BitSummit returns this July with big announcements

Just yesterday, James Mielke appeared onSup Holmesto talk about his work at Shinra Technologies. EGM, 1up, Q Games, Q Entertainment, and (you guessed it), BitSummit, the little Kyoto indie games convention that hasaltered the career of at least one legendary developer. He couldn’t announce at the time that the show would be returning, and I was left with baited breath wondering if we’d get more BitSummit this year.

Thankfully, I didn’t have to wait long. Earlier today,BitSummitannounced that it’s teaming with the Indie Megabooth and the Japanese Independent Games Aggregate (JIGA) for a brand new show. If you don’t know what JIGA is, don’t be ashamed. JIGA is an all new partnership between Q Games, 17-Bit, Vitei Inc, and Pygmy Studios. That’s about all we know about the show at the moment, but we’ll only have to wait for 102 days until we see everything that the event has to offer.I know because there is acountdown clock on the official site.

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When talking about BitSummit, James got downright emotional, particularly about how “pure” Japanese indie game culture is. There are no “rock stars” in Japanese indie games. At least, not yet. Instead you have former AAA directors like Keiji Inafune announcing games likeAzure Striker Gunvolt, illustrious pioneers in one-man development likeDaisuke “Pixel” Amaya showing off new work, and general sense of excitement for videogames for videogames’ sake. I think that’s something we can all get behind.

John and Molly sitting on the park bench

Close up shot of Marissa Marcel starring in Ambrosio

Kukrushka sitting in a meadow

Lightkeeper pointing his firearm overlapped against the lighthouse background

Overseer looking over the balcony in opening cutscene of Funeralopolis

Edited image of Super Imposter looking through window in No I’m not a Human demo cutscene with thin man and FEMA inside the house

Indie game collage of Blue Prince, KARMA, and The Midnight Walk

Close up shot of Jackie in the Box

Silhouette of a man getting shot as Mick Carter stands behind cover