April 2022 Update
Hello Indies!
Another month is passing by, and Seattle is getting warmer again! Hope you’re staying safe and healthy, ready for more game dev happenings. We have a lot of events with deadlines coming up, so brace yourself for the list!
Upcoming Events
The Game Devs of Color Expo is happening online again this year, save the dates: September 15-18, 2022. Follow them on Twitter or visit their website for the latest information. “Our mission is to amplify the creative power held by people of color in games. We do this by organizing revolutionary events, uniting our vibrant community, and building access to knowledge, funding, and opportunities.”
Climate Jam 2022 is happening online again this year! We are teaming up with IndieCade, the University of Washington, and the IGDA Climate SIG to make games around the theme of Empath and Equilibrium with the lenses of Media, Storytelling and Misinformation, Nature and Health, Green Energy, Food and Food Systems and Climate Justice. Register now and find team members to work with for the upcoming jam.
PocketGamer Connects is coming back to Seattle, this May 9 to 10! The leading mobile gaming industry conference has expanded to cover PC and Consoles, and will feature a multitude of talks, exhibits, networking opportunities, and the Very Big Indie Pitch event where you can showcase your game to publishers and investors. We might have some free tickets for Seattle Indie members, so check our Discord for more info on that!
Disclaimer: PGC is promoting talks about Blockchain/NFT gaming that we will not be taking part in nor endorsing. Seattle Indies is not receiving compensation for our involvement in PGC nor are we paying for the privilege of being involved.
IndieCade 2022 submissions are now extended to April 15, 2022. Submit your game and get more information here: https://www.indiecade.com/submissions/
“IndieCade is now accepting submissions for our 2022 season!! This includes our online Festival – IndieCade Anywhere and Everywhere (October 1st), as well as consideration for any and all in-person events, as well as our ongoing streaming features and activities for the year.
IndieCade accepts and features a wide spectrum of games and experiences including tabletop, VR, AR, Escape Rooms, Zoom Games, mobile, traditional digital games, and more — regardless of platform, style, experience, or background, and we especially encourage work-in-progress, as well as, completed projects.
IndieCade Anywhere and Everywhere is IndieCade’s online festival for 2022 and will be held the weekend of October 1st. This online event is built from the ground up specifically to highlight and feature games of all types, along with their creators, from around the world.”
Anywhere & Everywhere Online Festival Dates:
September 30 – October 2, 2022
DreamHack is coming to Dallas on Jun 3 – Jun 5, and Indie Playground applications are due May 5th. DreamHack is an immersive gaming experience where the community comes to life. It focuses on professional esports tournaments, amateur and varsity gaming tournaments, world-famous bring-your-own-computer (BYOC) LAN party, cosplay championship, art, activities, expo, screenings, live music and more.
Submissions are also due April 15 for BitSummit 2022, which will take place August 6 to 7. If you’re looking to exhibit your game in Japan, this is the event to check out. Here is the application form and the cost is ¥2,750 per title (about $22.5) and the exhibition fee is ¥33,000 (about $271).
Speaking of Japan, Tokyo Game Show is also coming up on September 15 – September 18 (ignore the dates in image above, that was for last year). The applications do not seem to be open yet with full info. The event tends to be a bit more pricey, but keep an eye on the Sense of Wonder Night – it’s an opportunity for indies to showcase games which are “experimental and creative, and that cannot be called conventional or traditional.” So if you’re working on something out-of-the-box, add it to your calendar!
PAX East is coming up on April 21 – 24, 2022 at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. PAX East is a celebration of gaming and gaming culture featuring thought-provoking panels, a massive expo hall filled with the best publishers and studios, new game demos, musical performances, tournaments, and a community experience unlike any other.
Monthly Events
Indie Coffee Break Once a week, take a Coffee Break with our Discord community, and chat with your local game devs! Meet new folks. Talk about games. Share your work. Ask for help / feedback. Commiserate over problems. Collaborate on solutions. Give high-fives. We’re a weekly social work group for game devs of all levels and disciplines. Join us on Discord every Saturday from 1pm to 7pm! Drop by anytime; folks usually drop in and out throughout the day.
The Game Club this month will take place on April 20 at 7pm and focus on The Forgotten City, here is the event link. What a book club is to a discussion of literature, this event is to a discussion of game design. Every month, we agree to play a game, then meet to discuss and analyze its design and presentation.
