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Press release:
TOKYO – May 28, 2020 – BitSummit, the pioneering indie showcase brimming with the spirit of Japan, is back in the game with its first-ever online edition, BitSummit Gaiden.

Taking place June 27 – 28, 2020, BitSummit Gaiden will feature more than 75 games from Japan and around the world via a newly launched permanent BitSummit Discord server, the BitSummit Twitch channel, and streamable demos hosted on Utomik.

BitSummit Gaiden has partnered with Utomik to make a selection of BitSummit Gaiden titles available on their platform for free from June 26 – July 11 included. Attendees will find links on the BitSummit Discord server which will give them access to official game selections plus the entire Utomik catalog of more than 1,000 games.

The Discord server will host live dev chats, Let’s Plays, and giveaways throughout the celebration alongside programming on the BitSummit Twitch channel. The fun doesn’t end there, though, as the year-round addition of the Discord server to the BitSummit lineup will bring fans of indie games from around the globe together in celebration of developers’ creativity and the impact of Japanese culture on gaming.

To make it easier for attendees to find games on the Discord server and inspire a sense of community and competition among the devs, the titles and companies will be divided into five teams inspired by BitSummit Heroes of the past including the BitSamurai, BitRobots, and BitKaiju. Attendees will root for the BitSummit Heroes by joining channels, playing or watching the games, and voting on their favorites.

BitSummit has also partnered with Asobu, a collective of like-minded developers and allies, to assist in organizing the Discord and other tasks for this new version of the event.

Content creators who would like to participate can do so by simply playing BitSummit Gaiden games during the event dates and using the #BitSummitGaiden hashtag to promote them on social media.

“Gaiden loosely translates to ‘side-story’ in Japanese and while this new incarnation has a different format, we’re bringing back all the things that make BitSummit special,” John Davis, BitSummit Organizing Committee.

“BitSummit Gaiden will still have great indie games, amazing music, thought-provoking talks with game industry luminaries, and a thriving community eager to check out the fun and innovative titles.”

Additional information regarding special guest speakers, influencers, and sponsors will be unveiled in the coming weeks. For more information, please visit the BitSummit website and Discord server or follow BitSummit on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. To learn more about streaming games during BitSummit Gaiden, please reach out to the media contacts below.

BitSummit Gaiden is produced by Japan Independent Games Association (JIGA), along with the City of Kyoto, and Kyoto CMEX (Cross Media Experience).

About BitSummit
BitSummit is an annual festival based in Kyoto, celebrating independent game developers and development in Japan. Founded in late-2012 to support, unify, and evangelize the vibrant and innovative Japanese independent game development scene to the world at large, BitSummit has established itself as Japan’s premier independent gaming event, attracting thousands of visitors annually, as well as a notable, international media presence.

BitSummit has been covered by every leading gaming website around the world and featured in print publications such as Weekly Famitsu, Dengeki PlayStation, Games™, EDGE, and more. BitSummit has also been the focus of panel discussions at the Game Developers Conference, IndieCade, IndieCade East, and CEDEC. Coming into its eighth year running, BitSummit continues to grow alongside the burgeoning Japanese independent development scene.

To learn more, visit the BitSummit website, and follow BitSummit on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

About Japan Independent Games Aggregate (JIGA)
The Japan Independent Games Aggregate is a collective of studios dedicated to developing spaces for and running events promoting the work of Japanese indie game developers throughout the world. Its most notable event is the annual BitSummit event held in Kyoto, Japan, but each year it expands its horizons with BitSummit Roadshow events and now BitSummit Gaiden.

JIGA’s member studios are Q-Games Ltd., Pygmy Studio Co. Ltd., Skeleton Crew Studio, and BlackSheep Consulting.

About Asobu
Asobu is a community of developers and allies committed to supporting indie game development in Japan through knowledge sharing and networking via the Asobu Discord, use of their community HUB in Tokyo, and helping organize and run events like Indie Collection Japan.

Asobu is proud to play a supporting role advising on various aspects of BitSummit Gaiden.

Jonas “O.J” Ek
The Gaming Ground
Twitter: @TheGamingGround