July 2026 Seattle Indies Newsletter Logo

July 2026 Update

Jul 8th, 2026 by Kylie Hammett

Hello Indies!

July marks the time of year when we are usually getting excited for the upcoming annual summer picnic in just 11 days and then SLICE and SIX in just a couple of months and while that is certainly still the case it would be hard to not acknowledge the current state of the industry especially as it pertains to recent major layoffs at local studios in the Seattle area. You might be wondering what these major AAA studios have to do with our community of independent developers and the answer is that we are all connected and part of the same ecosystem. Seattle Indies serves as a support system for game developers regardless of their standing in the industry. Indies might be in the name but we serve anyone pursuing game development as a hobby or profession and many of these studios have supported Seattle Indies over the years with sponsorships, volunteer hours and venues to host events. 

The impact and ramifications of these reductions will be felt in many ways, financially and emotionally for the people impacted directly and their colleagues left behind, downstream to vendors and co-dev studios who rely on these larger studios for contact work that keeps their employees working and in the job market for students who are entering the industry and professionals who were impacted by previous rounds of layoffs. We stand in solidarity with our fellow developers who have been impacted by layoffs over the past 3+ years and will continue to be here as a support system and community for anyone who needs it. Indies will never be able to replace the tens of thousands of jobs lost but we are here to provide support for those who take this time to forge a new path, start their own studios and bring about the next wave of hit indie titles from our local community.

Demand for services and events to support impacted developers will increase. Seattle Indies will do our best to meet this demand but the reality is that we rely on the generosity of sponsors and individual donors to cover the costs associated with running events and covering the overhead of the nonprofit and with reductions in force come reductions in sponsorship budgets so we are all being asked to do more with less and being spread thin in the process. There are many ways you can help, head over to our Get Involved page to find out more. Donate time, funds, apply to be on one of our committees. Sometimes giving back is the best way to move forward.

2026 marks our tenth year as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and we plan to celebrate in style as we head into our major events season of the summer picnic, SLICE and SIX. SIX judging is complete and we have another stellar lineup of 40 games to showcase at SIX 2026! We had a record number of entries this year, which led to a record number of reviews. Our judges played through all 115 submissions and wrote 692 reviews, thoughtful feedback that will be delivered to our entrants regardless if they are selected or not. We look forward to seeing you all on Sunday September 6th, 2026 at the Hilton Motif Seattle from Noon-9pm. Free and open to the public as always! For over 15 years SIX has served as the launchpad for indie games, studios and developers that have turned into cornerstones of our community and the industry at large, see the next wave at SIX 2026.

Keep an eye on our social media channels for the lineup announcement coming soon.

SLICE will be returning on Wednesday September 2, 2026 at McCaw Hall with another slate of panels, workshops, roundtable discussions, and some exciting new features we’ll be announcing in the very near future along with this year’s lineup of speakers, presenters and topics.

SLICE (Seattle Loves Indie Creators Expo) – Wednesday, September 2nd, 2026 from 8:00 AM to 9:30 PM

SLICE is designed to provide practical tools, strategic insights, and essential connections for game developers — whether you’re just getting started or leading a growing studio.

Expect a full day featuring panels, microtalks, roundtables, and networking with hundreds of local and international industry professionals. Topics span funding, marketing, team-building, and more!

SLICE 2026 tickets are now on sale! See: https://seattleslice.org/ for more information! 

Early bird tickets (25% off) are available now until the 22nd, and you can stack an additional 25% off using the code SEATTLEINDIESDISCORD 

Until July 26th at 3:00 PM on the Seattle Indies Discord server we will be giving free all-access passes to three lucky community members! For more information, join our Discord!

Additionally, we still have a discount online for recently laid off members and students. Volunteers will receive free passes. 

