The Iterative Digest #92

THQ Nordic Digital Showcase, Pitch Decks & Bitsummit Indies!

Hello and welcome to issue #92 of the Digest! This week we discuss games announced at the THQ Nordic Digital Showcase, what to include in your pitch deck, and some indies we’re keen to play after checking out Kyoto’s Bitsummit!

So without further ado, sit back, relax, and enjoy this week’s latest - curated by yours truly! Remember, if you like what you see, don’t forget to share and subscribe. Have a great week!

• Xbox has claimed that Sony is paying developers for “blocking rights” in return for them agreeing not to put their content on its Game Pass subscription service. The comments are part of Microsoft’s response to Sony’s claim that Xbox acquiring Call of Duty would be anti-competitive.

• THQ Nordic Digital Showcase saw a number of announcements including the Alone in the Dark reboot, Wreckreation, Space for Sale as well as confirming that it’s working on the next South Park video game.

• “GTA VI will set creative benchmarks for the series” states publisher Take-Two. “The Rockstar Games team is determined to once again set creative benchmarks for the series, our industry, and for all entertainment, just as the label has done with every one of their frontline releases.”

• Hogwarts Legacy has been delayed to Feb 10th, 2023 on PS, Xbox, and PC, with the Switch date unknown. The title is described as an open-world RPG that takes players beyond Hogwarts to new and familiar locations, and allowing them to “embark on a dangerous journey to uncover a hidden truth of the wizarding world.”

• Thunderful’s CEO Brjann Sigurgeirsson has stepped down following the publisher’s $2.1 million loss, with former CFO Anders Maiqvist taking over until a new full-time CEO is found.

• A new trailer from Forspoken showing snippets of gameplay and featuring a voiceover from its protagonist, Frey, has been poorly received due to its incredibly campy dialogue. This has led to a variety of parody versions for Bloodborne and more.

You did it! You made a game. Congratulations. It’s done or getting pretty close, and you’re ready to show it off. You’d like to approach a publisher (like us!) and show off all your hard work. How do you get them to give you a shot? How do you present your work in a way that catches a publisher’s attention fast?

That’s where a pitch deck comes in! Join Kelsey as she breaks down key information to include, your elevator pitch, and how to put it all together in a way that informs in the best way possible.

Fashion Police Squad

Fashion Police Squad is a humorous retro FPS where you fight against fashion crime using attire-enhancing weaponry. Clean the streets of socks in sandals as Sergeant Desm and experience a single-player story serving some good ol’ Fashion Justice.

Coming to PC on August 15th.

Rollerdrome

Rollerdrome is a third-person action shooter that seamlessly blends high-octane combat with fluid motion to create an action experience like no other. Dominate with style in cinematic, visceral combat where kills net you health and pulling off tricks and grinds provide you ammunition, in this adrenaline-pumping action shooter.

Coming to PC, PS4, and PS5 on August 16th.

Cursed to Golf

In Cursed to Golf, you play as the Cursed Golfer, trapped in Golf Purgatory after a freak accident takes you out as you’re about to take the winning shot of an International tournament. Legend says that playing through the devious courses will take you back to the land of the living, and more importantly, to the trophy you were about to win. Each course is governed by a ghostly Legendary Caddie, who will tutor you in the mystical ways of golf on your quest.

Coming to PC, Switch, Xbox, and Playstation on August 18th.

BitSummit is an annual event for indie games held in Kyoto that sees developers from Japan and all over the world showcase what they’re been working on. This year saw the return of a physical event with developers, publishers, press, and sponsors present for the first day, and the second open to the public to experience a ton of upcoming indies.

With IGN doing a write-up of 17 games they’re keeping on their radar, we are excited to get our hands on the likes of Soup Raiders, Cassette Beasts and It’s a Wrap!

Cult of the Lamb

Join Cameron as he herds his flock of followers in Cult of the Lamb, a game that feels like a blend of the cozy time that is Animal Crossing with the roguelike runs of a title like Hades. Cult of the Lamb does well with blending these two genres in a way that feels like a uniform and complete experience, although unfortunately buggy late game. See Cameron’s full review over at the TIC blog.

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We are The Iterative Collective - an indie games incubator & publisher! Each week, we shed light on the latest gaming trends for all folks interested in the scene by going through a summary of the latest news from the industry as well as promising upcoming game releases! Click to learn more about us below!