From Tradition to Technology: Exploring Intergenerational Responses to a Benteng-Bentengan Video Game

Traditional games are an important piece of Indonesian cultural heritage. However, their popularity has declined in the digital age due to factors such as lack of knowledge, minimal effort of preservation, and being outshined by digital games. Looking at this problem, we took the opportunity to develop a digital adaptation of the Indonesian traditional game Benteng-Bentengan, with the aim of engaging younger generations, particularly Millennials and Generation Z (Gen Z), by exposing them its cultural essence. The game was developed using Unity with the Game Development Life Cycle (GDLC). To evaluate it, we assigned 20 participants—10 Millennials and 10 Gen Z respondents—to complete a pre- and post-gameplay questionnaire to assess user experience and engagement. The data was then analyzed using independent T-tests to identify response differences between the two generations per question. Results showed generally positive responses from both Millennials and Gen Z, with Gen Z displaying better enthusiasm for playing the digital version of Benteng-Bentengan , and Millennials displaying better knowledge of the traditional game. This shows that the digitalization of traditional games can be a promising solution for cultural preservation and intergenerational engagement.