Event info

Time
Saturday, July 11th 10:00 – 17:00
Sunday, July 12th 10:00 – 17:00
* On Saturday, open from 10:00 to business and media related individuals. Open from 12:00 to the general public.
Venue
Kyoto International Exhibition Hall MIYAKOMESSE
Cost
1,000 yen for adults, 500 yen for junior high & high school students, free for elementary school students
Organizers
The BitSummit Organization Committee
Japan Independent Games Aggregate (JIGA)
Indie MEGABOOTH
Kyoto Prefecture

Japan’s Industry-Leading Independent Game Development Festival Returns To Kyoto

Established in late-2012, BitSummit was founded with the goal of giving Japanese independent game makers a chance to show their games to the world, and we succeeded, growing from a small, industry-only event for around 200 people in 2013, to a groundbreaking festival that held court to over 5,000 people the following year. Bolstered by keynotes from industry veterans like Suehiro Tanaka (Access Games), Yohei Kataoka (Crispy’s), and Tetsuya Mizuguchi (Q Entertainment, Enhance Games) and introducing Japanese developers to companies like Valve (to discuss their Steam platform) and Kickstarter (to explain firsthand the success stories of crowdfunding), BitSummit also established itself as the venue in which indie developers could debut their games to the gaming public. Games like Studio Pixel’s Keroblaster, Comcept/Inti Creates’ Azure Striker Gunvolt, and Dracue Games’s Assault Suit Leynos remake are among the highlights of games that have made their debut at BitSummit.

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BitSummit has also made its mark as a Japanese gaming event unlike any other, by featuring top tier indie gaming musicians from both Japan and abroad, featuring guests like Kyoto’s own Baiyon, masked maestro Professor Sakamoto, the UK’s Chipzel, Mega Man composer Manami Matsumae, Panzer Dragoon composer Saori Kobayashi, Parappa the Rapper creator Masaya Mastsuura, and Lumines composer Takayuki Nakamura’s raucous band. What special guests will this year’s event produce? Come join us and find out for yourself!

Now in its third year, BitSummit shows no signs of slowing down, produced year after year by developers for developers. It’s been wonderful to see the event, the fans, and the developers grow alongside each other. Who knows what the future will bring, but there’s a good chance you’ll find it in the halls of BitSummit.

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The BitSummit Awards

The BitSummit Awards —one of the highlights of BitSummit 2014— established goals to which dozens of independent developers aspired. The winners were the talk of the independent development scene for quite some time afterwards, and we expect no less from the Class of 2015. We’re happy to say the BitSummit Awards are here to stay, and we’re excited about the games that will be competing for this year’s highest honours. Who will win this year’s Vermillion Gate Award? Only time will tell.

SEE ALL THE AWARDS  

Venue

Kyoto International Exhibition Hall MIYAKOMESSE, 3rd floor

9-1 Okazaki Seishojicho Sakyo Ward, Kyoto Kyoto Prefecture 606-8343

About the venue: Located in Kyoto’s gorgeous Okazaki neighborhood, the Miyako Messe is a thoroughly modern and architecturally sublime convention center with tall ceilings and a languid sense of space that eschews the demure beauty that is synonymous with Kyoto itself. Set in one of the most culturally rich areas of the city, the Miyako Messe is mere footsteps away from a sakura tree-lined river, a beautiful torii-covered bridge (a traditional Japanese gate), and attractions like the Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art, the Kyoto Municipal Zoo, The National Museum of Modern Art, and last but not least, the Heian Jingu Shrine; one of Kyoto’s youngest (est. 1895) but most stunning shrines.

Our Sponsors

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Media Partners

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See all our sponsors

Our Partnership with Indie MEGABOOTH

Ever-changing and improving year on year, BitSummit 3 is also announcing an exciting new partnership with the Indie MEGABOOTH, which brings a wealth of event-planning experience and tremendous credibility within the Western indie gaming scene. Best known for its central presence at events like PAX Prime and PAX East, BitSummit will mark MEGABOOTH’s debut as a fully-fledged conference organizer and JIGA welcomes President and CEO Kelly Wallick to its board of advisors.

