August 2025 Update

Aug 7th, 2025 by Tim Cullings

Hello Indies!

It’s aaaaaaalmost PAX and SIX Season!!! We hope you’re as excited for our big yearly showcase. We also have a brand new developer focused games industry event called SLICE! What SIX is to events like PAX, SLICE is to events like GDC or Devcom, slightly smaller in scale and scope but no less powerful and impactful than those other large events and right here in our own back yard. Seattle and the surrounding areas are home to nearly 50,000 games industry professionals according to the latest data compiled by Washington State and yet we have zero developer focused games industry events happening here, but that all changes with SLICE. 

We’re bringing over 60 industry leaders to give you a full day of content on publishing, funding, managing and hiring small teams, working with and as external development studios, focused networking opportunities, chances to show your games and get feedback, roundtable discussions, and so much more. All of the major platforms will be represented, Steam, Xbox, Unity, Epic, Discord, and more each hosting sessions to arm you with information and answer your questions. Get your tickets now and be there for the inaugural event.

The fun doesn’t stop there. Seatle Indies Expo (SIX) is back for its 15th year on Sunday August 31st and it is going to be the biggest SIX yet! With over 40 games spanning two floors of the Hilton Motif Seattle, we’re looking forward to an action packed day of incredible local indie games, game developers, and our community celebrating all of the amazing work they have been doing for the past year. We’re also proud to present our first ever SIX Student Showcase highlighting games from local learning facilities like DigiPen, AIE, Lake Washington Institute of Technology, Sno-Isle TECH Skills Center, and more, plus a mini-showcase of games developed by Ukrainian developers. If you can’t make it to Motif you can follow along live on our Twitch and YouTube channels as we broadcast SIX Online live from Motif for the first time ever! No PAX Badge required, free and open to all to attend. Come by, play some indie games and meet the amazing developers who created them.

We wrap all of that up with our now famous Post-PAX Indie Developer Mixer 2025 at Orient Express in SODO on Monday September 1st. Kick back and relax with one last developer shindig after a busy PAX. This party is a time-honored tradition originating in 17-Bit’s former Seattle warehouse office, as an informal post-PAX Megabooth and indie friends party. It’s a great chance to catch up with friends from out of town before the next big event.

There may be a few more events tucked in there that we’ll announce as they get closer. 

All aboard for a wild ride this month. Read below for all the news…

Seattle Indies Expo 2025 is coming soon! SIX is the largest annual celebration of indie games and game creators from the Pacific Northwest and beyond. 2024 was our biggest year yet with close to 4,000 attendees getting to play 32 games made by our community members and 2025 is expected to be even bigger with an expanded show floor and more rooms for meetings and programming. More news to come on the expansion of SIX 2025. In the meantime relive the excitement of SIX 2024 with this amazing highlight video of the event.

Go to six.seattlindies.org for more information on all of the games to be released this week!

Seattle Indies is thrilled to announce SLICE (Seattle Loves Indie Creators Expo)

A one-day B2B conference built to empower indie and AA game developers!

SLICE is designed to provide practical tools, strategic insights, and essential connections for game developers — whether you’re just getting started or leading a growing studio.

Expect a full day packed with panels, microtalks, roundtables, and meaningful networking with hundreds of local and international industry professionals. From funding to marketing to team-building, SLICE is your space to learn, grow, and connect.

Gain valuable insight from top industry professionals like Eric Barone, creator of Stardew Valley, Kim Swift, creator of Portal, Andrew Marks, Director of Product at Kickstarter, and many more. Hear from local platforms such as Valve, Epic, Xbox, Amazon, and Unity. Keep up to date with our growing list of speakers and sponsors. Celebrate with us at the after party featuring a concert by dannyBStyle, composer of the soundtracks of Super Meat Boy and Crypt of the Necrodancer with special guest Ro Panuganti Prog eXPerience.

🎟 Tickets: Available now on Eventbrite

💸 $100 for an All Access pass (includes the After Party)

💸 $35 for an Afterparty only pass, if you can’t get the day off work/school to be there you can join us in the evening.

