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Digest
The itch.io Spring Sale & Bundles are here
March 18, 2024
by
leafo
127
#bundles, #sales
Spring is in the air and that means it’s time for the itch.io Spring Sale ! We’ve notified with creators across the site and they’ve responded with discounts on over 12,000 games, assets, tablet...
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2023
The itch.io Winter Sale 2023 is live!
December 20, 2023
by
leafo
114
#sales
It’s that time of the year again, where we bring you the best deals on your favorite games, tabletop RPGs, game assets, and more! We’ve sent word to our diverse community of developers and they’...
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Pick up 5 great games in the itch.io Autumn TTRPG Selects Bundle!
November 29, 2023
by
SPNKr
62
#bundles
Gear up for the holidays with a pack of great tabletop rpgs! Gather around the table and pick up 5 of our favorite systems for just $12 and support developers while doing it. But act quickly, because...
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The next itch.io Creator Day is this Friday November 24th!
November 20, 2023
by
SPNKr
63
#announcement, #site-promotions
Get ready to gobble up some deals this Black Friday, and thank your favorite devs while you're doing it. Yep, this Friday is the next itch.io Creator Day! From midnight to midnight (Pacific Time) on F...
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The itch.io Halloween sale is live!
October 25, 2023
by
SPNKr
32
#editorial, #site-promotions
A chill runs down your spine, a black cat yowls, there's something in the air. That something ..... is deals on your favorite games, tabletop RPGs, game assets, and more! From now until 10am PT on Nov...
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Games of the Week: Mr Platformer, Videoverse, and TEST TEST TEST
September 22, 2023
by
SPNKr
60
#itchio-recommends
Look, I know we're trapped in the AAA game deluge where multiple 30+ hour games are released every week. So what if I filled your plate up with a deluge of indie games . Sounds compelling, right? Mr P...
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Games of the Week: Papers, Fish, and Frogs
August 31, 2023
by
SPNKr
42
Happy Thursday itch.io fans! Roll into the weekend with a stack of hot new games! This time we're bringing in a remake of a classic, Sokpop's cutest game ever, and a surprisingly poignant fishing game...
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The Next itch.io Creator Day is this Friday, August 25th!
August 21, 2023
by
SPNKr
80
#announcement, #site-promotions
Good Morning itch.io fans! It's been a while since our last itch.io Creator Day, but I'm happy to announce the drought is over! This Friday August 25th (midnight to midnight Pacific Time) we're not ta...
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Games of the Week: Labor, Cute Labor, and Community
August 07, 2023
by
SPNKr
57
#itchio-recommends
Are you ready to talk about the perils of labor? What about the strength of community? Ok but what if I told you we're actually talking about games? Yep, it's time for Games of the Week! Read on for o...
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Games of the Week: Sludge, Stickers, and Seals
July 24, 2023
by
SPNKr
38
#itchio-recommends
Looking for something to play? Need something to do inside while you hide from the heat? Well check out 3 of our favorite new games to help keep things fresh! Sludge Life 2 You may remember Terri Vell...
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Welcome to the itch.io Summer Sale!
June 27, 2023
by
SPNKr
19
#site-promotions
Happy June everyone! It’s been a little while since we’ve done this last, but don’t worry bundle fans we haven’t forgotten about you. That’s right! It’s time to announce our newest itch.io...
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Friday, March 17th is the next Creator Day! (Now Extended)
March 13, 2023
by
SPNKr
141
#announcement
Hey itch.io fans! It's that time again, time for another itch.io Creator Day! Yep, our semi-frequent day celebrating everyone who makes itch.io so great is back this Friday March 17th! For 24 hours (f...
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Looking for a new Tabletop RPG to play? Here are some of our favorites!
February 06, 2023
by
SPNKr
256
#itchio-recommends
Over the last several years tabletop RPGs have been in something of a renaissance. Where before the lion's share of a small pool of players was monopolized by the World's Most Popular Game, we've seen...
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2022
The itch.io Winter Sale and Tabletop itch.io Selects bundle start now!
December 20, 2022
by
SPNKr
48
#site-promotions, #bundles
Welcome to the itch.io Winter Sale! It’s a year end tradition for us, but we’re excited to announce it every time. We’ve partnered with developers across the side to offer hundreds of discounts...
