19.99

Get it now

You have an empire at your command and the world at your feet. Your hands hold the happiness, hopes, and lives of an entire nation, and those who call you, their ruler. You have everything, and yet, in your heart, you have nothing. You are Emperor Hong, the esteemed Emperor of the Crimson Empire, and you have experienced profound loss. Following the passing of your mother, the former ruler, you tragically lost your beloved Empress as well. Faced with no other options, you are compelled to summon and seek the aid of the Yaoguai, forbidden but powerful creatures of the north with a taste for human souls, to assist you in resolving imperial challenges, enforcing your will, and supporting the welfare of your citizens. You are far from the only ruler in the world, and balancing the needs of your people with the businesses you conduct with other rulers will be a difficult necessity on the path of growing the Crimson Empire. However, once your land has hit the peak of its prosperity, you are given a choice—live with all you have created or command the Yaoguai to bring about a calamity to devour your empire and sacrifice your people in a bid to resurrect your beloved empress.