The Feedback Circle will take place April 20 from 7pm to 9pm virtually. Join us on Discord in the EVENTS section and look for the Feedback Circle voice and text channels. Each presenter will get at least 15 minutes to share their screen, show us the game or part of the game you want feedback. If you have a game you want to show and receive feedback on please fill out this sign-up sheet. It will be on a first come first served basis.
Indie Co-working Support Group in-person will take place Saturday, April 9, from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM PST, at the Academy of Interactive Entertainment. Masks will be enforced and vax cards will be checked at the door. Seattle Center wifi will be available for use. Please bring everything you need to be productive. The online Coffee Break session will still be available to anyone who isn’t ready for in person events yet or doesn’t have the ability to attend the in person event. We will be starting with a shorter session than usual to get people back into the swing of things and ramp up from there.
Seattle Indies Social IRL will take place on April 19, 7-10:30pm at Optimism as always! Here’s full event details. Join us in Capitol Hill for some well-deserved mingling, drinks, and socialization! Make some new friends, catch up with old ones, and find out what the community’s up to.
The next Seattle Indies Discord Social will take place on April 5 at 7pm. Can’t make it to the in-person socials? Or, want to come hang out? Come join us every first Tuesday of every month for the online Discord social.
We will also have an Eastside Meet & Drink on April 5, 7pm at Eastside Beerworks.
Local Dev News
Maximus just shared that their game Astrolander now has a Steam page! It’s a fast-paced twist-filled local co-op game inspired by Lunar Lander! Please check it out and share it with friends!
Jacob also has a brand new trailer for Prospector, A colorful, sci-fi adventure about survival crafting and exploration in a randomized open world. Check out the tweet for the full video or just go straight to Steam Page!
Brian and Kehran’s game KUR just went into full release! Destroy drones, ravage robots and stomp some skull-bearing spiderdroids in a dark-humor drenched take on the classic 90’s shooter. Here’s the Steam Page.
Billy just released Shift Shaft on the iOS App Store. It puts a fresh spin on the classic match-3 genre by adding board rotation. The result is a mind-bending strategic puzzle game that provides hours of enjoyment. Check it!
Dvdfu has been working on a mobile title, a cute 2D action arcade game called Chiki’s Chase. It’s currently in alpha testing, but there’s a new 30-second first look video!
Patty is getting close to the alpha of YAHAHA – A Social Games Platform for Creators. Read more about it right here!
Kobey shared a new announcement trailer for Dungeon Reels Tactics, watch the full video here!
Ian’s Duple Dragon has gone into early access! Fly two spirit dragons through vibrant and mystical locations. Light enough fireworks before time runs out, avoid dangers, and collect treasures to upgrade and customize your dragons. Here’s the Android and Apple iOs links.
Harassment Policy, AAPI, Black Lives Matter, and Resources
Seattle Indies stands with the AAPI community. We are here for our members who have been affected by the rise in anti-Asian hate crimes both locally and nationally. For further resources to educate yourself on the issue and how to take action, here is a useful link: https://anti-asianviolenceresources.carrd.co/
Seattle Indies is starting to have in person meetups again and we need everyone to get vaccinated and boosted against the COVID-19 virus as soon as you are able. The Washington State Department of Health has this website for information on where you can get vaccinated in your area.
Seattle Indies believes the stories of the victims of sexual harassment and assault in the games industry that have been shared. We strongly condemn the actions by people in power preying on the dreams of vulnerable people trying to make their way in the industry and strive to build an inclusive community that welcomes all minorities to provide a safe environment and a better vision for the game industry.
While our code of conduct states a zero-tolerance policy for harassment of any kind we are especially sensitive to the daily challenges faced by womxn due to the ingrained sexism that has existed in the structure of the games industry for far too long. We are actively working to build a better community of game developers and we all need to do better.
Additionally, Board Member August Belhumeur has offered to be a personal resource for anyone who needs help, someone to talk to or some guidance on next steps if you have experienced harassment in the industry either at our events or elsewhere. She can be reached at august@seattleindies.org.
Our friends at Take This Org have compiled valuable resources for anyone in immediate need of professional help for their situation.
Lastly, Seattle Indies and Diversity Collective+ support Black Lives Matter. Here are some resources compiled by Diversity Collective+ for how you can offer support, whether this is financial, contributing to petitions, preparing for protests, or getting informed. If you have additional resources, comment below and we will add them.
As always, keep an eye on our Discord for any last-minute news and discussion, and let us know about any projects you’re working on that you’d like shared on our Steam or Itch collections or tweeted about from @SeattleIndies!
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