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The next itch.io Creator Day is November 25th!
November 21, 2022
by
SPNKr
97
#announcement
Howdy itch.io community! Mark your calendars because the next itch.io creator day is coming! This Friday from Midnight to Midnight (Pacific Time) we’re not taking a portion of any sales on the site...
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itch.io Recommends: 3 new games, and 9 old ones!
November 14, 2022
by
SPNKr
70
This month feels a bit like a homecoming on the blog. This time we’re featuring 3 new games, but they’re all from truly great series. If you consider these recommendations as also overarching seri...
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The itch.io Halloween Sale and Selects Bundle are on now!
October 27, 2022
by
SPNKr
20
#site-promotions, #bundles
Get your costumes on everyone, it’s Halloween time! Whether you’re a ghost, a witch, or one of those animes you’re always watching we’re welcoming everyone to the annual itch.io Halloween Sale...
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Games of the Month: surrealist solitaire puzzles
September 26, 2022
by
SPNKr
54
What’s that? You need more games? I hear you, anonymous itch.io fan. We’ve reached the part of the year when games start coming out fast and furious so it can be hard to keep track of them all, le...
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Games of the Month: Puzzles! (and some non-puzzles)
August 30, 2022
by
SPNKr
70
#itchio-recommends, #editorial
Sometimes you need a good puzzle game, just something to throw all of your attention at and ignore anything else going on. Well if that sometime for you is right now, then you’re in luck because in...
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The next itch.io Creator Day is July 29th!
July 22, 2022
by
SPNKr
103
#announcement
I don’t think I’m allowed to make the entire body of this post “The next itch.io Creator Day is taking place on Friday July 29th.” I mean it’s true, we are hosting the next itch.io Creator D...
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Games of the Week: Let's play cards, tabletop, and more!
July 14, 2022
by
SPNKr
36
#itchio-recommends
Need something to fill the void between AAA releases? It’s ok, we won’t judge. Well here are a handful of games ready to keep you entertained while you wait. Stacklands It’s always a good day wh...
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Welcome to the itch.io Summer Sale!
June 21, 2022
by
SPNKr
74
#announcement, #sales
Come one, come all to the annual itch.io Summer Sale! If you’re in the northern hemisphere you’re probably reading this with the air conditioner on full blast, so let us take your mind off the con...
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How to play itch.io games on the Steam Deck
June 14, 2022
by
SPNKr
290
#editorial
So you’ve got a brand new Steam Deck and are looking to install some games from your favorite storefront: itch.io. Surely that’s impossible, right? Wrong. Here’s how you can get your itch.io lib...
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Come get the Pre-Summer itch.io Selects bundle!
May 25, 2022
by
SPNKr
18
#editorial, #bundles
It’s been a few months since we last spoke folks and for that I am truly sorry. As an apology I’ve come back home from my travels with an armful of treats! This is a metaphor, the treats aren’t...
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Games of the Week: Foxes, Space Ships, and Louisiana
April 04, 2022
by
SPNKr
76
#itchio-recommends, #editorial
What’s good itch.io gamers, welcome back to the channel. By channel I mean blog and by gamers I mean people with good taste, but the sentiment is the same! Welcome back to the itch.io Blog! This tim...
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Games of the Week: Spooky Vampires and Quiet Art Galleries!
February 16, 2022
by
SPNKr
47
#itchio-recommends
Howdy itch.io partners! We’ve saddled up for a brand new edition of our semi-frequent Games of the Week round up. Each week/month/year we highlight some of the great new stuff that’s surfaced on t...
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The Next itch.io Creator Day is February 18th!
February 14, 2022
by
SPNKr
200
#editorial
Come one, come all to the next itch.io Creator Day! This Friday, February 18th we’re not taking any of our usual portion of sales. From Midnight to Midnight (Pacific Time) developers will earn 100%...
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2021
The itch.io Winter sale and Tabletop itch.io Selects Bundle are here!
December 20, 2021
by
SPNKr
29
#bundles, #site-promotions
While it may have felt like more of a marathon than a sprint, we’re finally in the waning days of 2022. Let’s celebrate with 1000s of projects on discount and a brand new Tabletop itch.io Selects...
