BitSummit PUNCH

Name: BitSummit PUNCH
Start: 2026-05-21T21:00:00-04:00
End: 2026-05-24T04:00:00-04:00

BitSummit PUNCH will run from from May 22 to 24, 2026 at the Miyako Messe Exhibition Center in Kyoto, Japan. You will be able to watch it on YouTube and Twitch.

Here is the full schedule and list of sponsors and exhibitors:

(All times are Japan Standard Time.)

■ Schedule

May 22

Part 1 (YouTube, Twitch, TikTok)
- 10:00 to 10:30 – Opening Ceremony – Welcome back to BitSummit! Three days of indie games, new discoveries and celebration start now! Featuring Dylan Cuthbert (Japan Independent Games Aggregate (JIGA) Chairman), Hisashi Koshimizu (Japan Independent Games Aggregate (JIGA) Vice Chairman), Masahiko Murakami (Japan Independent Games Aggregate (JIGA) Director), John Davis (Japan Independent Games Aggregate (JIGA) Director), and James Mielke (Creative Director, BitSummit).
- 10:35 to 11:05 – Inti Creates New Title Announcement – As is BitSummit tradition, Inti Creates will discuss their newest announcement on stage. Could it be the follow up to a certain game fans have long anticipated…? Featuring Takuya Aizu and Andrew Singleton.
- 11:10 to 11:40 – Worst Practices in Game Development: Pitfalls to Avoid – Jenn Sandercock, who has been active in the indie game industry for over 15 years, will draw on her own experience to share the mistakes she has made, as well as common bad practices she has seen in the field, with concrete examples.
- 11:45 to 12:15 – Shibuya Scramble Stories: A Story About Indie Games and Crowdfunding – Latest updates on Shibuya Scramble Stories, including the newly revealed announcements from April 28! Featuring Jiro Ishii (game designer, author, and scriptwriter) and Masahiko Murakami (Japan Independent Games Aggregate (JIGA) Director).
- 12:20 to 12:50 – A Next-Generation AI Infrastructure and Inference Platform That Solves the Cost and Consistency Challenges of Game Character Creation – An introduction to GMI Studio, an AI-powered platform for creative visual workflows. Featuring Masaki Imagawa, Jumpei Nishihara, and 黄宏端.
Part 2 (YouTube, Twitch, TikTok)
- 13:00 to 13:30 – 2P Games Publisher Selection: R.I.P.: Reincarnation Insurance Program – 2P Games introduces R.I.P.: Reincarnation Insurance Program with a live gameplay! Featuring Lou Like (2P Games representative director) and Xu Zhenyu (UCG Media senior editor).
- 13:40 to 14:10 – The Battle Cats: What Exactly Are the Cats Fighting Against? – A special talk session with industry leaders Seiichiro Sano (PONOS chief operating officer / managing director) and Masaya Nakade (R/GA Tokyo executive creative director).
- 14:20 to 14:50 – Discover Google Play’s Latest Multiplatform Strategy and a New Support Program Designed to Accelerate Global Growth for Developers – Discover Google Play’s latest multiplatform strategy and new support programs designed to help developers accelerate their global growth. Featuring Iku Igarashi.
- 15:00 to 15:30 – The Producers Behind the ARG Brand The Fourth Boundary Discuss “Narrative” and “Experience“ – The creators behind ARG brand “The Fourth Boundary” explore the relationship between story and experience. What does it mean to say that storytelling and experience are one and the same? Featuring Jin Fujisawa (The Fourth Boundary general director) and Shinichi Taira (The Fourth Boundary chief of staff).
- 15:40 to 16:10 – K-Indie Preview – Four standout indie studios, selected from ten exceptional teams supported by KOCCA, take the stage to showcase the creativity and innovation of Korea’s indie game scene. Featuring Kan JunAn, You HwanJin, Go JeongTae, and Jin SeKwang.
- 16:10 to 16:50 – Catalan Videogame Ecosystem – An introduction to indie game initiatives from the Government of Catalonia, Spain. Featuring Eva Colom (Catalan Institute for Cultural Companies – Catalan Arts Catalan Videogame Ecosystem), Eva Gaspar (Abylight Studio developing and publishing services), Mariona Valls (Mango Protocol), Santi Lujan (Reborn Planet Studios), David Jaumandreu (Undercoders), and Jose A. Andujar (Weird Beluga Studio).
- 16:55 to 17:00 – Day 1 Closing and Wrap Up – Catch up on Day 1’s highlights and take a look ahead at what’s coming on Day 2!