Want to volunteer? Sign up on the SLICE Volunteer Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSccasRIZQhqNVWFn_FOrgDuxcE-NH1oxqoHRi93v0NpoEOm4w/viewform 

If you’ve got an idea for a session for SLICE, please fill out the SLICE 2026 Call for Content: https://forms.gle/RPcZPRzdhpiLe8nr9 

Seattle Indies Summer Picnic – Sunday, July 19th, 2026 Starting at 12:00 PM

The Seattle Indies Summer Picnic is back at Madrona Park on Sunday July 19th! As much as we enjoyed the show with the Blue Angels last year, we decided to move it back a couple of weeks so the park will be a little less crowded and less noisy for everyone. We will once again be grilling up burgers and dogs and veggie options, we will have our outdoor games and friends and family are always welcome! Bring your favorite dish or snack to share if you like but we will have plenty of food and soft drinks available for everyone to enjoy.

SIX (Seattle Indies Expo) –  Sunday, September 6th, 2026 from 12:00 PM – 9:00 PM

SIX is a free one-day celebration of independent games and game creators from the Pacific Northwest and beyond. We consistently hear from attendees that SIX is one of the best events of that entire weekend alongside the other major gaming expo happening around the corner from SIX and in 2025 we welcomed nearly 5,000 guests who came through to spend the day checking out the games and chatting with the developers and community members.

Recently, SIX Submissions have been officially closed with a new record of 115 submissions, smashing the 90 submissions we received last year! In 2025 we selected the top 40, both all-time records in our 15 year history and we expect no less in 2026! Additionally, due to the high demand and increase in quality of the games we were able to expand SIX 2025 to take over two full ballrooms in Hilton Motif Seattle. We also combined SIX Online, our streaming showcase of the games with our in-person showcase and managed to interview all 40 teams on the live stream to help build the buzz both in-person and online for our biggest day of the year.

We will be returning to do the same on Sunday September 6th, 2026 with a full day of incredible locally-made indie games and the developers who made them! 

Want to volunteer for SIX 2026? Sign up now to be a part of our biggest public facing event of the year https://six.seattleindies.org/volunteer 

SIX IRL will be held on Sunday, September 6th, 2026 from 12:00 PM – 9:00 PM on the 3rd & 4th floors of the Hilton Motif Seattle (1415 5th Ave, Seattle, WA 98101)

We’re excited to announce a new partnership with NDVisibility (indie visibility), a game showcase and community platform built for indie developers, studios, and publishers! 

NDVisibility will be our repository of games from our community at every stage of development. This won’t simply be a catalog for Seattle Indies’ games either! You’ll be able to get insights into how people are engaging with your game page, from favorites and click-throughs to community interest over time. This will allow you to effectively engage with your audience and more closely understand your community! 

Set up your profile here: https://ndvisibility.com/seattle-indies?ref=seattle-indies Get the pro plan for free forever with this code: SEA_INDIES_2026

SEA_INDIES_2026 Have any questions about the site or want to show us what you and/or your team are working on? Post it in the ⁠NDvisibility Thread on the Seattle Indies Discord server!

PGC Connects Summit Shanghai  – Global Games Conference –  Wednesday, July 29th, 2026 

The internationally acclaimed Pocket Gamer Connects conference series returns to China for the second edition of PGC Summit Shanghai in association with MyGamez on July 29.

PG Connects Summit Shanghai marks an exciting expansion for the b2b networking and knowledge-sharing event, and builds on the remarkable success of the PGC series, which has already welcomed over 70,000 attendees from more than 70 countries across 58 conferences, and influenced an estimated $1.5 billion in deals across its 12-year history.

The event features:

Find out more and reserve your spot at: https://www.pgconnects.com/shanghai/

Discount code: SeattleIndies20 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/pg-connects-summit-shanghai-2026-tickets-1981862655553?discount=SeattleIndies20&keep_tld=true

PGC Connects Nordics –  October 20th-21st, 2026 

PGC Nordics 2026 takes place at Wanha Satama, Helsinki on 20-21 October as part of Finnish Games Week. Previously known as PGC Helsinki, the event returns with a new name and a broader regional focus, connecting games professionals from Finland, Scandinavia, the wider Nordic market, Northern Europe and beyond.