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Games of the Week: Anger, Sadness, and Fear
December 16, 2021
by
SPNKr
44
#itchio-recommends
Are you ready to finish the year with a selection of handpicked games to brighten up your holiday season? In this last 2021 edition of Games of the Week we’ve got 3 really great experiences for what...
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This Friday is an itch.io Creator Day!
November 22, 2021
by
SPNKr
108
#editorial
This year for Black Friday we’re honoring our oldest tradition: we’re bringing back Creator Day! Ok the tradition isn’t that old, but this Friday (November 26th) from midnight pacific time to mi...
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Games of the Week: Fires, Time, and SCARES!
October 25, 2021
by
SPNKr
52
#itchio-recommends
Things are getting spooky over here at itch.io HQ. The weather is getting colder, and I’ve broken out my collection of inappropriately large sweaters. This means it’s now the best time of year for...
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Announcing the Game Making itch.io Selects Bundle 2
October 13, 2021
by
SPNKr
23
#editorial, #bundles
Let’s get ready to make some games! Earlier this year we launched our first ever Game Making itch.io Selects bundle, and now we’re back with a second edition to help folks make new games whether i...
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Games of the Week: Free JRPGs and Avian Skating!
September 30, 2021
by
SPNKr
32
#itchio-recommends
I don’t know about you, but I could use some time indoors relaxing with some games. I certainly haven’t had enough of that in the last year and a half, so let’s make our time inside a little bit...
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Games of the Week: Swords, Bracelets, and an accessible RPG
August 30, 2021
by
SPNKr
35
#editorial, #itchio-recommends
You may have noticed that we’re doing these more recently. There are just too many great games coming out for us to keep our recommendations locked to once-a-month posts! Check out all of the great...
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Games of the Week: Chickens, Cats, and Horrific Eldritch Monstrosities!
August 11, 2021
by
SPNKr
32
#itchio-recommends
Get your controllers charged, pull out those blue-light blocking gamer glasses, and prep yourself for a stack of new games. I took a bit to scour the new releases and I’m happy with the results. Che...
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The itch.io Summertime Selects bundle is now live!
August 04, 2021
by
SPNKr
12
#announcement, #bundles
Happy August, itch.io Community! It’s been a while since we hosted our last itch.io Selects Bundle, so let’s change that! As of 10am on August 4th (that’s this morning) the itch.io Summertime Se...
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The second itch.io Creator Day is Friday, 7/23
July 19, 2021
by
SPNKr
94
#editorial
Hi itch.io Community, I was going to write a whole goofy intro to this, but instead I’m just going to play this one straight: This Friday (July 23rd) is our second ever itch.io Creator Day. This mea...
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Games of the Month: Boats, Dogs, and Dinosaurs.. Oh my!
July 15, 2021
by
SPNKr
22
#editorial
Welcome back to the Games of the Month! How was that Summer Sale last week? Did you pick up anything cool? Well get ready to fall in love all over again with a whole new group of games from our recomm...
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Announcing the itch.io Summer Sale and Tabletop Selects Bundle!
June 22, 2021
by
SPNKr
37
#editorial, #bundles
Do you hear the sounds of people enjoying the beach? What about those cheers of children without a care in the world? This can mean only one thing: it’s summertime! (in the Northern Hemisphere, plea...
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Announcing the first itch.io Creator Day!
May 12, 2021
by
SPNKr
276
#editorial
Hi itch.io Community, I’m happy to announce that this Friday — May 14th, will be our first itch.io Creator Day. This means that from Midnight to 11:59pm PT we won’t be taking our usual cut of sa...
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The itch desktop client is now available on the Epic Games Store!
April 22, 2021
by
SPNKr
107
#editorial
Howdy itch.io Community! I’m happy to announce that as of this morning the itch desktop client is available to download on the Epic Games Store . If you prefer to launch your game launchers through...
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Announcing the Game Making itch.io Selects Bundle
March 31, 2021
by
SPNKr
32
#editorial, #bundles
It’s time for a brand new itch.io Selects bundle , but this time we’re trying something a little different. You may remember our previous bundles as collections of some of our favorite games, but...
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Games of the Month: wholesome baking, horror chills, and a duck on a scooter
March 22, 2021
by
SPNKr
45
#itchio-recommends
Happy March everyone! We're back again with our Games of the Month post to recommend you some great games from the last 30 days. This month's recommendations come from a ton of different genres and st...