💸 $30 All Access for students (includes the After Party)

Join the Seattle Indies Discord for a 25% off discount code on an All Access Pass

There’s still time to submit to the IndieCade Festival happening in Fall of 2025! Submissions for this season include online Festival – IndieCade Anywhere and Everywhere, as well as consideration for any and all in-person events, as well as our ongoing streaming features and activities for the year.

IndieCade accepts and features a wide spectrum of games and experiences including tabletop, VR, AR, Escape Rooms, Zoom Games, mobile, traditional digital games, and more — regardless of platform, style, experience, or background, and we especially encourage work-in-progress as well as completed projects.

Learn more and Submit Here!

Serious Play is happening 13-15th August 2025 in Rochester, New York. Explore how the power of play, games and gamification are transforming education, training, and knowledge mobilization. Experience interactive sessions, compelling speakers, and cutting-edge research. This is where learning and innovation come to play. Learn more here!

The 10th annual Game Devs of Color Expo takes place online September 16-19, 2025! Submissions are also now open for speakers, panels, and game devs interviews. The organziers were kind enough to share a 10% discount code with our community: gdocSI. 

Here is a link with the code pre-applied: https://ti.to/GDoCExpo/2025/discount/gdocSI 

Take Your Studio to the Next Level with IndieGameBusiness® Sessions

This 2-day virtual event is designed for devs ready to level up. Learn from experts, connect with publishers, and walk away with real tools.

✅ Free Industry Talks

✅ 1-on-1 Meetings with a Premium Pass

✅ Resources for All ticket holders

📆 September 17–18 | 💻 Online | 🎟️ $0–$60

Save 10% with code Sept25NL

Get your tickets now: https://u4t1cd.fh75.fdske.com/e/c/01jzaps6tby9wb8yyh13gej37v/01jzaps6tby9wb8yyh17rjnsne

Tokyo Game Show is coming back later this year, and game signups are unfortunately closed, but you can still attend. Read More Here!

If you want to get a list of all upcoming game event shows and get ready early, The Indie House has published this fantastic list of upcoming festival that’s exactly that. Well worth a bookmark!

This month’s feature is Bilgem Cakir, co-founder & CTO/CFO of Clay Token Game Studio.

Seattle Indies Spotlight: Bilgem Cakir on PC Gaming, Development Evolution, and the Strength of the Seattle Indies Community

We recently had the pleasure of diving into a fascinating conversation with Bilgem Cakir, the co-founder of Clay Token Game Studio, a Seattle-based team dedicated to crafting games for hardcore players. Hosted by Kevin, the interview offered a deep dive into Bilgem’s lifelong passion for gaming, his insightful observations on the evolving game development landscape, and his strong connection to our very own Seattle Indies community.

Bilgem’s journey into the world of pixels and polygons began in the late ’80s with the iconic Commodore 64. He fondly recalled the groundbreaking wireframe graphics of Elite as the spark that ignited a lifelong dedication to computer graphics and game development. Witnessing the incredible advancements from simple vectors to fully realized 3D worlds with intricate lighting and shadows has only fueled his enthusiasm over the decades.

One of the most compelling aspects of the interview was Bilgem’s perspective on the current state of game development. He highlighted a noticeable shift towards shorter, more iterative development cycles, mirroring trends seen in the mobile gaming market. This evolution, he believes, is empowering smaller, distributed teams to experiment more freely and prioritize innovative gameplay over chasing the most cutting-edge, and often expensive, visual fidelity. It’s a business-driven reality, he noted, with some publishers even testing the waters with minimal store page launches to gauge player interest before fully committing to a project.

Of course, no conversation with a Seattle indie developer would be complete without touching on the vibrant community that binds us together. Bilgem has been an active member of Seattle Indies since around 2012 and speaks highly of the “complete system of support” it offers. He detailed the well-structured ecosystem of events designed to nurture indie creators at every stage of development:

When asked about his current gaming habits, Bilgem mentioned he’s been enjoying Chants of Sennaar and revisiting the strategic depths of the classic Commandos.

For aspiring indie developers, Bilgem’s advice is clear and actionable: start by attending a physical event like a meetup. It’s the perfect entry point to connect with the community, learn from experienced creators, and immerse yourself in the supportive spirit that defines Seattle Indies.

