Nice editorial at @theavclubgames.bsky.social about the role of horror games right now after they got to chat with @pasgame.ca and @akabaka.bsky.social at PAX East.
cc @theblacklantern.bsky.social
www.avclub.com/horror-games...
Shmandala is at #GDLX26! this weekend 🎉 Check out the game on Steam and a demo live on Itch.io!
Steam - store.steampowered.com/app/4269330/...
Itch.io - mjoldham.itch.io/shmandala
#gamedev #indiedev #GameDevLocal #indiegame #arcade #gamedevelopment
Just got ID’ed for the first time in 10 years. They must have mistaken my middle age weight as baby fat.
everything Joonas touches becomes audio gold!!! highly recommend him
![Do you, small / solo dev, know if your game is in IGF this year? No, do you REALLY? Have you asked your publisher? I unfortunately must relay to you that I can name three examples this year of high-profile IGF 2025 games that were submitted either:
By the indie’s publisher, without informing the developer at all
By the indie’s publisher’s externally contracted PR firm!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Do you want to know why this is a FUCKING BAD IDEA? Here’s an example of a thing that happened this year:
Judge: Hi! I’m having some technical issues with the build. Could you help me out?
PR Company who submitted: We’ll get in touch with the developer and get back to you.
—
*THREE WEEKS OUT OF THE 1 MONTH JUDGING PERIOD PASS*
—
Judge: Hello????? Judging is almost over. Is everything okay?
PR Company who submitted: We’ll have an updated build for you when the game comes out [note: That’s gonna be after judging is over]
Result: Your game has wasted its opportunity completely.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:2jjromh55tf7pp7s4hsvurf4/bafkreifowkvvhjwzzryqblcppotoxpjualnpq537xshqmrrtfk5st7gxoq)
Do you, small / solo dev, know if your game is in IGF this year? No, do you REALLY? Have you asked your publisher? I unfortunately must relay to you that I can name three examples this year of high-profile IGF 2025 games that were submitted either: By the indie’s publisher, without informing the developer at all By the indie’s publisher’s externally contracted PR firm!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Do you want to know why this is a FUCKING BAD IDEA? Here’s an example of a thing that happened this year: Judge: Hi! I’m having some technical issues with the build. Could you help me out? PR Company who submitted: We’ll get in touch with the developer and get back to you. — *THREE WEEKS OUT OF THE 1 MONTH JUDGING PERIOD PASS* — Judge: Hello????? Judging is almost over. Is everything okay? PR Company who submitted: We’ll have an updated build for you when the game comes out [note: That’s gonna be after judging is over] Result: Your game has wasted its opportunity completely.
Now that IGF and GDC is over I finally got around to writing up my postscript on IGF submissions and some of the issues we ran into in 2025. If you plan to submit your game in 2026 I recommend reading this, tbh. auratriolo.com/blog/2026/03...
Here's a little spoiler:
We’ve lost EGX, Insomnia, and so many other larger scale gaming events in recent years.
This is our attempt at starting something new, human focused, and grassroots in nature.
We’ve moved heaven and earth to keep ticket prices incredibly affordable, because we don’t want anyone to miss out.
If you care about weird freaky games and more generally the future of the indie side of the industry, check this out!!!
an image promoting a substack article titled ‘25 medieva manuscripts you can look at online right now’
i made a starter back of beautiful and unique manuscripts you can browse online! (with links) for anyone that wants a good way to spend an afternoon :)
open.substack.com/pub/weirdmed...
DGF promo image featuring The Dark Room. Included with your ticket
DGF promo image featuring Task Time game. 100+ playable games
DGF promo image featuring Did You Know Gaming. Included with your ticket
DGF promo image featuring Oh My Doh, the donut company.
This feels like a good time to remind everyone that we’re running a games expo in April
And you needn’t lose sleep over whether it’s happening or not. Entertainment has been booked. Venue has been paid. Games have been confirmed
25 April 2026 // Norfolk Showground Arena
Info: gamesfestival.co.uk
"Safe In Our World" logo centered on a coral-red pixel-art background, surrounded by playful gaming and mental health themed doodles including controllers, a brain, planets, flowers, and a beanbag chair.
Mental Health is also a vital part of accessibility!! That’s why we’ve partnered with @safeinourworld.org, a UK charity dedicated to fostering global mental health awareness in the games industry. The mission? To eliminate stigma and make mental health challenges safe to express ❤️
O EMPIRE! WARD OFF THY ROT
Wishlist: store.steampowered.com/app/4331110/...
Ancient sculpture of the Egyptian God Anubis where it kind looks like he's doing a "settle down, we're all friends here" gesture.
ANUBIS: whoa, whoa, easy there. let's not make any hasty decisions. or do anything we might regret. my name is anubis, what's yours? imhotep. nice to meet you imhotep. now we're talking to each other. we're friends. so how about you put down the gun, let the girl go, and i'll put away my feather.
a Steam Deck that is displaying the game Skin Deep
I wrote about things to plan early for if you want your game to be Steam Deck verified:
blendogames.com/news/post/20...
A computer-like device with a keyboard and screen. The screen reads InterfaceX26 April 27-May 4. It just has 2 rows of keys and these read: virtual expo
Those of you who applied to our 'Fake OS + Interface Sim' Steam event should now have a reply in your inboxes!
(We had 240 games to consider 🫠🤩)
We picked a name: InterfaceX26, and a vibe is coming together, courtesy of @jumpybit.bsky.social and others, pooling ideas behind the scenes.
#indiedev
I feel like the next big console could have a big 6G streaming element, at least on the Xbox side. So would also guess 2030+.
I think the bottle presentation adds loads! Are you going to have edits for this? Water On/Off, Bottle Colour, name tag? May also be nice to see a little auto generated fact sheet, the weight of the ship, how many crew needed, X number of sails etc.
Looks super cool.
If you need a little good news today, it appears that 5M of the 6M viewers of the "All-American Halftime Show" were bots, and that even Conservatives are jokingly referring to it as the "Take Your ball and Go Home Halftime Show." The viewership was 1/3 of an average Fox New Primetime show. Total 💣💣💣
One word of warning. If you’re going this way then really think about the name!
When Gang Beasts went viral we couldn’t change it, and having the word ‘Gang’ is a game for kids isn’t great optics for parents!
Grave Seasons releases 2026 on PC and consoles! Wishlist us here:
Steam: store.steampowered.com/app/3255110/...
PS5: store.playstation.com/en-in/concep...
Xbox: www.xbox.com/en-US/games/...
Join the Discord for updates: discord.gg/wZmdwE4u6U
Here are some from Task Time!
Praise the peel 🍌
#indiegame #gamedev #indiegamedev
selection of screen interfaces from various video games
Developers and publishers of Fake OS Games, also known as Interface Simulators, Desktop/Phone Sim and Found Device Games - you are invited to apply for our Steam event!
With Cobalt Lane, @jasmo.bsky.social @fbeckpeccoz.bsky.social
👇Apply here!👇
forms.gle/HPv8FPjVGuRn...
#gamedev #indiedev
What region are you based in?
Please do not confuse Horses 2025 (2026) with HORSES (2025).
Play 5 student games within our Learning Ladders Demo Disc! Ranging from intense penguin sliding action to fantasy survival, try out all the games when it launches on #Steam in February 🎉
WISHLIST NOW!
store.steampowered.com/app/4096760/...
#indiedev #gamedev #gamegraduates
#gamedevelopment
Keep 'em coming, folks!
Making a physics based party game where no two rounds/tasks are ever the same - youtu.be/4rz6nJRmXfQ?...