Whether you’re looking to close deals, meet your next investor or publisher, or simply get a clearer view of where the games industry is heading next, PGC Nordics is designed to make every conversation count. Across two packed days of networking, talks, panels and pitching, attendees can build valuable connections, gain practical insight from industry leaders, and discover emerging talent and technologies.

More than 1,500 delegates from 50+ countries are expected, with over 150 expert speakers across multiple conference tracks. The event also includes an expo area with a busy indie showcase, a Careers Zone, the traditional after-hours party, plus two bonus summits: AI Gamechangers and Beyond Games: Transmedia.

Find out more and reserve your spot at: https://www.pgconnects.com/nordics/

Discount code: SeattleIndies10 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/pocket-gamer-connects-nordics-2026-tickets-1981862356659?discount=SeattleIndies10&keep_tld=true

The BRIC Foundation is now accepting applications for its Washington State Apprenticeship – a state and federally recognized registered apprenticeship program for creative economy career pathways! 

BRIC’s Apprenticeship combines paid, on-the-job training with mentorship and job-related academic instruction to support youth ages 18-24, veterans, and justice-impacted individuals of all backgrounds in obtaining entry-level jobs across entertainment, media, and tech. Eligible candidates must be current Washington residents and be authorized to work in the US. 

Candidates can apply for Apprenticeship in any of the two available career tracks: Marketing & Events Manager and Project/Production Manager.

Applicants are encouraged to apply by the next priority deadline of July 12th to receive a determination by the end of August. Applications are also accepted on a rolling basis. 

For more information and how to apply, visit bricfoundation.org/apprenticeship-wa.

The IndieGameBusiness® 2026 Battle Pass gives you access to the remaining 2026 lineup at a reduced price that continues to decrease as each event takes place.

Originally, the pass covered four events and two Masterclasses for $189 USD, which was a 30% savings off the full $276 value. Since the February Session has already happened, the price now reflects the remaining events. As each event passes, the cost adjusts so you are only paying for what is left. You can grab your ticket today for just $152 USD!

You’ll still receive full access to expert talks, practical workshops, and direct industry insight designed for developers, publishers, and service providers. You will also receive two days of MeetToMatch access during the September IGB Session to connect directly with industry professionals.

Included Events

–  IGB Session & MeetToMatch | Feb 18 & 19: From Pitch to Partnership (Completed)

– Deep Dive | May 27: Building Strong Publishing Partnerships (Completed)

– IGB Session & MeetToMatch | Sept 30 & Oct 1: The Path from Storefront to Success

– Deep Dive | Dec 9: Game Marketing That Works

Included Masterclasses

– Heather Chandler, “The Production Toolkit Every Game Team Needs” | June 17, 2026 (Completed)

– Ash Cason, “Community Management: The Basics” | Oct 20, 2026

One pass covers the rest of the year and is perfect for developers, publishers, and service providers who want to grow their projects, strengthen their business, and build valuable connections.

Seattle Indies, IndieCade and Earthlab @ the University of Washington present Climate Jam 2026! Climate Jam is a six week game jam with sprints and deliverables where we’ll make games about the challenges of our changing climate! 

We once again invite game creators from around the world to make games that explore solutions to address a rapidly changing planet. Together we can make a difference! Register for the jam now and stay tuned!

The theme for Climate Jam 2026:

We’re inviting game creators from around the world to make games that explore solutions to address a rapidly changing planet. Together we can make a difference!

Climate Jam 2026 runs from 10:00 AM PDT on July 1st to 10:00 PM PDT on August 10th. Schedule times and dates may be adjusted before the beginning of the jam.

Ongoing Community Game Jams 

Note: The following game jam has been mentioned in the #game-jam-discussion channel of the Seattle Indies Discord server! For more information, please visit the provided links and the #game-jam-discussion channel to learn more.

