"Siamassagi," a unique fusion of Thai folklore and massage. IGNITE GAME STUDIO's challenge to bring Thai legends to the world
Note: the original Japanese article can be found at:
https://www.4gamer.net/games/954/G095490/20251020016/
Deputy Editor-in-Chief: Noguchi | 2025/10/20 04:10 (UTC)
From October 16 to 19, 2025, at the venue of gamescom asia × Thailand Game Show 2025, we had the opportunity to speak with Aekkaratthaphum Palahan, CEO of Thai indie developer IGNITE GAME STUDIO. The studio’s upcoming title, Siamassagi, is a uniquely conceived game where the player runs a legendary massage parlor in Thailand while going on adventures with monster girls from Thai folklore.
At first glance, the game appears driven purely by its quirky concept—but upon further discussion, it becomes clear that deep passion for sharing Thai culture with the world is coupled with a meticulously crafted gameplay system.
The core structure of Siamassagi consists of two main parts: management and adventure. In the management segment, players analyze customers’ fatigue points and select appropriate massages to guide them into treatment rooms. The game’s diverse massage therapists—each with unique personalities—then “attack” clients… in other words, deliver their specialized treatments.
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Players can improve massage quality by using skills and items, as well as boost customer satisfaction by serving Thai food, desserts, or drinks. The goal is simple: maximize revenue. High-quality massages earn proportional rewards.
Each therapist specializes in different techniques—some excel at intense deep-tissue work, while others use delicate methods to soothe clients. These characters are unlocked through adventure and can then be recruited into the player’s own parlor.
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The adventure mode shifts dramatically from management simulation into a shooting adventure. Set in fantastical realms inspired by Thai folklore—such as Hell, Heaven, and the Magic Forest—the player takes one of their massage therapists along as a companion and uses various firearms to defeat monsters.
This companion system is central to the game’s replayability. For example, one character excels at one-on-one combat, while another functions as a support role providing healing or shields. Depending on which character you choose for the same stage, gameplay changes significantly.
During battles, a gauge called “Blue Gase” accumulates and, when full, triggers powerful attacks empowered by the therapist’s abilities. Each character has unique ultimate weapons: one fires bubbles, another strikes with tiger claws, and yet another fights using extended wings—each adding to the game’s charm.
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The game’s narrative revolves around the fusion and collision of different worlds from Thai folklore. This convergence has plunged the world into collapse, causing profound spiritual exhaustion among people. As a solution, legendary massage therapy is chosen.
Players aim to uncover why these worlds have merged and unlock new therapists to deepen their understanding of the story. Currently, 13 characters are planned, with some available at launch while others can be unlocked by defeating bosses.
The core gameplay loop involves gathering materials during adventures, earning money through the shop, upgrading weapons, and unlocking new bosses and characters. The organic integration between management and adventure creates thoughtful design elements that keep players engaged.
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IGNITE GAME STUDIO currently consists of seven members, five of whom are soon-to-be graduates. The remaining two are full-time artists. Originally inspired by a comic drawn by one team member, the project began as an ambition to develop this concept into a full-fledged game.
Development has been progressing part-time since January 2025 and is currently in the demo version stage. While the prototype was completed for exhibition at the event, further time will be needed before official completion. The projected release date is 2027.
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The studio has received overwhelmingly positive feedback from Thailand’s gaming community. Palahan stated, “We also hope for support from people in Japan and around the world who love Thai culture.”
A key priority for the company is establishing strong character IPs. They aim to create original content based on Thai folklore and character designs—similar to Japan’s Umamusume—to build a dedicated fanbase. While such marketable character development is common in Japanese games, Palahan notes it remains rare in Thailand’s gaming industry.
Additionally, the team plans to highlight Thai culture through music. They intend to incorporate traditional Thai instruments and voice-overs in Thai language to give the game a distinct cultural identity. Palahan emphasized strongly: “While Japanese, Chinese, and Western cultures are widely recognized globally, it’s essential to bring Southeast Asian and Thai heritage onto the world stage.”
IGNITE GAME STUDIO is currently seeking development funding from publishers or investors. They also require marketing and PR support.
A small team centered around students is passionately building this game with a pure desire to share their homeland’s culture with the world. It will be exciting to see how Siamassagi ultimately comes together by its anticipated 2027 release.
Aekkaratthaphum Palahan (right) Image Gallery No.001 thumbnail / The unconventional title “Siamassagi,” fusing Thai folktales and massage culture, represents IGNITE GAME STUDIO’s mission to share Thai heritage worldwide