May 23

Part 1 (YouTube, Twitch, TikTok)
- 10:00 to 10:35 – Opening Performance – Day 2 kicks off with a musical blast from Professor Sakamoto—our morning espresso in sound form!
- 10:40 to 11:20 – Introducing Yodelee Golf – Enjoy a special presentation of Q-Games‘ newly announced title Yodelee Golf followed by a live gameplay session featuring four influencers. Featuring Kobayashi, Masaki, SPYGEA, Oniya, RINATY (Rina Amane), and RURI.
- 11:25 to 11:55 – PlayStation Indie Game Spotlight: 34EVERLAST – Join the developers behind exciting new indie games coming to PlayStation for a special showcase! Featuring Shawne Benson (Sony Interactive Entertainment) and OGAMI (34EVERLAST developer).
- 11:55 to 12:05 – Official Reporters Take the Stage! – Featuring Junkunchi and RURI.
- 12:10 to 12:40 – Shuhei Yoshida on Indie Games and the Virtual Reality Games Industry – A returning BitSummit tradition, Shuhei Yoshida and rising developers come together this year to discuss the virtual reality games industry. Featuring Shuhei Yoshida, Syuto Mikami (CharacterBank representative director), and Shun Harashima (G-SMASH president).
- 12:40 to 12:50 – Official Reporters Take the Stage! – Featuring FB777 (M.S.S Project), eoheoh (M.S.S Project), and Dogma Kazami.
Part 2 (YouTube, Twitch, TikTok)
- 13:05 to 13:35 – Musical Performance: Musou Infinity – Legendary composers behind some of gaming’s most iconic music come together for a special live performance, featuring Gen Z mega-influencer MumeiXXX as guest vocalist.
- 13:35 to 13:55 – AI and Indie Games – Game creator Kazutoshi Iida and AI researcher Yoichiro Miyake explore the future of AI and human creativity through conversation and new game titles.
- 14:00 to 14:30 – BitSummit x Game Market Live Talk – Linking two venues in Kyoto and Makuhari, leading creators come together for a dynamic discussion that bridges the worlds of digital and analog entertainment. Featuring Rasho.
- 14:30 to 14:40 – Official Reporters Take the Stage! – Featuring Daen Roy and Shien Karuma.
- 14:45 to 15:15 – Yosuke Saito x Hiroshi Matsuyama Discuss Game Creation – Two leading figures from the game industry discuss their experiences, the latest industry topics, and standout titles. What makes a game successful, beloved, and timeless? Featuring Yosuke Saito (Square Enix executive officer / executive producer) and Hiroshi Matsuyama (CyberConnect2 president and CEO).
- 15:20 to 15:30 – Official Reporters Take the Stage! – Featuring Shizuku and Hidamari Urara.
- 15:35 to 16:05 – 2P Games Publisher Selection: Kotama & Academy Citadel – 2P Games presents Kotama & Academy Citadel with live gameplay. Featuring Lou Like (2P Games representative director) and Xu Zhenyu (UCG Media senior editor).
- 16:05 to 16:15 – Official Reporters Take the Stage! – Featuring RINATY (Rina Amane) and Junkunchi.
- 16:25 to 16:55 – Pocketpair: Palworld Multiplayer and Windrose Showcase – Join our MCs as they try out the new multiplayer mode demo for Palworld and get hands-on with Pocketpair’s newest title, Windrose. Don’t miss the chance to meet the Palworld mascots! Featuring John “Bucky” Buckley (Pocketpair head of publishing and communications).
- 16:55 to 17:00 – Day 2 Closing and Wrap-Up – Look back at the best of Day 2 and get ready for whats in store for Day 3!
- 17:30 to 18:10 – BitSummit 2026 Award Ceremony – All eyes on the BitSummit Awards! It’s time to recognize the heart, risks and brilliance of this year’s games.
- 18:15 to 19:05 – BitSummit 2026 Award Ceremony – Honoring our favorite games of the year and the raw talent behind them—join the celebration!

