The Southeast Asian Games Showcase, part of this year’s Summer Game Fest, spotlighted exclusive announcements and updates from game developers across — you guessed it — Southeast Asia. As a Southeast Asian myself, I was keen to see what my fellow SEAsians have been cooking up, and I was already hyped from the pre-show trailer for Tanuki Pon’s Summer, even if it aired at the buttcrack of dawn.
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The showcase captured the spirit of the region perfectly — from the nostalgic kampung vibes of Upin & Ipin Universe to the painfully relatable bureaucracy in Compensation Not Guaranteed. And of course, no SEA lineup would be complete without a bit of horror, with Am I Nima delivering some unsettling psychological twists. But I digress — here are the standouts.
Quest Daily’s Top 5 Picks:
Upin & Ipin Universe
Repping Malaysia, Upin & Ipin Universe is a heartfelt tribute to kampung (village) life. Based on the long-running Malaysian kids’ show Upin & Ipin, it includes all the rural life staples: cooking, fishing, chicken chasing, and traditional games like gasing (spinning tops). I’ve never actually seen the show, but this looks charming as hell.
It’s coming to Steam, Epic Games Store, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation 4/5.
I Need Space
In I Need Space, you play as a Space Traveller with a Cosmic Cat on a mission to save a dying universe from a Galactical Pandemic. Inspired by COVID, perhaps? This cosy space exploration game comes from Indonesian studio Khayalan Arts.
There’s a demo on Steam now, though the full release date is still TBA, so keep an eye out.
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Let’s Build A Dungeon
I mentioned this briefly when it opened Clemmy’s Best Indie Games Summer Showcase 2025, but it got a proper spotlight here. Made by Singapore’s Springloaded, Let’s Build A Dungeon is a game dev simulator where you run a studio making an MMORPG. You’ll hire staff, design the world, and grow your player base to keep your investors happy (in a way that hits a little too close to home). You can even play the game you make!
The full release is TBA, but you can try the demo on Steam now.
Mirth Island
In Mirth Island, you play as Dodo, a failed actor returning to his hometown to rebuild the local theatre where his career began. You’ll help islanders with quests and just generally vibe. If you’re into Hello Kitty Island Adventure or Animal Crossing, this might be your thing.
You can sign up for the playtest on Steam now, which I did right away. There’s no release date as yet — sorry, folks.
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Compensation Not Guaranteed
This one stood out because it dives deep into Southeast Asia’s bureaucratic pain. Compensation Not Guaranteed is set in a post-colonial SEA city where you play as a government official checking documents to verify land ownership claims. You sort the legit from the fake to help your city grow. That’s it. You’re just doing paperwork. I know, I’m a nerd.
There’s no release date yet, but there’s a demo out on Steam now.
Parting thoughts
Sitting through the Southeast Asian Games Showcase, it was inspiring to see the breadth of talent coming out of the region. While there weren’t a tonne of brand-new trailers, I still discovered plenty of games I hadn’t seen before, which made the watch worth it. Here are a few more of my highlights:
- Tanuki Pon’s Summer: A raccoon postie simulator where you have to rebuild a shrine before the big Tanuki Festival. Coming out later this year.
- Am I Nima: A psychological horror game where you convince your mum you’re her real daughter. Creepy AF.
- The Fractured Shimmer: A 2.5D pixel-art survival horror where you’re a journalist investigating some unsettling murders.
- Bathhouse Creatures: You run a bathhouse. For animals. Enough said.
- Not Monday Cafe: A cute idle game that’ll keep you company while you pretend to be productive.
- Loading…: This one didn’t make the top five purely because the trailer confused the heck out of me. It’s a slice-of-life game set in 2005 where you’re 10 year old Kiet, and your brother is dead.
You can view all the games featured in the Southeast Asian Games Showcase on their Steam page. They’ve also bundled games in a Steam Summer Showcase Friends Pack, in collaboration with Latin American Games and Women-Led Games. Watch the full showcase below.