Welcome Indie MEGABOOTH & Kelly!

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Japan Independent Games Aggregate (JIGA)

BitSummit is proud to announce that 17-Bit, Vitei Inc., Q-Games Ltd., and Pygmy Studio Co.,Ltd. have formed the Japan Independent Games Aggregate (JIGA) to oversee all planning and execution of the yearly event.

We’re excited to introduce you to our new organization!

Our Members

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Get the latest news from Twitter

@shashasha77

RT @kinoko842: やほー京都のまゆまろたーん @kyotomayumaro #BitSummit のレポートするヨォ 今夜21:30〜放送 FM西東京 ラジバタ2 →http://t.co/N6J3RifMvw PC＆スマホから聞いてねぇん http://t.c…

@corazondanbay

RT @kinoko842: やほー京都のまゆまろたーん @kyotomayumaro #BitSummit のレポートするヨォ 今夜21:30〜放送 FM西東京 ラジバタ2 →http://t.co/N6J3RifMvw PC＆スマホから聞いてねぇん http://t.c…

@kyotomayumaro

RT @kinoko842: やほー京都のまゆまろたーん @kyotomayumaro #BitSummit のレポートするヨォ 今夜21:30〜放送 FM西東京 ラジバタ2 →http://t.co/N6J3RifMvw PC＆スマホから聞いてねぇん http://t.c…

@kinoko842

今夜25日 21:30〜放送！ ▽ラジバタNEWS 先日行われた京都の #bitsummit の模様を出展してた中村隆之 @nakataka がお伝え！ PC＆スマホから聴くならココ↓ http://t.co/CrDKDHOdCp http://t.co/8WbuKnWHBk

F.A.Q

SUBMISSIONS

What’s the criteria for attending BitSummit MMXIV?

Generally speaking we’re looking for developers that range in size from 1 to 50 team members, whose company isn’t owned by a parent company. We can make exceptions on a case by case basis, but we’re primarily here to help tiny developers get the word out about their games

I’m not a Japanese developer. Can I still submit my games to BitSummit?

While BitSummit is open to all indie developers, we have a limited amount of space. The purpose of the show is to showcase Japanese indies, so the selection committee will give more weight to those developers in order to make sure we represent that community. That said, BitSummit is an international event, and if space allows we welcome other developers from Asia and around the world to apply and bring an international spirit of collaboration and sharing to the event.

If you are a developer living outside of Japan, you will have to provide your own travel and accommodation expenses to attend the show.

When is the deadline for registration?

Deadline for applications was May 15th, 2015. Developers will be contacted early June with details on participation.

When will I know if I have a space?

We will be opening submissions shortly. You will receive notification regarding space a month after this. If we require additional information or materials, you will be contacted prior to that date.

Does it cost anything to attend BitSummit?

If you are an independent game developer it does not cost anything to submit your game to BitSummit. If your game is selected to appear at the show, there will be a yet-to-be decided fee to help pay for t-shirts and booth space. This is an indie event for indie developers and we want to make it as accessible as possible for you.

If you are not participating in the show as a developer, media, or sponsor, a ticket must be purchased to enter the event.

How do you select games/companies for participation?

Games will be selected by a judging committee based on the following factors:

• You should aim to provide as much information as you have available. Do you have a trailer, demo, or screenshots? Will you have a playable demo by BitSummit? Evidence for this could be previously released games, ambitious and/or responsive team members, a successful Kickstarter campaign, etc.

• Does the game present a unique, interesting, or thoughtful design or mechanic? Is the aesthetic style compelling? Does the game address a social issue or offer a unique perspective or philosophy on game design? Does your game represent a larger genre in a compelling way, or an under-represented genre?

• Does the team/individual or company provide value to the indie community? Is the game or developer able to contribute positively to the indie community?