May 24

Part 1 (YouTube, Twitch, TikTok)
- 10:00 to 10:35 – Opening Performance – And we’re kicking off Day 3 with another electrifying performance from Professor Sakamoto!
- 10:40 to 11:10 – Happinet Indie Collection 2026 Pick Up Title Line-Up – Get the latest updates on standout new titles from the Happinet Indie Collection (HIC), currently showcasing at BitSummit PUNCH! Featuring Hiroki Takeuchi (Happinet Corporation), Masaru Saito (Happinet Corporation), Yuki Ikeda (Drecom), and Seiichi Terashima (Drecom).
- 11:10 to 11:20 – Official Reporters Take the Stage! – Featuring SPYGEA and Oniya.
- 11:25 to 11:55 – New Game Reveal from CCFOLIA for Analog Game Enthusiasts – We will introduce a new Nintendo Switch 2 title from CCFOLIA, an online session tool widely used for tabletop RPGs, board games, and other social tabletop experiences.
- 11:55 to 12:05 – Official Reporters Take the Stage! – Featuring FB777 (M.S.S Project), eoheoh (M.S.S Project), and Dogma Kazami.
- 12:10 to 12:40 – PlayStation Indie Game Spotlight: AKIBA LOST – Join the developers behind exciting new indie games coming to PlayStation for a special showcase! Featuring Shawne Benson (Sony Interactive Entertainment) and Umeda Shinsuke (AKIBA LOST director and producer / IzanagiGames CEO).
- 12:40 to 12:50 – Official Reporters Take the Stage! – Featuring DONPISHA (SANNINSHOW) and pechanko (SANNINSHOW).
Part 2 (YouTube, Twitch, TikTok)
- 13:05 to 13:35 – Pocketpair: Palworld Multiplayer and Windrose Showcase – Join our MCs as they try out the new multiplayer mode demo for Palworld and get hands-on with Pocketpair’s newest title, Windrose. Don’t miss the chance to meet the Palworld mascots! Featuring John “Bucky” Buckley (Pocketpair head of publishing and communications).
- 13:35 to 13:45 – Official Reporters Take the Stage! – Featuring Murasame Ai and Kurage Yuno.
- 13:55 to 14:25 – Rock, Paper, Scissors Contest with the Lamb! – Take on the lamb from Cult of the Lamb in a special rock-paper-scissors showdown for a chance to win exclusive Devolver Digital merchandise! Featuring The Lamb (Cult of the Lamb cult leader).
- 14:25 to 14:35 – Official Reporters Take the Stage! – Featuring RINATY (Rina Amane) and Jintoni (Jintonic House).
- 14:50 to 15:10 – Musical Performance: Kenji Eno 55 Memorial Live – A special live performance honoring legendary game creator Kenji Eno, celebrating his legacy through the music of his iconic works. Featuring Shauno Isomura and Katsutoshi Ishigaki.
- 15:20 to 15:50 – Schrodinger’s Call Pre-Launch Developer Talk Session – Join the development team behind the soon-to-be-released Schrodinger’s Call for a special talk session exploring the creative vision, attention to detail, and unique appeal behind the game. Featuring Makoto Hayashi, achabox, and Hafhaf Oden.
- 15:50 to 16:00 – Official Reporters Take the Stage! – Featuring Hiori Nobuka and Seimonten Saku.
- 16:05 to 16:35 – holoIndie Presents: Ririka Ichijou’s Game Dig!! – Ririka Ichijo(from hololive DEV_IS, official holo Indie ambassador, returns to BitSummit for a special stage event exploring this year’s award-winning titles in depth.
- 16:35 to 16:50 – BitSummit 2026 Award Ceremony: Kids Selection Award and Popular Selection Award – The results are in! Please join us as we announce this years winners chosen by YOU!
- 16:50 to 17:00 – BitSummit PUNCH Ending – And with this our three-day indie celebration comes to a close. But wait? Could there be a last announcement?!