Inspiring Story of Agate Studio
Games. What firstly appears on your mind when you hear the word games? Something challenging? Something addictive? Entertainer when alone? Something to be avoided? Or even business opportunities?
Indeed, the interpretation of games is very diverse. Games can not be concluded as something good or bad. Many advantages and also disadvantages that we can get from the games. Recent research shows that games can develop the mindset of it’s players, but of course not everyone agrees to that. There are many parents who think that games is harmful and should be avoided because it can make children addicted. However, it all comes back again to the player. They should be able to control themselves so they will not addicted to playing games and disrupt their daily activities.
Now, there are many kinds of games that appear in this era. Ranging from traditional games that can be played anywhere and anytime we want without using anything, to electronic games that can be operated using the game console. Over time, it is also a lot of games that can be played on our smartphones. Everyone can easily play games and a lot of people playing games in their spare time either while waiting for something or other.
Almost all elements of society in all ages know the game and play it. People who play games are not just young male teenagers under the age of 17 years as what we’d always imagined. Data shows that 40% of games players are women, and the average age of games player is 34 years old. Even more surprising, 26% of games players are those aged over 50 years. Shocking? Yes indeed, but that’s the reality of what happened in the games industry. Everybody play, not perceived that gender and age.
In fact, the growth of the games industry in the world is remarkable. When compared with the film industry, the growth of the games industry is a 5-fold, and when compared with the music industry, the growth of the games industry is 10 times that number. The latest data shows that the growth of the games industry reached 21.7% and the annual income of game developer reaches $ 72,000.
Not only abroad, the growth of the games industry in Indonesia is very promising. This is evidenced by the high-selling game console in Indonesia. In addition, the number of people who download games on their smartphones even bigger. So the games industry phenomenon has spread throughout the world including Indonesia.
Realizing this, a young ITB student named Arief Widhiyasa and 17 other of his friends had a “crazy” idea. They believe that the future games industry is promising. He was willing to Dropped Out of the ITB in order to cultivate the games industry. There are so many considerations before he took this decision.
It all started in 2009 in which Arief and his friends decided to realize their crazy idea to establish Agate Studio. In the beginning Agate encountered many difficulties and obstacles. The founders initially raised money together and make it as capital. They used the money to rent a house to be used as an office and the rest of the money they use to buy equipment. The first problem arose because they had no money for operational costs. They are very difficult in pioneering Agate Studio.
At first, the workers at Agate just given a salary Rp. 50,000 in one month. Not only that, they are also required to work a minimum of 15 hours a day to 6 working days from Monday to Saturday. And worse, in Sunday they usually do a management meeting. So you could say they do not have time off with a very small salary. However, because of their passion in the games is very big and they believe that the games industry is an industry of the future, they never give up and always work hard.
If we look at the situation now, the hard work of Agate Studio’s founders pays off. Agate Studio is now one of the best and the biggest games developer in Indonesia and already have a lot of employees. Headquartered in Bandung, Setiabudhi region, Agate Studio also comes in 2 other major cities in Indonesia, namely Jakarta and Yogyakarta. Carrying the motto “Live the Fun Way ‘, Agate Studio’s mission is to make the world a more fun place. They interpret all of them with their works that are very remarkable.
What is the secret of success of Agate Studio beside hard work? In running the business, Agate Studio apply the use of management information system very well. One of science in management information system that Agate Studio apply to both is managing knowledge. They know how to do things effectively and efficiently in ways others can not duplicate is the prime source of profit and get a competitive advantage. They use Knowledge Work Systems (KWS) that specialized systems built for designers, technicians, and other knowledge workers in Agate Studio charged with discovering and creating new knowledge. So that’s what makes Agate Studio succeed and thrive in the games industry.
Until now, though Agate Studio already reaping success in the games industry in Indonesia, they still have a dream to be one of the best and the biggest games developer in the world. Top Management of Agate Studio regularly visits the offices of the world games developer and have a meeting with the top management there. They studied a lot from the world-leading games developers. Agate Studio believe that they can become one of the best games developer in the world and make the world a more fun place. Good luck Agate Studio! Ganbatte Agate!
Created by: Ghiffari Muhammad Syauqi Ramali (1401140476) as part of MIS subject assassment
