Monday September 29, “Indie Game Scenes in Japan and Switzerland” – Workshop with Bryan Hartzheim (Tokyo Waseda University, Game Lab)

“Indie” or independently produced video games are not a new phenomenon, though they are a growing segment in Japan and, as evidenced by the expansion of the Swiss Game Hub, in Switzerland as well. This workshop is designed to compare and contrast the “indie scene” of the two countries, with a focus on the range of institutions that support and promote indie game development, from indie game fests and spaces to educational programs and studies, as well as highlight a couple of “successful” indie games from both regions as defined by their indie game developers’ respective desires and aspirations.