Slow and Steady Jam: July-August 2026

Runs from Thursday, July 2nd, 2026 at 5:00 PM to Monday, August 31st, 2026 at 5:00 PM

Looking for a time and place to work on a project? Want a deadline and accountability partners for something you’re doing? There is an event for that! 

The Slow and Steady Jam is a themeless 2 month jam to bring your own project and get creating. https://itch.io/jam/slow-and-steady-jam-jul-aug-2026 

This Month’s feature is Max Hoffman

After a decade-long career in China—including five years in project management at Wicresoft, a Microsoft joint venture—Max Hoffman returned to America to apply those years of high-level execution and innovation to independent game development. Since 2021, Max has spent four years meticulously crafting War of Ancestors, an FPS that recently reached its Alpha milestone.

The project was born from a desire to solve a common educational hurdle: making history both thrilling and informative. While traditional textbooks can feel static, War of Ancestors provides the realism and interaction only possible in a game, allowing players to live through the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and the Civil War. By merging the discipline of professional project management with a passion for “play-and-learn” mechanics, Max Hoffman is creating a tool that turns historical curiosity into an immersive frontline experience. 

Wishlist War of Ancestors today on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/4504400/War_of_Ancestors/?beta=0 

War of Ancestors Trailer: https://youtu.be/XmdzwxSCoLo

War of Ancestors’ Indie DB: https://www.indiedb.com/games/war-of-ancestors     

What inspired you to become a game developer?

After a decade in tech, including 5 years at Wicresoft, I realized that games are the ultimate tool for solving the ‘boredom’ of traditional learning. I became a developer because I wanted to take the execution and innovation I learned in the corporate world and apply it to a project that makes history feel as high-stakes and immersive as a modern FPS. I didn’t just want to manage products; I wanted to build the one tool that makes textbooks obsolete. 

What is one important lesson you have learned in your time as a game developer?

The most vital lesson I’ve learned is that innovation is only as strong as your execution. You can have the most creative, high-fidelity vision in the world, but it doesn’t mean anything if you can’t build a reliable roadmap to get it into players’ hands. In game development, passion is the fuel, but discipline is the engine. You have to possess a deep understanding of what gamers want—the thrill, the challenge, and the ‘fun’—but as a developer, you also have to find the people who share your specific vision. For me, that vision is about proving that games can be more than just a distraction; they can be a powerful educational bridge. I’ve learned that when you align your creative passion with the goal of educating through excitement, you create an experience that resonates far deeper than a traditional textbook ever could. 

What is the one piece of advice you would share today with your younger self before you started your career as a game developer?

I would tell my younger self that ‘Game development is a marathon of consistency, not a sprint of inspiration.’ It’s easy to be creative when you have a new idea, but the real work happens in the middle of those four years when you’re troubleshooting a bug in the 1812 campaign for the tenth time. My project management discipline kept me going, but I’d remind myself to celebrate the small ‘boring’ wins—like a clean bit of code—just as much as the big visual milestones. Consistency is what actually gets a game to Alpha. 

How has the game developer community had an impact on your career?

The biggest impact has been the peer support. Solo development is a marathon, and after four years, it’s easy to hit a wall. The community—especially groups like Seattle Indies—provides a network of people who understand the specific ‘crunch’ and emotional hurdles of this industry. Knowing there are others who share my passion for pushing boundaries in gaming has kept my ‘innovation’ engine running when the technical challenges got tough. 

What is something interesting and unexpected that people would be surprised to learn about you?

Most people are surprised to learn that I spent a decade in China, but the real shocker is that I spent five of those years navigating the intersection of Western and Eastern tech cultures at Wicresoft. Managing projects in that environment taught me how to communicate across massive cultural gaps—a skill that surprisingly helps a lot when trying to make 19th-century history feel relevant to a 21st-century gamer. 

How can people follow you and your work?

