Blades of Mirage puts Southeast Asia at its fantasy core - Inquirer Technology
TOKYO, Japan — Amid the flood of fantasy worlds and familiar mythologies on display at Tokyo Game Show 2026, Indonesian developer Agate is betting with their upcoming game, Blades of Mirage, that Southeast Asia itself can be the star of the show.
Blades of Mirage draws inspiration from the region’s temples, waterways, folklore, and island cultures, weaving them into a fantasy setting that feels distinctly Southeast Asian while remaining accessible to players around the world.
For Andhika Widya Poetra, product marketing manager for Blades of Mirage, the idea came from a simple observation: Southeast Asia has long been a source of inspiration, but rarely the centerpiece.
“Bali has always been there. Boracay has always been there. The Philippines has always been out there. But up until now, no one is making one full package that can be enjoyed as Southeast Asia,” Poetra told Tech INQ during the game’s demo at the Tokyo Game Show.
The result is a game set across the islands of the Brightness, a world inspired by cultures and landscapes from across the region.
While Indonesia serves as a major influence, the team also looked to the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Brunei and other neighboring countries when designing the game’s environments, architecture and visual motifs.
“It’s not only the temples or the sea. It’s also the statues, the map, the biome. We take inspiration from specific areas in Indonesia and several customs from the Philippines and Thailand,” Poetra said.
That regional influence extends beyond the scenery.
Even the game’s water-based weapons emerged from the team’s effort to connect gameplay mechanics to the identity of the region itself.
“It’s not random like ‘Hey, let’s use water.’ It’s because we are rich in water. We have a lot of rivers and a lot of sea. That’s why we’re thinking a water-based weapon could work in this narrative and concept,” Poetra said.
Rather than beginning with either mythology or gameplay, Poetra said the game’s narrative, visuals and combat systems evolved together over the course of its roughly three-year development cycle.
The approach reflects a challenge familiar to many Southeast Asian studios: how to showcase local culture without reducing it to aesthetics alone.
Poetra is careful not to position Blades of Mirage as a definitive representation of Southeast Asia.
Instead, he sees the project as a starting point for bringing more of the region’s stories to players around the world.
“We try as much as we can. I don’t want it to be overpromising as a Southeast Asian representative. But we think it should start somewhere, and we’re trying to start it,” Poetra said.
Blades of Mirage is first and foremost an action-adventure experience featuring what Poetra described as “a little bit souls-like combat.”
While the Southeast Asian setting may attract attention, the studio believes gameplay will determine whether players stay invested.
“We want to focus on a good, solid experience first. We don’t want to lag behind in game mechanics just because we had a good visual concept,” Poetra said.
The game’s main story will be fully playable at launch, with side content that reflects the developers’ lighter side.
According to Poetra, some quests draw inspiration from everyday Southeast Asian experiences, including the region’s fondness for stray cats and internet culture.
Despite its regional roots, Agate has already seen signs that the game’s appeal reaches beyond Southeast Asia.
Additionally, Poetra mentioned that the internal demo testing showed strong interest not only within the region but also in markets such as the United States and China.
“I think we are in the age where it’s just a matter of delivering fun. The others are going to be another selling point and another source of knowledge for them. But at the end of the day, if it’s good design and good game mechanics, they’ll enjoy it,” Poetra said.
Blades of Mirage is currently in development and is scheduled for release in 2027.