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Announcing the itch.io Lunar New Year Sale and Selects Bundle!
February 09, 2021
by
SPNKr
18
#bundles
We’re done with rats, now it’s time to embrace 2021 with the strength of the ox! Happy Lunar New Year everyone! We’re celebrating by partnering with developers to put thousands of games on sale...
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Games of the Month: Dreams, Time Travel, and Cyber Gods
January 20, 2021
by
SPNKr
76
#editorial, #itchio-recommends
The calendar may show a new year, but we’re up to our usual tricks at itch.io HQ. We took a break for the holiday season but we’re looking at some of our favorite games that have launched in the l...
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2020
Announcing the itch.io Winter Sale and Winter itch.io Selects Bundle
December 17, 2020
by
SPNKr
20
#bundles
It’s been a …. Challenging year for all of us so let’s end things on a high note. Things are pretty cold over here, so let’s warm up around a pile of great deals! As is our custom, we’ve ask...
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Black Friday on itch.io
November 27, 2020
by
SPNKr
42
Hello itch.io community! This year for Black Friday we’re doing something a little different. 2020 has been…. Unprescedented so we wanted to help give back to the developers out there. From the ti...
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Games of the Month: Disc Room, Cube Escape, Lucifer Within Us, and more!
November 18, 2020
by
SPNKr
30
#itchio-recommends
It’s been feeling like it’s impossible to keep up with all of the good games released these days. Seems like every week there’s another game coming in from left field ready to eat my free time w...
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Announcing the itch.io Halloween Sale and Tabletop Selects Bundle!
October 27, 2020
by
SPNKr
12
#site-promotions, #bundles
There’s a haunting at itch.io headquarters. Is it a ghost? A ghoul? Nope, it’s the annual itch.io Halloween Sale! From now until Tuesday November 3rd at 10am PT hundreds of games, tabletop adventu...
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Games of the Month: Monster's Expedition, Spiritfarer, Among Us, and more!
September 21, 2020
by
SPNKr
80
#itchio-recommends
I don’t know about you, but my game playing has spiked during quarantine. The time I used to spend going out with friends, eating in restaurants, and seeing the sun is now my game time. Fortunately...
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Announcing the 2020 Tabletop itch.io Selects bundle
September 04, 2020
by
SPNKr
30
#bundles
While we may not be able gather friends around our table for mythic adventures, that doesn’t mean you have to lock up your dice. We’ve partnered with a bunch of great devs to bring you a brand new...
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Games of the Month: Cellular Harvest, Hylics 2, and more!
July 21, 2020
by
SPNKr
33
#editorial, #itchio-recommends
It’s been a really hectic couple of months here at itch.io, we’ve been hard at work and that’s left scant few hours for playing games. But don’t worry we’ve persevered and have sorted throug...
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Announcing the itch.io Summer sale and Summer Selects Bundle!
June 24, 2020
by
SPNKr
38
#bundles
We may not be allowed outside, but that doesn’t mean our summer vacation has to be ruined. Make staying off the beaches and away from other people fun with a stack of brand new games, tabletop RPGs...
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Games of the Month: Tales from Off-Peak City, Samsara Room, and More
May 28, 2020
by
SPNKr
46
#editorial, #itchio-recommends
We’re nearing the halfway point of 2020 already and it feels like the year has both flown by and taken forever. Usually at this point in the year I’ve gotten a pretty good taste of the best games...
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Games of the Month: Treachery in Beatdown City, Mackerelfish Media and More!
April 23, 2020
by
SPNKr
59
#editorial
We’re back, back, back again with a brand new edition of itch.io’s Games of the Month! Yes I know it’s been a bit longer than a calendar month but that doesn’t mean the games are anything less...
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Games of the Month: February 2020
March 12, 2020
by
SPNKr
78
#itchio-recommends
Hey itch.io fans, it’s been a while hasn’t it? We didn’t want to leave you high and dry without any games to play (I mean you could also check out our Youtube channel or our email digest) so we...
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Hit 2020 running with a list of our favorite games from 2019!