You can dive into the world of War of Ancestors and stay updated on our progress toward the Beta through these channels:

Want to be featured in the Seattle Indies Spotlight interview? Fill out this form and we’ll be in touch before your feature in an upcoming edition of the newsletter. This newsletter has a reach of 20,000+ people across all platforms and we encourage you to use the Spotlight feature as a means to promote your upcoming release, demo, Kickstarter, event or anything you would like our readers to know about. This is a space for you and for the community to get to know you so please make use of it. 

Spotlight interview Interest Form: https://forms.gle/EHNfg1kE1fi2gVeV6

Here’s our Meetup Page with all future upcoming events. 

Indie Co-working Support Group  in-person will take place every Saturday, from 1:00 PM to 6:30 PM PST, at the Academy of Interactive Entertainment (AIE) on the 4th Floor of the Seattle Center Armory (305 Harrison St Ste 405, Seattle, WA). Seattle Center. WiFi will be available for use. Please bring everything you need to be productive. We have also added a Co-working voice channel in Discord for people to use any time they want a quiet space to work alongside their peers.

Seabug Study Hall takes place every week on Thursday, 9:00 PM to 11:00 PM, right on our Discord! Join others from the Seattle Blender User Group for a lo-fi chill out online study hall. Bring a project, just chat, and have a good time with some unstructured project sharing and Q&A.

The Pierce County Social is happening on Monday, July 6th starting at 5:30 PM in Tacoma at 7 Seas Brewery and Taproom (2101 Jefferson Ave, Tacoma, WA). Join us at 7 Seas Brewery and Taproom in the main taproom every 1st Monday of every month to chat about game development, games, or just hang out! 

Join us for Board Games @ Phoenix Comics & Games in Seattle (113 Broadway E, Seattle, WA 98102) for an evening of board games! This event is hosted on the first Sunday of every month! Bring your own board games or play one of the many that Phoenix has free-to-play and have fun! Located conveniently near a light rail station with food nearby, enjoy making new friends and learning new games. Feel free to also bring any prototypes you might be working on for a playtest session at Phoenix!

The Seattle Blender User Group (SEABUG) is happening on Saturday, July 11th, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM at Academy of Interactive Entertainment (AIE) – Seattle Center Armory – Suite 405 (305 Harrison St, Suite 405 · Seattle, WA). SEABUG’s goals are to help beginners learn Blender, create Blender opportunities in the Pacific Northwest, showcase advanced Blender tools and projects, and celebrate open source graphics in all forms.

Additionally, SEABUG will be hosting the second ever Blending Man from July 31st to August 2nd at The Seep Lakes (WA-262 &, Seep Lks Rd SE, Warden, WA 98857 · Warden, WA Take the elevator at the armory to the 4th floor)!  Join the Seattle Blender User Group for the second ever BLENDING MAN!!! Turn away from the computer and venture into the wilderness, where we will do all the interesting 3D, tech, and art things a person can do in the great outdoors. Photoscanning, HDRs, plant atlases, plein air, astrophotography, and more.

We will meet at The Seep Lakes on Friday and stay until Sunday, but join for a little or a lot of this 3 day experience. Attendees will be expected to handle their own transportation, shelter, and food; it’s camping, so bring your camping skills!

Seabug’s goals are to help beginners learn Blender, create Blender opportunities in the Pacific Northwest, showcase advanced Blender tools and projects, and celebrate open source graphics in all forms.

Come hang out with the lively Seattle Indies Kitsap bunch at the Kitsap Social at Ashley’s Pub (409 Pacific Avenue, Bremerton, WA)! We meet every last Tuesday of the month to talk about making video games and other nerdy stuff. Sometimes we even have home baked goods available!

 Notes:

The Eastside Meetup is happening on Tuesday, July 14th, 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM at its **NEW LOCATION** at Flatstick Pub, located on 7530 164th AVE NE STE A108 Redmond, WA 98052. Let’s put down our controllers and keyboards, get together, and enjoy some good conversation in person. We can’t wait to hear your stories and connect with new faces!

Please remember that everyone is responsible for their own tab, so kindly settle up before you head out. 

