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[TGS2019] Indie Game Area“Selection Booth”“SOWN2019”Now accepting applications

  • Friday, April 26, 2019, 2:06 pm
  • ACROFAN=Jae-Yong Ryu
  • jaeyong.ryu@acrofan.com
TOKYO GAME SHOW 2019, organized by the Computer Entertainment Supplier’s Association (CESA) and co-organized by Nikkei Business Publications, Inc. (Nikkei BP) decided to carry out two projects and started accepting  applications for them to support the independent game (indie game) developers: one is Indie Game Area “Selection Booth,” the exhibition area of free-of-charge, and the other is “SENSE OF WONDER NIGHT 2019 (SOWN 2019),” the contest to determine the excellent game ideas from the exhibitors in the Indie Game Area “Selection Booth.”

Since it was established in 2013, Indie Game Area “Selection Booth” has offered to exhibit the titles which pass the screening and will have many visitors including the game industry professionals to gamer funs every year. In TGS2018, 86 developers from 22 countries/regions, screened from 295 applicants around the world, had exhibited in the Indie Game Area “Selection Booth.”

On the other hand, SOWN is established in 2008 as a project to showcase game ideas that will give the players “Sense of Wonder” - a feeling that something will change in players’ world. This had been originally held alone, but has changed to the project to give a chance to be the SOWN presenters selected from Indie Game Area “Selection Booth”  exhibitors, to present their own game ideas from 2017. In the TGS2018, eight developers appeared on the stage as the presenters of SOWN.

It is now confirmed that Nintendo Co., Ltd. decided to support indie game developers as a sponsor for both projects. Developers whose titles selected by the TGS Management Office get to exhibit in the Indie Game Area “Selection Booth” for free. Also, Nintendo co-sponsors SOWN2019. Both projects will be carried out with the cooperation of International Game Developers Association Japan Chapter (IGDA Japan).

Through these projects, TGS will provide opportunities to disseminate new games created by independent game developers to the world.