The Very Big Indie Pitch was spotted again this year, this time at Pocket Gamer Connects Helsinki. This conference had an entirely new track on transmedia, along with tons of other talks and panels and a few regular faces. But, of course, it was the fringe events that were the talk of the town, which included The Very Big Indie Pitch, both on mobile and PC + Console.
If you are new to the Very Big Indie Pitch, this is a speed-dating style, quick-fire pitching competition where indie developers are moved from table to table, giving their pitches to our panels of experts. These judges are from all corners of the games industry, showing their own expertise and views on the various games.
Teams who pitch, whether or not they place, end up gaining valuable feedback on their game and pitching style, alongside quick learnings on how to elevator pitch their game to various parts of the industry. At the end though, there is only one winner, who gain prizes like promotional packages and even a golden Big Indie Pitch baseball bat.
For this Very Big Indie Pitch, we saw 12 teams of indie developers come together to showcase their game to our judges. There was a wide variety of different genres, monetisation methods, and inspirations for all of the different games that have been created.
First Place - Muri: Wildwoods by Speldosa Interactive (Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, PC)
Muri: Wildwoods took first place at the Very Big Indie Pitch. This game has you diving into a colorful, relaxing adventure experience all about cleaning up a forest. Through cleaning away the corruption, you can save the island's forest spirit and restore the world's beauty. There are small creatures you can befriend, secrets to uncover, and lots of little puzzles along the way.
Our judges felt this game and its pitch made so much sense, especially praising their price point. There were unique aspects to Muri: Wildwoods that really were highlighted in the pitch itself, which was delivered with a lot of confidence.
Second Place - Tactichord: Glam Strategy by Ichigoichie (Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, PC)
Tactichord: Glam Strategy came in a close second place. This is a turn-based tactics game with a splash of music thrown in. You play as aspiring bassist Diane Eason, who has discovered the power of rock - joining a band of metalheads who have become fast friends. Now, this band needs to hit big on a record deal or else their lifestyle will all fall apart.
Our judges felt that this game seemed very original. It's a game full of wacky charm and great spirits, which really stood out in everyone's mind. The ability to create your own guitar solo was also something that connected with our experts!
Third Place - Brainshell by Nothing Normal (PC)
Have you ever thought about what it would be like to be stuck inside of a nuclear missile?! Honestly, neither have I. In Brainshell, you are basically a giant missile hurling towards death. It's a psychological horror game that has you operating control panels inspired by the Cold War era, guiding the man/missile that you've become.
This was another unique game, that had a fantastic graphical style to match its intended vibes. Their pitch and price point was clearly well thought out and they clearly justified it in their pitches. It's one that felt like something incredibly fresh and new too.
Want to show off your exciting new game? We host Big Indie Pitch events throughout the year, so make sure to regularly check our upcoming events page over on BigIndiePitch.com.