Accessibility information: The venue is wheelchair accessible. It is a five minute walk from the Redmond Transit Center with easy access to many regional bus routes. Street parking is free after 5:00 PM  and there is a parking lot next to the building with reserved spots for Pint & Pie customers.

The In-Person Writer’s Group will take place at Hugo House (1634 11th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122)  on Wednesday, July 8th at 6:30 PM. For anyone interested or working on projects in game writing, narrative design, voice acting or more– swing by Seattle Indies’ In-Person Writer’s Group! Bring your narrative games, scripts, flowcharts, character bibles or any other story materials for sharing and feedback.

The Northside Social takes place Thursday, July 9th, 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM at Watershed Pub & Kitchen (10104 3rd Ave NE · Seattle, WA). It’s time to get together and swap stories. Put down your keyboards and brave the outdoors. Let’s meet for some food, a drink, and some good conversation!

Diversity Collective+ Monthly Meetup is hosted in-person at Phoenix Comics and Games in Capitol Hill (113 Broadway East, Seattle, WA, 98102) with the next meetup being on Sunday, July 26th at 12:00 PM. Come to network, socialize, and discuss issues related to diversity and inclusion in game development! Folks who identify as an underrepresented minority in the game industry are welcome.

The monthly Seattle Indies Social will take place on Tuesday, July 21st from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM at Stoup Brewing – Capitol Hill located on 1158 Broadway, Seattle, WA. Join us 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 Game Club will take place on Wednesday, July 15th at 7:00 PM right on our Discord, focusing on The Plucky Squire. What a book club is to discuss literature, this event is to discuss game design. Every month, we agree to play a game, then meet to discuss and analyze its design and presentation.

Hang out at Zulu’s Board Game Cafe – Lynnwood 5116 196th St SW Suite 203, Lynnwood, WA 98036, USA with fellow Snohomish Co and adjacent indie dev folks over food, drinks, engaging conversations, and maybe some board gaming at the SnoCo Social on Friday, July 17th from 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM! 

If you want to demo/playtest your game, let the organizer know and they will make sure there is table space + open outlet for your setup. 

We have the dragon’s lair room in the back left side of the store. We will post signs and have name tags. 

Join us for a lively Happy Hour, an extension of the Games and Education Industry Collider! Building upon the conversations sparked at the collider event, this happy hour provides a relaxed and engaging environment to further connect professionals from both industries. Settle in for an evening of networking, sharing insights, and fostering new collaborations. Whether you attended the collider or this is your first time joining, let’s continue to bridge the gap between games and education, creating meaningful connections and opportunities for innovation. Additionally, be sure to watch out for more happy hours throughout the year to sustain the collaborative momentum between annual events! The Games and Education Industry Happy Hour will be on Monday, July 20th  from 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM at the Big Time Brewery (4133 University Wy NE, Seattle, WA 98105) in U District!

Come join us at the Southside Social every last Monday of every month to chat about video games, show off what you’re working on, game development, geeky stuff, or just chill with us! We are located inside the Outlet Collection Mall 1101 Outlet Collection Way Suite 1108 Community Convention Center (C3) located directly next to Burlington inside the mall. 

The Playtesting Club will take place now twice a month at the following locations and times: 

Set up a laptop and have strangers from all walks of life try your game! It’s never too early to bring something – as a wise game developer once said, “as soon as you have something that you can move on the screen, hand someone the controller and see what they think.” Whether you have a simple prototype with programmer art or you’re close to shipping something, bring your game! We don’t require polished art here – make sure it’s fun before you pretty it up! 

You’re going to get feedback either way – by playtesting, or eventually in your Steam reviews. Why not get ahead of it and get that feedback before you release? Come to Playtesting Club to ensure your steam reviews will be rock solid! 

Looking for feedback on your game? Only had other game developers try it? Playtesting Club is for you!

Buff Bunny: Vagabones (by Calibrated Games LLC)

We just put together an updated trailer for our game VAGABONES! We added a ton of content since last year! Still a long way to go, but we are super proud of our progress! 

