Toomanywires

To be honest, I've always been a little intimidated by indie booths at gaming events. Small, intimate set-ups for games that I'm largely unfamiliar with, watched over by the developers. A high likelihood of awkward conversation, a potential mismatch of native languages, and a game-maker observing and judging me as I fail to play their game correctly. Not like the massive, impersonal booths used by big publishers. No danger of anyone talking to me there, other than to kindly ask me to piss off once my 15 minutes are up. I am, of course, a fucking idiot. At BitSummit 2023, I quickly got over my fear of the indie demo, and found myself having a wonderful time surrounded by innovative and exciting games, and the inspiring and extremely welcoming people who make them. BitSummit is an annual indie game festival held in Kyoto. A crucial industry gathering, as well as a rare chance for the public to play pre-release games and have a chat with the developers. This was my first time att

These days, you only need press a couple of buttons. Add to cart, checkout - congratulations, you've bought a game! Fast, efficient, perfunctory.  I tend to drag it out though. I procrastinate when making a purchase, stalling even when my mind is already made up. I knew I was going to pre-order Final Fantasy XVI, so why did I wait until five days before release to do so? I'd had Ghost Trick in my basket for two weeks before finally checking out, even though I 100% knew I wanted to buy it. Perhaps I'm trying to add layers and a sense of occasion to my purchase? Giving myself the time to savor the shopping experience. When I do commit to making my purchase, it's all over in a few seconds. A brief moment on the Amazon app - two days later, delivery. On console stores I press a couple of buttons, wait a bit, and then I have my game. I can't remember the last time I walked into a brick-and-mortar store and bought a new release. Several years, must be. It didn't used