January 07, 2020
by
SPNKr
132
#itchio-recommends
With 2019 done and dusted we’re feeling a bit nostalgic for the year that was. Sure we’re only a week into the new year, but what better way to start moving forward than by looking back? Here are...
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2019
Announcing the itch.io Holiday Sale and Holiday itch.io Selects Bundle!
December 19, 2019
by
SPNKr
15
#bundles
We’ve almost made it through 2019 so it’s time to celebrate! We considered inviting everyone over to itch.io HQ but considering that itch.io HQ isn’t a physical location that might be a little t...
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itch.io Recommends: a pack of cute animals
December 10, 2019
by
SPNKr
32
#itchio-recommends
Sometimes you need some cuteness in your life. Maybe you want a break from real life, or perhaps you’re just super into adorable as an aesthetic. Either way, this week’s recommendations are a pair...
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Check out itch.io on YouTube!
December 05, 2019
by
SPNKr
37
#editorial
We do a pretty good job of featuring games around here. From our front page, to our blog and digest emails we have tons of ways for you to get your gaming fix. But sometimes the best way to learn abou...
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itch.io Recommends: tabletop and jam games
December 03, 2019
by
SPNKr
12
#itchio-recommends
We’re almost into 2020 but that doesn’t mean that we’re going to slack off on recommending games for you. We’re back with another pair of recommendations to help fill these long winter nights...
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Pick up 7 tabletop hits for $8 in the Tabletop itch.io Selects Bundle!
November 29, 2019
by
SPNKr
11
#bundles
Grab your dice, call your friends, and get ready for the Tabletop itch.io Selects Bundle ! This entry in our series of bundles highlights the best in analog gaming. There’s something for everyone wi...
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Fall into a brand new game jam
November 21, 2019
by
SPNKr
16
#editorial
It’s a busy time of year for games. There are games coming out left, right, and center, and more holidays than I know what to do with. It feels like there aren’t enough hours in the day in the las...
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itch.io Recommends: smiling and puzzling
November 19, 2019
by
SPNKr
11
#itchio-recommends
We’ve been hard at work on some secret projects at itch.io HQ (don’t worry, you’ll hear about them soon) but that hasn’t stopped us from checking out some games for you to play! Are you ready...
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itch.io Recommends: Games about dungeons, real life
November 12, 2019
by
SPNKr
14
This week is a double feature of game recommendations. One is a polished take on a familiar formula and the other looks at the real life financial trouble plaguing the people of Chile. Yeah it’s an...
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There are 200,000 games on itch.io. Here's how to find your new favorite
November 07, 2019
by
SPNKr
57
#editorial
This week we passed 200,000 games on itch.io. That’s well, that’s a ton of games. Truly more than one human can play in their lifetime. So how do you find which games are your jam? Well let’s ta...
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itch.io Recommends: Family histories and great free games
November 05, 2019
by
SPNKr
18
#itchio-recommends
How about that Halloween sale, huh? What about that great itch.io Selects Bundle? There sure was a lot going on last week. Now I know we didn’t have any posts for you, but let’s make up for it wit...
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The 2019 itch.io Halloween Sale is on now!
October 24, 2019
by
SPNKr
25
#sales
I hope you’re feeling brave, because it’s the spookiest time of the year: The itch.io Halloween Sale! That’s right, ghosts and ghouls have once again descended upon the itch.io offices and have...
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itch.io Recommends: Histories and Mysteries!
October 22, 2019
by
SPNKr
10
#itchio-recommends
October is winding down which means we’re running out of time to thematically recommend horror games. You know how we’re going to celebrate that? By recommending more non-spooky games. Sorry horro...
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Need even more Ludum Dare? Here are more picks from the competition!
October 17, 2019
by
SPNKr
17
#editorial
With over 1000 games developed as a part of Ludum Dare 45, it’s more than a little tough to sort through all of them. Last week we highlighted a couple of our favorites but I took a look through mor...
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itch.io Recommends: the future of point-and-click, the puzzles of the past
October 15, 2019
by
SPNKr
14
#itchio-recommends
I was going to try to do this thing in October where I recommended a new horror game each week until Halloween, but life had other plans. I fully intended to check out some of the promising horror gam...
