The game development that suddenly started in September 2023 began with about 10 projects, and by the end of the first month, we narrowed it down to about half. After further discussions within each team, we ultimately selected three titles and decided to start with the production of promotional videos (PVs).
Throughout this process, what the production team emphasized from the beginning was that it is fundamentally a team effort! And we should just get something out there!
The idea of it being a team effort is, well, quite natural since we are a company, but I think it’s actually a sense that Japanese organizations struggle with the most. I don’t know much about the circumstances in sales or sports organizations, so it might not be the case for all, but there seems to be a strong image of an “ideal factory led by a genius master.” That’s not something everyone can do, and I believe it doesn’t last long in reality, so we are trying to create a team that matches our own style.
As for the idea of just getting something out there, this might be the biggest difference from the anime industry. After attending several indie game events, I noticed that everyone is actively participating in events during the planning stage, saying things like, “We’ve gotten this far!” and “We’ll probably finish it next year!” When you listen to them, it seems uncertain whether they will actually finish by next year. But next year, at another event, they’ll say, “We’ve made it this far!” The audience responds with enthusiasm, saying, “Wow, you’ve come this far!” As they continue to attend events, more people gradually become aware of the game project, creating excitement. I felt that there is a kind of cultural flow or vibe to this.
I thought this was an incredibly ideal culture for creating a project from scratch. In the anime industry, such a culture is rarely heard of. Perhaps in the mainstream, where major companies lead, it doesn’t exist much either, which might relate to the fact that indie games have been continuously present in the context of doujin games. I wondered if the combination of this and the behavior of so-called game ventures has resulted in a relatively optimal mix. Am I being too optimistic?
(I’d like to touch on the movements of “indies” in the anime industry elsewhere! That’s a hot topic in its own right.)
So, we boldly decided to fully embrace this vibe. Although we had just started creating projects, we thought we should make something and try to present it at an event. However, we can’t just create a game right away since we are an anime studio. Thus, we continue our days diligently working on turning the game project into a PV.
At this time, while aiming for games, we also articulated our fundamental stance that we are ultimately creating IP, so we are committed to carefully developing characters, worldviews, and stories.
These are PVs that we put our all into, showcasing what we want to do.
The first event we exhibited at was the BIT SUMMIT, where we greeted the organizers, Phoenixx Inc., and decided to participate in the “TOKYO INDIE GAMES SUMMIT 2024” that they personally recommended. The location in Kichijoji is also nearby, and it’s not too large, which is a positive factor. The timing is just right as well. Since the production team has experience in event-related work from previous jobs, we were able to create a booth that felt appropriate, even if we were just mimicking what we had seen.
The concept of focusing entirely on the PV for our exhibition was spot on, and the idea of “we’ve started making games even though we’re an anime studio” might have intrigued people quite a bit. And of course, there’s “Momo Club”!
Here’s the completed PV for “Momo Club.” On the day of the event, this PV was continuously playing at the venue. The sound sticks in your ears.
Thank you so much to everyone who stopped by and tweeted about us!
So, while expressing our gratitude to everyone in the indie game community who warmly welcomed us, even though we only brought a PV to the game event, I declared to Mr. Kimura from room6, "Next time, I will definitely bring a playable demo!" and "I will take the playable demo to BitSummit!" What should I do?
Let me repeat, we are an anime studio!
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 to await further updates!
At the venue, you can try out the following three titles!