What sort of games can we show?

As BitSummit is open to the public (all ages) we do not allow games of an explicitly adult nature (equivalent of CERO Z). As long as your game does not fall into this category, it should be fine to display. If you have any questions, please contact us with samples and description of your game.

I’m making a game that uses assets from IP I don’t own. Can I show it at BitSummit 3? To respect IP holders, we can’t allow games that make use of assets owned by other entities (i.e. sprites, code, etc.).

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How much space does each developer get?

Each developer receives an equal amount of space, approximately one kiosk. For power, each developer will have an 800w power drop with two outlets.

Can I project my game on the wall or create a spectacle in my booth?

No. While portions of every game we receive footage of is edited into the official BitSummit 3 trailer (displayed at the event, on Youtube, etc.) all manner of presentation, projection, overt display space and beyond is reserved for sponsors only. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, please contact us (contact@bitsummit.org) and we will provide you with sponsorship information.

Can I share my space with another developer?

Unfortunately we cannot allow you to share your space with other developers. We appreciate the desire for indies to work together, but since all games at BitSummit are curated, it is unfair to those whose games were not selected for us to allow developers to bring other developers along with them. There are also logistical concerns that arise when trying to accommodate more than one developer at kiosk.

Can I choose my location on the event floor?

Unfortunately no. BitSummit is a huge event run by a largely volunteer staff, and such requests are too difficult to accommodate. We are designing the layout to ensure everyone has a good seat and isn’t marginalized.

Can we sell our games or merchandise at BitSummit?

You are welcome to sell or give away items that fit in your space. BitSummit takes no responsibility for lost, stolen or damaged items. Developers are responsible for the storage of any and all items before, during and after the event. BitSummit does not provide support for any commerce.

What should I bring to BitSummit?

Company branding, game branding, flyers with info, swag, explanations on how to play your game in Japanese and English. Don’t bring materials that will cause a problem for otherdevelopers around you, such as large banners.

Will there be internet access?

Due to the difficulty and cost of providing reliable internet access for the expected number of developers, we’ve elected to not have BitSummit sponsored internet access. Please be sure that your games can be run without a net connection.

Will there be translators present to help speak with the media?

Yes. Generally speaking, since there will be many more developers than media we will assign our translation staff to foreign media, and have them accompany each outlet on the show floor. This is the most efficient way to utilize our volunteer resources, but if you have a special need for translation assistance, we’ll work with you on a case by case basis.

Does my game have to be localized into English/Japanese?

No, certainly not. However, it would of course be helpful if you had some translated materials prepared for the media in multiple languages. If you are interested in having some materials translated, let us know and we will put you in contact with localization resources.

Will we be able to meet with and talk to sponsors?

Yes, our sponsors will be in attendance throughout the event. We’ll also be hosting a private party for developers and sponsors. We’re sure you’ll discover a lot of helpful technologies, services, and inspiration from meeting with them.

What other opportunities are available to developers who attend BitSummit?

The BitSummit team creates an attractive media space for developers to showcase their games on the BitSummit website. Developers and media, including a gift bag, t-shirt designed by EDITMODE/King of Games, and sponsor materials. Developers will also have a chance to meet and greet with other developers, publishers, and platform holders a mixer held the weekend of the event.

I’m a publisher looking to meet with other developers. Can I attend BitSummit?

Publishers interested in attending BitSummit have a couple of options. Our preferred option for publishers if for them to become official sponsors. Sponsorship gives you booth space on the show floor, gives you access to developer contact information, an invite to our developer mixer, and a host of other benefits. It also shows your commitment to BitSummit and the indie games scene! For more information about sponsorship, please contact us at contact@bitsummit.org.

Publishers are also welcome to join the show as regular attendees.

I’m a member of the media and would like to attend BitSummit. How do I register? Members of the media should contact us at contact@bitsummit.org to register. Please include details about your media outlet, how many people will be attending, and links to your website and content.

CONTACT US