This interview offered a wealth of insights from a seasoned developer deeply embedded in our local scene. It’s a reminder of the passion, innovation, and collaborative spirit that makes the Seattle indie community so special. Be sure to check out the full interview on YouTube and keep an eye out for Clay Token Game Studio’s Steel Swarm Apocalypse and their future projects!

Watch the full interview here: https://youtu.be/c5rW8O_csqo

Here’s our Meetup Page with all future upcoming events. 

The Seattle Blender User Group is happening on Aug 2, 10am to 1pm at Academy of Interactive Entertainment – Seattle Center Armory – Suite 405 (305 Harrison St, Suite 405 · Seattle, WA). Seabug’s goals are to help beginners learn Blender, create Blender opportunities in the Pacific Northwest, showcase advanced Blender tools and projects, and celebrate open source graphics in all forms.

Seattle Indies Board Game Meetup is on Aug 3, this month, but at 5pm at at Phoenix Comics and Games. Come play board games with Indie Game Developers!

The Pierce Country Social is taking place on Aug.  4, 5:30pm-8:00pm at 7 Seas Brewery and Taproom on 2101 Jefferson Ave · Tacoma, WA. Kids are welcome until 8pm as long as they are within arm’s length. Main tap room is first come, first served!

The Eastside Meet & Drink is taking place on Aug 12, 6:30pm at Northwest Brewing Pint & Pie Public House. It’s time to get together and swap stories. Put down your keyboards and brave the outside world. Let’s meet for a drink, a bite to eat, and some good conversation!

Feedback Circle is back on Aug 12, 7pm right on our discord. It’s time to stop coding, animating, making art or audio or adding that amazing new feature you thought of while you were falling asleep last night and come to Feedback Circle to get some real responses to what you have been working on from game creators in our community like yourself.

An In-Person Writer’s Group will take place at Hugo House on Aug 13, 6:30 PM. For anyone interested or working on projects in game writing, narrative design, voice acting or more– swing by Seattle Indies’ In-Person Writer’s Group! Bring your narrative games, scripts, flowcharts, character bibles or any other story materials for sharing and feedback.

We’re having a Games Showcase on Aug 14, from 4:15pm to 7:15pm at One Bellevue Center – Chinook Room 411 108th Ave NE · Bellevue, WA. Bring your laptop and show off what you’re working on. Play someone else’s demo. Eat some pizza. This event is an open show and tell.

Northside Social is happening at Watershed Pub & Kitchen on Aug 14 from 6-pm. It’s time to get together and swap stories. Put down your keyboards and brave the outdoors. Let’s meet for a coffee/tea, a bite to eat, and some good conversation!

The SnoCo Social is happening on Aug 15, 6pm at Zulu’s Board Game Cafe located on 5116 196th St SW Suite 203, Lynnwood, WA 98036 · Lynnwood, WA. Hang out at a local game store with fellow Snohomish Co and adjacent folks over food, drinks, engaging conversations, and maybe some board gaming! If you want to demo/playtest your game, let me know and I’ll make sure there table space + open outlet for your setup.

We’re having a Southside Show and Tell/Demo in Auburn on Aug. 16, 2pm to 6pm  at The Outlet Collection located on 1101 Outlet Collection Way · Auburn, WA. Play locally-made indie games or demo your game at C3 Community Convention Center!

Seattle Indies Social takes place at Stoup Brewing (formerly Optimism) on Aug. 19, 7pm. Join us for some well-deserved mingling, drinks, and socialization! Make some new friends, catch up with old ones, and find out what the community’s up to.

The Game Club is happening on Aug 20 at 7pm right on our Discord, focusing on Tactical Breach Wizards. What a book club is to a discussion of literature, this event is to a discussion of game design. Every month, we agree to play a game, then meet to discuss and analyze its design and presentation. 

We’ll have the Olympia Social on Aug 23, 11am to 2pm at Everworks, located on 215 Legion Way SW · Olympia, WA. Join us for a cozy space to get things done and connect with others. This is a great chance to network, socialize, or simply enjoy a productive day in good company.

