SKOOTA GAMES was officially launched in March 2024, just before our participation in the indie game event TOKYO INDIE GAMES SUMMIT held in Kichijoji, Tokyo. So, from an outside perspective, SKOOTA GAMES has just reached the six-month mark since we opened our website. Just six months!
That said, we actually started preparations a bit earlier, around September 2023, when the team began rallying with the call, "This time, we're making a game!" We then reviewed the project seeds gathered from within the company, focusing on whether the ideas were simply interesting, whether there was passion behind them, and if that passion could be shared as a team (and whether we could actually create something ourselves). This helped us narrow down the projects we would develop.
Here are some initial sketches from our current project, Momo Mottokurasshu. Rhythm game ❌ Probability = Thighs????? I plan to summarize the development history of each title on another occasion!
Now, two months before the project recruitment, in July 2023, the production team visited Kyoto in the height of summer to check out BitSummit 2023, said to be the largest indie game festival in Japan. When Mr. Kimura from room6 appeared on SKOOTA TALK Journey, he mentioned, "We definitely want to make indie games!" and then suggested, "There's a big event in Kyoto during the summer, so if you come, you'll get a feel for it!" So we made the effort to go. July in Kyoto is hot! We knew that, but it was a bit overwhelming. (Coincidentally, it coincided perfectly with the Gion Matsuri's Yoiyama and Yamaboko Junko, making it a doubly sweet event for international exhibitors. Even without that, being in Kyoto gives it a unique advantage that can't be replicated for international events.)
The venue is the Miyakomesse, the largest event hall in Kyoto, located near Heian Shrine. Inside the somewhat dimly lit venue, countless booths are tightly packed together, with crowds forming here and there. There are people playing games and others handing out flyers. There are many international attendees, and while it might be an exaggeration to say there are more foreigners than Japanese, it definitely feels like an overseas event. There aren't many large booths; it feels like small teams are showcasing what they’ve created with all their might. It’s free, passionate, and has just the right amount of an underground vibe—it's really great!
Room6, along with Yokaze Label, has quite a large exhibition, and while saying "amazing, amazing," we had a sort of strategy meeting behind the booth, discussing the very basics of how they make games. It was more about philosophy or vibe than technique. I was struck by how often Mr. Kimura repeated the phrase, "The schedule will definitely be delayed." It really will be delayed. It’s not just about schedule management; when you seriously confront what makes a game "fun," it inevitably leads to delays. If you deny that, you can't reach "fun." I roughly understood this and looked around. The people who are making games are having an absolute blast, buzzing with high energy and density. I strongly felt that you have to participate from the inside rather than just come to watch!
So, I declared to Mr. Kimura, "We will definitely exhibit next time!" and returned to Tokyo.
At that time, we were in the midst of producing a short film titled "The Girls of the Ripple," and last August was the climax of that project. We couldn't move immediately, but finally, in September, we started brainstorming original game ideas within the company. Thus, preparations finally began!
SKOOTA GAMES will be exhibiting in the indie game corner! We will be sharing the latest information on X, so please make sure to follow us and turn on notifications for updates!
At the venue, you can try out the following three titles!