Megasploot: Nimbit Frontier

Updated our trailer for Nimbit Frontier! Thank you everyone who helped test our game last time in person! https://youtu.be/YJxnDCrTqyM 

Brune: 

Another team at my studio has been working on a city building game about helping the community https://store.steampowered.com/app/3922000/Neighborhoods/

Mhaddy: Eclectic Havoc (by Ryan Matthews)

When Electro Havoc launched into Early Access just over a year ago, it was one world, one enemy (affectionately known as The Shard), and a lot of experimentation. Launching a product from game jam prompt in mid-2023 to Early Access feedback in 2025 to now with a 1.0 Full Release has been a wild ride. 

This is a retro twin-stick shooter that pays homage to the games like Geometry Wars with a simple objective: just stay alive as long as possible while blowing up as many baddies as you can. Built within Godot as a solodev making commits in 15-min increments when real life allows. 

I’d love your feedback and reviews, or just enjoy the game! https://store.steampowered.com/app/2980110/Electro_Havoc/ 

GhoulieMonster: Verto

The VERTO demo is now and will be available during Steam Next Fest, check it out! https://store.steampowered.com/app/4272230/Verto/ 

blanktarget: Tab-ula Rasa

I made a thing! (not a game this time, but still worth promoting!) https://sites.google.com/view/apt80-tabularasa/home 

If anyone is interested, its a browser extension for chrome and firefox that auto closes or archives tabs for you on a timer. Keeps tab bloat down and saves your system RAM. Would super appreciate any reviews on it to help promote it. It also has a premium version that you can unlock in it for just 1.99 and that also would be greatly appreciated 

Mars: 

Hello everyone!! 

My name is Mars, I’m a local illustrator. I got the lovely opportunity to make some beta art for Slay the Spire 2 while it was in development, and with the blessing of some of the folks at Mega Crit, they gave me the okay to make some stickers. I chose to do the fan favorites (well, they’re my favorites too haha), but I’m considering doing more also! But, I wanted to share my Etsy here to spread the word that I’ve got some available. Thank you!! 

Hairy Beast: A Mountain Called Hope (by Hairy Beast)

I’m super excited to tell everyone my first steam demo just went live! Please check out my little PSX style experience, report a bug and generally tear me a new one! All feedback is welcome. Thanks https://store.steampowered.com/app/4676610/A_Mountain_Called_Hope/ 

salaar: Gunstoppable (by CAGE Studios)

Hey friends! My game Gunstoppable is in Steam Next Fest if anyone wants to play or wishlist. https://store.steampowered.com/app/3724710/Gunstoppable 

Here’s my new trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2nqvVGKM3A 

Xileh: Mana Fracture (by Xileh)

Released my game today https://store.steampowered.com/app/4490010/Mana_Fracture/ 

ZachmLIVE: Breach of Contract (by Fern Sprout Studios)

Extremely excited to announce the public release of Fern Sprout Studios Beta for Breach of Contract – BoC is a fast-paced tactical action game that blends strategy and chaos, forcing you to face off threats with bizarre otherworldly powers! Analyze each room, identify threats, and plan your breach. Use weapons and abilities powered by eldritch energy. Recharge energy by eliminating enemies to stay in the fight! 

Very early stages and about 1/4 our original size for the game. Consider playing and leaving feedback! The more interest we garner for this game, the more likely we intend to continue development! 

Play on Itch for free: https://fern-sprout-studios.itch.io/breach-of-contract 

Gameplay Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8xRftvI5iU 

Also, Fern Sprout participated in “The Very Serious Juniper Game Jam”!!! We had a week to cook up something fun based on the theme of “Spin to Win”. And we came up with this… Flint Gristle: Ghost Hunter “Guns, ghosts, and a gamble with every trigger pull.” A top-down third-person shooter where you play as Flint Gristle, a skilled ghost hunter! Run across the high desert, shoot as many ghosts as you can, and collect the ectoplasm they drop to upgrade your revolver. Make sure to stay agile—the spirits duplicate rapidly, and the power can quickly shift from your hands to theirs! You can play our ghost-filled roulette shooter-type game on itch for free right now: https://fern-sprout-studios.itch.io/flint-gristle-ghost-hunter Please let us know what you think! We seriously hope you enjoy! Be sure to read all the important info on the itch page before playing! Much love y’all  