Southside Social is taking place on Aug 25, 5:30pm at Logan Brewing Company, 510 SW 151st Street, · Burien, WA. It’s time to get together and swap stories. Put down your keyboards and brave the outdoors. Let’s meet for a coffee/tea, a bite to eat, and some good conversation! This meetup will alternate between Kent and Burien for the next few months at least so we can find out which location works best for people.

Kitsap Social (Bremerton) Join us every last Tuesday of the month (Aug 26) at Ashely’s Pub at 6:30pm to meet for a drink and some great conversation! Feel free to bring what you’re working on. We may have a room reserved for the public event. Dogs allowed. Outside food allowed.

Indie Co-working Support Group  in-person will take place every Saturday,  from 1:00 PM to 6:30 PM PST, at the Academy of Interactive Entertainment.  Seattle Center wifi will be available for use. Please bring everything you need to be productive. We will be meeting every Saturday of the month at AIE going forward. We have also added a Co-working voice channel in Discord for people to use any time they want a quiet space to work alongside their peers.

Seabug Study Hall is a new series of events taking place every week on Thursday, 9pm to 11pm, right on our Discord! Join others from the Seattle Blender User Group for a lo-fi chill out online study hall. Bring a project, just chat, and have a good time with some unstructured project sharing and Q&A.

Our regular Events that are NOT HAPPENING this month:

The Writer’s Room is OFF this month. Welcome all game writers, narrative designers, voice actors and more to the Seattle Indies Writer’s Room! Bring your scripts, flowcharts, character bibles or whatever you’re working on to share and get feedback on your storytelling.

Carlos C. chatted with Ryan Costello of Know Direction about the development of the Welcome To Night Vale RPG, why Essence20 was the right system to bring the cult and occult radio drama to the tabletop, and how the new cross-compatible options can influence other Essence20 settings. Watch the talk here!

Randy H. also shared another interview, this one about world building. Go watch it now!

Dustin launched their Steam and Epic pages for their first commercial game Vintergard. Now accepting wishlists! 🙂

Carlos C. also spoke to Bocook Gaming about all things on the Welcome to Night Vale RPG in a deep dive interview, go watch it here!

Trevor H launched a Kickstarter for their game Stones and Rivers, go take a look and support!

Vangi (Mateusz) made an update to Opus Cortex with the most requested feature – you can now back out of current level and select a different one. Go read about it here!

Harassment Policy, AAPI, Black Lives Matter, and Resources

Seattle Indies stands with the AAPI community. We are here for our members who have been affected by the rise in anti-Asian hate crimes both locally and nationally. For further resources to educate yourself on the issue and how to take action, here is a useful link: https://anti-asianviolenceresources.carrd.co/

Seattle Indies believes the stories of the victims of sexual harassment and assault in the games industry that have been shared. We strongly condemn the actions by people in power preying on the dreams of vulnerable people trying to make their way in the industry and strive to build an inclusive community that welcomes all minorities to provide a safe environment and a better vision for the game industry.

While our code of conduct states a zero-tolerance policy for harassment of any kind we are especially sensitive to the daily challenges faced by womxn due to the ingrained sexism that has existed in the structure of the games industry for far too long. We are actively working to build a better community of game developers and we all need to do better.

Additionally, Board Member August Belhumeur has offered to be a personal resource for anyone who needs help, someone to talk to or some guidance on next steps if you have experienced harassment in the industry either at our events or elsewhere. She can be reached at august@seattleindies.org.

Our friends at Take This Org have compiled valuable resources for anyone in immediate need of professional help for their situation.

Lastly, Seattle Indies and Diversity Collective+ support Black Lives Matter. Here are some resources compiled by Diversity Collective+ for how you can offer support, whether this is financial, contributing to petitions, preparing for protests, or getting informed. If you have additional resources, comment below and we will add them.

As always, keep an eye on our Discord for any last-minute news and discussion, and let us know about any projects you’re working on that you’d like shared on our Steam or Itch collections or follow us on all of our social media platforms.

If you want to join our mailing list to get this update sent to your inbox monthly you can Subscribe on LinkedIn.