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Over 1000 new games are on itch.io courtesy of Ludum Dare 45! Here are some of our favorites
October 10, 2019
by
SPNKr
27
#itchio-recommends
The dust has settled on Ludum Dare 45 and there are over 1000 new games on itch.io because of it. As is always the case with the week after Ludum Dare, the stack of new games is an intimidating Evere...
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itch.io Recommends: dating and dying!
October 09, 2019
by
SPNKr
21
#itchio-recommends
Fall has arrived at the itch.io office which means it’s time for drinking tea, dressing in fashionable layers, and getting spooked by a series of terrifying games. I can’t help you with the tea or...
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Code your way to strategic victories in Bot Land: an interview with Adam Damiano
October 03, 2019
by
SPNKr
15
#editorial
I can’t think of many games where professionals have cameras pointed at their hands. Starcraft is one of the few I’ve seen that puts pros’ digits on display, and one quick look will tell you why...
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itch.io Recommends: a double-dose of adventure!
October 01, 2019
by
SPNKr
16
#itchio-recommends
Set sail for adventure with this week’s itch.io Recommendations! This time we’re heading underground and underwater with a pair of games that look for exploration through mechanics. If you want to...
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Nowhere Prophet grew through early access to become a great deckbuilder
September 26, 2019
by
SPNKr
7
#editorial
Back in the olden days people used to have to wait until a game was done to be able to play it. But we live in more enlightened times now. Sure there are pros and cons to buying (or releasing) a game...
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itch.io Recommends: hand-drawn hits!
September 24, 2019
by
SPNKr
22
#itchio-recommends
I don’t usually plan out themes for these articles but every now and again the stars align and something perfect happens. This week we’re featuring two games who both happen to have hand-drawn art...
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Need something to do with the rest of 2019? Try a game jam!
September 19, 2019
by
SPNKr
16
#editorial
Jammers gather around, because we’ve prowled the itch.io Jams page and I’m back with the spoils of our hunt. If you want to see every jam currently scheduled on the site you can check out the Jams...
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itch.io Recommends: Cars, Spaceships, and... Ducks?
September 17, 2019
by
SPNKr
9
#itchio-recommends
This time of year is always an interesting one for indies. Historically the end of the year is dominated by AAA releases, but every year is different and 2019 is already showing off some really strong...
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A quarter century making games: a conversation with Spiderweb Software
September 12, 2019
by
SPNKr
18
#editorial
Few developers have had as long of a history as Jeff Vogel and Spiderweb Software. Their 25 year run has produced scores of hardcore RPGs and they show no signs of stopping. This week they released th...
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itch.io Recommends: Tennis Kings
September 10, 2019
by
SPNKr
8
#itchio-recommends
It’s time to live your dream in this week’s itch.io Recommends post. Well, you’ll live your dream so long as you’re thinking of becoming a monarch or playing tennis. You know, those two common...
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itch.io Recommends: The fastest games around
September 05, 2019
by
SPNKr
11
#itchio-recommends
Here’s hoping you like frantically paced games because this week has a duo of games ready for you that will test just how fast you can think. First up is Wilmot’s Warehouse, the tale of a warehous...
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itch.io Recommends: Even more non-gaming projects!
August 29, 2019
by
SPNKr
20
#itchio-recommends
Every few months I like to take some time to feature some awesome non-gaming content. Yes itch.io is mostly a site for video games, but that’s far from the only thing we host. There are comics, albu...
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itch.io Recommends: games with awesome artstyles
August 27, 2019
by
SPNKr
17
#itchio-recommends
I hope you love games with distinct artstyles because that’s we’ve got two of them ready and waiting for you. Each is a little different -- one is a gross dungeon crawler, and the other is a cute...
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Zach Barth on how Zachtronics have shocked and surprised with Eliza
August 22, 2019
by
SPNKr
15
#editorial
My praise for Zachtronics’ Eliza seems to know no bounds. I wrote in my recommendation on Tuesday, “Eliza stands as one of the best written games I’ve played this year.” It’s a game that has...
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itch.io Recommends: therapy and crabs
August 20, 2019
by
SPNKr
9
#itchio-recommends
When you boot up a new game, you never know what you’re going to get. Sometimes it’s a wacky arcade romp, other times it’s a personal narrative experience. This week’s recommendations mirror t...