Chris L. (Crisp): OpTek

Heyo! We just posted our first game for wishlisting on Steam today! https://store.steampowered.com/app/4433420/OpTek/ 

Ray(^-^)Flower (Captain Soda) [ICHI], : Captain Soda (by Ray Flower Games)

Hey everyone! My solo indie game Captain Soda is RELEASED! Cool off with the most satisfying game this summer! I showcased Captain Soda at SIX back in 2024, so I’m excited to announce its official release! 

CAPTAIN SODA

Transform into the ultimate pop bottle hero, obliterating an alien army with your sparkling soda guns! Captain Soda is a fizzy arcade platform shooter boasting soda flavors with unique abilities, powerful upgrades, and pulse-pounding challenges. Chemical warfare just got refreshing. 

Captain Soda takes arcade shoot’em up platforming to new heights, boasting soda flavors with unique abilities, flashy weapons, powerful upgrades, and pulse-pounding challenges. Revel in the fluid controls that let you jiggle, slosh, and clink with satisfaction as you annihilate enemies and navigate the chaos. 

RELEASE 

Captain Soda is available worldwide right now on Steam! Play it now! https://store.steampowered.com/app/1862950/Captain_Soda/  If you can, please review the game today or this week! Every review boosts the success of the game and I greatly appreciate it! If you need a review code, let me know :p

It is also available on the Nintendo Switch eShop right now! The digital version for Japan, Hong Kong, Korea, and Taiwan is planned to be available on July 30. The digital version for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One will be available later this year (TBA). 

NINTENDO SWITCH PHYSICAL EDITION 

Preorders for the Captain Soda Nintendo Switch physical edition will open on July 30! 

KICKSTARTER  

If you pledged on the kickstarter, you will be given digital download codes by tomorrow. Physical rewards are still being produced and should be shipped out by July 30. 

Thank you so much to all of our playtesters and friends who supported the game these 5 long years, I’m very happy to finally announce the game and release it! 

If you have any questions, bugs, or feedback please feel free to send them my way 🙂 

Brad H. <Epic/Firewalk/ArenaNet>:  FreeCell

Hey Seattle Indies! 

I’m taking this opportunity to announce my first indie game: FreeCell Unlocked. A free and ad-free take on FreeCell, built in Godot 4 / C#. 

The hook: Every game is a shareable code. It captures the exact deal and the moves played, so you can hand a friend the precise game you’re stuck on, race the same board, or watch their solution play back as a an overlay. No other FreeCell does it. Around that I built multiple rule modes (Hard Mode, Hidden Rows, a large-cell accessibility lane), a daily challenge leaderboard, and big large-print cards. 

No ads, no subscriptions, no dark patterns. Optional cosmetic packs are pure voluntary support. On the website I have a developer blog about how the existing dark patterns are what motivated me to create (yet another) FreeCell app. 

https://apps.apple.com/app/id6764465274 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bnegames.freecell 

https://bnegames.com/FreeCell

Would love feedback from fellow devs — especially on the share-a-deal flow and the onboarding. And if you enjoy it, a store review genuinely moves the needle for a new studio. 

Alicia Landa 💜:  Scute Scoot

My friends and I made a game for the Juniper Dev game jam https://sentientdragon5gamedev.itch.io/scute-scoot 

Brandon O.:  Towerfall

It’s been a little bit since I’ve posted about my game, but in case you missed it, my game Towerbolt will be featured at Summer Games Done Quick this Friday (July 11th, 2026)  at 3:05 AM PST! And I will be there live on the commentator’s couch during the run! Check it out! 

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 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. We 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 Angel Mero  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 angel@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 follow us on all of our social media platforms.

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