What Gambir Studio does

Gambir Studio (legally PT Cahaya Usaha Mandiri) is an Indonesian independent game development studio founded in 2016 and headquartered in Sleman, Yogyakarta. The studio has built a portfolio of 13 games across three platforms: mobile free-to-play titles on Google Play and the Apple App Store featuring authentic Indonesian cultural and culinary themes (Selera Nusantara: Chef Story, Minimart Empire, Warung Seblak Nusantara, Warung Angkringan Nusantara, Bubur Ayam Express, Masuk Pak Eko), premium PC indie titles on Steam (Knight vs Giant: The Broken Excalibur, The Anomalous Hour), and HTML5 browser games distributed via itch.io for B2B clients. Core technology is the Unity game engine; product differentiation comes from authentic localization of Indonesian cuisine, food culture, and characters (e.g., Pecel Lele, Sate) that mainstream Western and East Asian studios rarely address.

The studio's revenue mechanics span three streams: freemium mobile with in-app purchases serving the Indonesian and Southeast Asian casual gaming audience; one-time premium PC sales on Steam, with KuloNiku: Bowl Up! (a meatball-cooking simulation) published by Stockholm-based Raw Fury and slated for April 7, 2026 release; and professional services for custom HTML5 game development to global clients. Distribution is exclusively through third-party marketplaces (Google Play, App Store, Steam, Itch.io) with no proprietary platform, and go-to-market is product-led via app store optimization and a small set of channel partnerships (Raw Fury for premium PC; DuniaGames and Playgame for mobile; Sasa, Indihome, and Ivan Gunawan for co-marketing in Indonesia). The company has surpassed 10 million cumulative downloads worldwide and operates with a lean 1-10 person team led by a five-person C-suite (CEO Shafiq Husein, CPO Mirza Muhamad, COO Hironimus Rian, CTO Gyan M, CCO Bayu Nugroho), each with industry-veteran credentials totaling 15+ years of combined experience. Recognition includes TLGA Best Indonesian Game Developer (2021, 2024), TLGA Best Indonesian Mobile Game (2021), and Google Play Best Indies Game (2021) for Selera Nusantara.

Name

Gambir Studio

Legal name

PT Cahaya Usaha Mandiri

Website

https://gambirstudio.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Gambir Studio (PT Cahaya Usaha Mandiri) is a bootstrapped Indonesian indie game developer founded in 2016 in Yogyakarta, building mobile F2P, premium PC (Steam), and HTML5 games featuring authentic Indonesian cuisine and culture for casual global gamers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Game Development

NAICS

Software Publishers (513210)

SIC

Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

Indie Game Studios (MPAFAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Mobile Game Publishing & App Game Stores (BPAMAKAB)

Keywords

• Mobile game development
• PC game development
• HTML5 game development
• Cooking simulation games
• Indonesian game studio

Headquarters

HQ city

Sleman

HQ country

Indonesia

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Mobile Free-to-Play Games: Free-to-play mobile games with in-app purchase monetization. Games include Selera Nusantara, Minimart Empire, Warung Seblak Nusantara, and other titles available on Google Play and App Store.
2. Premium PC Game Sales: Premium paid PC games released on Steam including The Anomalous Hour, Knight vs Giant: The Broken Excalibur, and KuloNiku. Kuloniku published by Raw Fury with Steam release planned for April 7, 2026.
3. HTML5 Game Development Services: Custom HTML5 game development services for clients worldwide with extensive experience and successful collaborations

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Gambir Studio develops and publishes video games across mobile (Android/iOS via Google Play and App Store), PC (Steam), and HTML5 web platforms. Its catalog centers on casual cooking and food service simulation games featuring authentic Indonesian cuisine and cultural themes, alongside action roguelites, horror, and puzzle titles. The studio also provides custom HTML5 game development services to clients worldwide.

