Inspiration can strike us no matter where we are, and even tales of faraway places are enough to get our imaginations going. One Malaysian studio has taken an unconventional approach with their upcoming game, which makes it that much more exciting.
Midwest 90: Rapid City by Malaysia’s Hidden Chest Studio is a unique post-apocalyptic restaurant tycoon game that takes place halfway across the world in a small town in South Dakota, USA.
This led to the game getting some attention in the US, with American outlets praising this upcoming title’s portrayal of the midwestern United States. IGN Southeast Asia spoke to the creator of Midwest 90: Rapid City and how the idea formed in the first place.
Introduce yourself and your history within the gaming industry.
My name is Keshavar Ganesparan – but everyone calls me Kesh, and I am the Co-founder and Game Director at Hidden Chest Studio Sdn Bhd.
Hidden Chest Studio is a little indie studio based in Malaysia that consists of myself and co-founders Alex Tan and Tan Yi Ming and a small support team.
Prior to this, I did work for a while at the defunct E-One Studio back in 2012 – initially as a community manager and then other roles as time went by, including producer.
How did the idea of Midwest 90: Rapid City come about? How did you come to choose a Midwestern theme as opposed to a Malaysian one?
The idea of Midwest 90: Rapid City was actually inspired by my friend’s restaurant in Petaling Jaya – Betty’s…