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Dicey Dungeons is a brilliant introduction to Roguelikes and Deckbuilders
August 15, 2019
by
SPNKr
8
#editorial
In what has been a long time coming, this week marks the full release of itch.io-favorite Dicey Dungeons . Indie superstar Terry Cavanagh (and team) has turned from puzzles and action to craft what is...
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itch.io Recommends some of the games from GMTK Jam 2019
August 13, 2019
by
SPNKr
19
#itchio-recommends
We’re breaking records all over the place at itch.io with last week’s GMTK Jam 2019 coming in as our biggest jam ever. With nearly 2700 entries GMTK Jam 2019 games represent a massive amount of ga...
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Remaking Shakespeare: How Golden Glitch made Elsinore
August 08, 2019
by
SPNKr
13
#editorial
If you regularly read the itch.io Recommends posts every week you likely remember Elsinore , a game about Ophelia from Hamlet trying to solve her way out of a time loop. I ended up really enjoying my...
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itch.io Recommends: cults and relaxation, jungles and islands
August 06, 2019
by
SPNKr
13
#itchio-recommends
This week’s recommendations are an unlikely duo. One is a tense exploration of faith and cults, the other is about chilling out in the woods. See what I mean? The thing that unites them both is just...
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Can Androids Pray? An interview with Xalavier Nelson Jr of 2019's hottest mech game
August 01, 2019
by
SPNKr
9
#editorial
It’s not every day you see a game launch with Red and Blue versions so when I saw Can Androids Pray I was immediately intrigued. What followed was an intense narrative experience that I ended up enj...
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itch.io Recommends: the bard, some students, and a game we missed
July 30, 2019
by
SPNKr
15
#itchio-recommends
It’s a unique week for our weekly recommendations post. This week we’ve toiled away and would like to present to you, the itch.io community, the fruits of our labor. This week we’re getting Shak...
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Sokpop Collective's games continue to impress through creativity, frequency
July 25, 2019
by
SPNKr
21
#editorial
Running this blog comes with its fair share of responsibilities. What should we cover, what shouldn’t we cover, which games need the coverage? All of this sets us up for a complicated balancing act...
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itch.io Recommends: Essays, demos, and games we were late to
July 23, 2019
by
SPNKr
8
Get your game on this week with a release I slept on, an awesome proof-of-concept demo, and a collection of essays on some of my favorite games. It’s a veritable buffet of hot projects ready for you...
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How to get started on itch.io
July 18, 2019
by
SPNKr
55
#editorial
In my day-to-day I get asked a lot about how to get started on itch.io. This comes from established developers looking to move their projects over to itch.io and new devs looking to upload a project f...
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itch.io Recommends: four machine games
July 16, 2019
by
SPNKr
6
#itchio-recommends
This week’s recommendations are all about machines. Building them, using them, and.. what it means for them to be alive? There’s a lot of diversity inside of this general theming, and I’m happy...
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Fill up July with a bunch of great game jams!
July 11, 2019
by
SPNKr
8
#editorial
Are you worried that you don’t have enough things to do? Have you somehow run out of games to play and want to help make sure nobody in the future has this problem? Try out a game jam! We have a pag...
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itch.io Recommends: games that aren't even out yet! (And one that is)
July 09, 2019
by
SPNKr
8
#itchio-recommends
We’re getting weird with time this week as we recommend two pre-release games (and one that’s already out). Think of how cool you’ll be when these games get huge and you will have already been p...
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Tips and tricks to help your itch.io launch
July 05, 2019
by
SPNKr
50
#editorial
In the interest of transparency, we’re going to do something a bit differently on the blog this week: we’re lifting the curtain a little bit and discussing how the site works. Specifically I want...
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itch.io Recommends: a whole bunch of animals
July 02, 2019
by
SPNKr
15
#itchio-recommends
How about that itch.io sale that just ended? Pretty wild huh? Well we’re back with a new batch of games to recommend to fill your time in case you missed the sale or have somehow finished all of the...
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The itch.io Summer Sale is here!
June 21, 2019
by
SPNKr
20
#sales
Take a vacation into the land of hot deals with the itch.io Summer Sale! From the time you’re reading this until the 1st of July at 10am PST hundreds of games, projects, and soundtracks are availabl...
