Steam and the Epic Games Store in Indonesia have been blocked without explanation, leaving gamers in the country looking for answers. Earlier on July 30, there were reports about non-availability of services of these two platforms. Interestingly, the only two digital platforms are not the only services that have been banned, and many websites have had the same fate.
It has been suggested that the ban may be due to a failure to comply with government regulations in the country that require companies to register in the database.
Gamers in Indonesia are left in the dark as Steam and the Epic Games Store are two of the many services that have been banned
As mentioned above, the whole situation goes beyond two digital storefronts. Battlenet, famous for the Call of Duty service, has also been banned. International payments service PayPal has had a similar fate, and the decision could be particularly disruptive.
While PayPal may not be directly related to gaming, it is a good payment gateway on a variety of platforms. So while the Steam and Epic Games Store ban will primarily affect PC gamers, the ban on PayPal could deter console users and even those who aren’t gamers.
Steam, PayPal, Battlenet, Epic Games and other websites are banned in Indonesia
A significant problem has been the lack of clarity on the part of the government or the parties affected. Team Secret Esports broke the news in late July 29 as word started pouring in from the Southeast Asian nation.
Some believe the ban may result from a failure to comply with new government regulations. For example, companies doing their business in Indonesia are required to register in a nationalized database. It may be that Steam, the Epic Games Store and other affected parties did not do so, resulting in a ban.
Companies that failed to register with Kominfo are now being blocked in Indonesia.
This includes services like Steam, Epic Games, Paypal etc…
Will update when there is more clarity from these platforms or the government on the next steps twitter.com/ZhugeEX/status…
Our latest blog posts focus on regulatory developments in Indonesia and how it affects the video game industry. An important read for any game company operating in the country.
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It is also not clear what is the duration of this ban. Due to the paucity of information, there is no clarity on when the ban can be lifted and what needs to be done for this to happen. There is also no clear information about the use of the VPN service, but readers are advised not to do so as it often violates the terms and conditions of the digital storefront. It remains to be seen how this decision affects the future of gamers in the country, but it will likely disrupt the growing gaming industry in the region.
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Steam has become the foremost digital gaming storefront for PC gaming worldwide. In comparison, the Epic Games Store is a recent entity that has expanded aggressively over the years. Both the platforms are famous for their offers and competitive regional pricing, which is helpful for countries like India and Indonesia. No update has come from any of the blocked sites yet, adding to the confusion.
Edited by Siddharth Satish
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