Product overview

Gambir Studio is an Indonesian game development company that creates games across multiple platforms including mobile (Android/iOS), PC (Steam), and HTML5 web. Their portfolio spans multiple genres: cooking simulation games (Selera Nusantara: Chef Story, KuloNiku: Bowl Up!, Warung Seblak Nusantara, Warung Angkringan Nusantara, Bubur Ayam Express, Masuk Pak Eko), casual simulation (Minimart Empire), horror games (The Anomalous Hour, Jurit Malam: Kost 1000 Pintu), and action roguelites (Knight vs Giant: The Broken Excalibur). The company specializes in free-to-play mobile games with in-app purchases and premium PC titles. They've launched 13 games with over 10 million downloads worldwide. Their games heavily feature Indonesian cultural themes, particularly in the cooking games that showcase authentic Indonesian cuisine.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Selera Nusantara: Chef Story A casual cooking game where players open a food stall and serve authentic Indonesian cuisine including Pecel Lele, Nasi Goreng, Sate, Mie, and Bubur to colorful customers. Players progress by unlocking new restaurants and attracting more customers.
• KuloNiku: Bowl Up! A comedic cooking game where players inherit their grandmother's meatball restaurant, take orders from quirky townspeople, cook with tactile controls, upgrade and customize the restaurant, and compete in cooking battles against rival chef Stella. Published by Raw Fury on Steam.
• The Anomalous Hour A horror/puzzle game where players find themselves alone in a deserted station and must take pictures of strange anomalies to find a way out, checking every corner for anything strange.
• Knight vs Giant: The Broken Excalibur A fantasy action roguelite where players play as King Arthur wielding the Broken Excalibur to rescue scattered citizens of Camelot, vanquish the Void Giant, and escape from the Astral Dimension.
• Minimart Empire A simulation game where players build and manage their own minimart empire.
• Warung Seblak Nusantara A cooking simulation game featuring Indonesian street food (seblak), where players run a food stall and serve customers traditional dishes.
• Warung Angkringan Nusantara A mobile cooking game featuring Indonesian angkringan (night market food stall) cuisine.
• Bubur Ayam Express A fast-paced cooking game centered around Indonesian chicken porridge (bubur ayam).
• Jurit Malam: Kost 1000 Pintu A horror-themed mobile game set in a boarding house with many doors, featuring Indonesian horror elements.
• TTS Lontong A word puzzle game (teka-teki/lontong) featuring Indonesian wordplay and riddles.
• Masuk Pak Eko A mobile cooking game featuring Indonesian cuisine.
• HTML5 Game Development Services Custom HTML5 browser-based game development services for businesses and brands worldwide, with Gambir Studio offering extensive experience in successful client collaborations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 10 million+ cumulative downloads across mobile platforms
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Raw FurycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 7 April 2026Raw Fury is a Stockholm-based game publisher that serves as the publisher for Kuloniku: Meatball Cooking on Steam. The partnership enables Gambir Studio to leverage Raw Fury's publishing capabilities for premium PC game distribution and marketing.
• IndihomeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIndonesian telecommunications company with logo displayed on partner page, indicating some form of marketing or promotional partnership.
• DuniaGamesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndonesian gaming platform partner with logo displayed on partner page.
• SasaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIndonesian brand partner with logo displayed on partner page, potential co-marketing around Indonesian food-themed games.
• Ivan GunawanminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIndonesian celebrity/brand partner with logo displayed on partner page.
• IEG (Indonesian Entertainment Group)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerIndonesian entertainment group partner with logo displayed on partner page.
• PlaygameminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMobile gaming platform partner with logo displayed on partner page.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Klabater: Polish indie game publisher releasing titles like CrossCode and The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing. Comparable as a smaller-scale premium PC publisher operating in the indie Steam market Gambir is targeting.
• Raw Fury: Stockholm-based independent game publisher of premium PC and console titles (Sable, Dandara, Norco). Directly comparable as Gambir's publishing partner on KuloNiku and a model for the premium indie publishing relationship Gambir is pursuing.
• Lemon Sky Studios: Malaysia-based game art and co-development studio serving global publishers. Comparable to Gambir as a Southeast Asian peer offering both original IP and co-development services to international game clients.

Direct peers

• Toge Productions: Indonesian indie game developer and publisher of titles such as Infectonator and Postknight. Closely comparable to Gambir Studio as a fellow Indonesian indie studio publishing across mobile and PC with similar scale and regional focus.
• Agate International: One of Indonesia's largest game developers, producing titles for global publishers across mobile, PC, and console. Comparable to Gambir as an Indonesian game studio serving both local and international clients and publishers.
• Touchten Games: Indonesian mobile and PC game developer behind titles like Fighting Fantasy and Ramen Sensei. Directly comparable to Gambir as an Indonesian studio operating across casual mobile and premium PC segments.
• Mojiken Studios: Indonesian indie studio known for narrative and adventure titles like When the Past was Around and Afterlove EP. Comparable to Gambir as a small Indonesian indie developer with international publishing reach and a portfolio of culturally distinctive games.
• Digital Happiness: Indonesian game developer known for the DreadOut horror series and Jurit Malam, a title sharing thematic overlap with Gambir's horror game Jurit Malam: Kost 1000 Pintu. Comparable as an Indonesian studio developing horror and culturally themed mobile/PC games.

Broad incumbents

• Devolver Digital: Large independent publisher of premium PC and console games (Hotline Miami, Fall Guys, Inscryption). Comparable as a higher-tier indie publisher operating in the same Steam-first premium PC space Gambir is entering with KuloNiku and Knight vs Giant.
• Annapurna Interactive: Premium publisher of narrative and indie games (Stray, What Remains of Edith Finch). Comparable as a benchmark for the kind of premium publishing partnership Gambir could pursue as it scales PC releases.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/GambirStudio
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@GambirStudio
• Facebookfacebook.com/gambirstudio
• Instagraminstagram.com/gambirstudio
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gambirstudio

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Gambir Studio