Description
What does it take to bring Southeast Asian culture to the world through video games?
We sat down with Wan Hazmer, co-founder, CEO and game director of Metronomik, to discuss the cultural inspirations behind Ondeh Ondeh Kaya's Tasty Tale and how his approach to showcasing Southeast Asian identity in games has evolved over the years.
From incorporating Malaysian food culture into Final Fantasy XV to bringing local music, folklore and familiar accents into No Straight Roads, Wan shares how these experiences shaped the development of Metronomik's upcoming game.
We also discuss how the team balances cultural representation with global appeal, how Southeast Asian folklore influences the game's bosses and dungeons, the importance of natural local voice acting, and what the studio learned from developing No Straight Roads.
Most importantly, Wan shares his hopes for the future of Southeast Asian game development and why local creators shouldn't be afraid to showcase their own identities.
Ondeh Ondeh Kaya's Tasty Tale is developed by Metronomik.
What do you think about seeing more Southeast Asian culture represented in video games? Let us know in the comments!
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