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itch.io Recommends: experimental new games
June 06, 2019
by
SPNKr
28
#itchio-recommends
Let’s get experimental y’all. This week’s recommendations are a pair of games that don’t really behave like any others. First up is Kids, a strange and wild look at peer pressure and puberty...
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We're celebrating #loveindies2019, are you?
June 04, 2019
by
SPNKr
21
#editorial
We love indies at itch.io so we’re happy to support #loveindies2019! But what is #loveindies? An annual celebration of all things indie, #loveindies is a concerted push to connect developers with th...
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itch.io Recommends: hot new visual novels
May 28, 2019
by
SPNKr
19
#itchio-recommends
Get your visual novel on with this week’s recommendations. The wordiest genre is back with two cutting edge entries. One is heavily polished jam game and the other is a demo for what could end up be...
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itch.io Recommends: new tabletop games
May 23, 2019
by
SPNKr
9
#itchio-recommends
Tabletop RPGs are in a renaissance right now. Spurred on by a variety of forces but namely the rise of Actual Play videos and podcasts has driven flocks of new players to the scene and developers have...
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itch.io Recommends: surprising entries in new genres
May 21, 2019
by
SPNKr
16
#itchio-recommends
I’m a sucker for games that get weird. When you’ve played as many games as I have you begin to get tired of seeing the same old thing. That’s why this week I’m happy to say all three of our re...
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Fill your summer up with these rad projects
May 16, 2019
by
SPNKr
13
#editorial
The weather is starting to warm up which means Summer is around the corner. Hopefully you’ll have a little more free time to relax with friends and family. Why are we bringing this up? Because games...
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itch.io Recommends: a demo and a game we can't talk about
May 14, 2019
by
SPNKr
17
#itchio-recommends
This week’s recommendations are going to be a bit different than usual. We’re recommending less games for one, and the second game I can’t really talk about without ruining it for another. Also...
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Faux-retro games are hot right now, here's how to get started on one
May 09, 2019
by
SPNKr
17
#editorial
In this weeks’ itch.io Recommends we talked about some new games that felt old. We’ve been seeing a lot of that lately so it’s high time we helped folks get into the aesthetic if they’re inter...
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itch.io Recommends: Old-but-new
May 07, 2019
by
SPNKr
18
#itchio-recommends
There’s a theme to our recommendations this week: Games that feel old but are new (and a bonus older game that’s new to us). Take a trip down memory lane, or figure out what all the buzz is about...
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Ludum Dare 44 wrapped, and we have tons of new games
May 02, 2019
by
SPNKr
24
#editorial
Gather around everyone, Ludum Dare 44 just wrapped up which means we have thoughts! The crew here have been busy checking the submissions for gems and we’ve been working on a collection that feature...
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itch.io Recommends: roguelikes, puzzles, and exploration!
April 30, 2019
by
SPNKr
20
#itchio-recommends
Is it just me or are there more and more early access games coming out these days? It feels like every week I’m recommending games that haven’t hit 1.0 and this week is no different. This time the...
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Celebrate spring with a trio of game jams
April 25, 2019
by
SPNKr
5
#editorial
Spring has sprung, so let’s do one of our semi-frequent jam roundups! This time we’re ready to fill your next month to the brim with a trio of weird and wonderful jams that offer everything from f...
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itch.io Recommends: fresh releases, hidden gems, and an upcoming hit
April 23, 2019
by
SPNKr
18
#itchio-recommends
It’s feeling like spring over here, and new games are popping up like flowers from the earth. So come, let us watch games grow and enjoy them. This week’s recommendations have a demo for an upcomi...
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A fresh batch of non-gaming content on itch.io
April 18, 2019
by
SPNKr
15
#itchio-recommends
It’s been a while since we last covered non-gaming content on itch.io, so let’s do it again! If you’re new to this kind of thing… welcome! We may be mostly known for gaming at itch.io, but tha...
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itch.io Recommends: a game we missed, and games we're watching
April 16, 2019
by
SPNKr
19
#itchio-recommends
Have you ever been late to the party on a game? What about early? This week you can be both! I didn’t give our first recommendation enough love when it came out, and the others are both currently in...
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Learn more about your favorite games with devlogs
April 11, 2019
by
SPNKr
20
#editorial
Want to live on the cutting edge of gaming? Need to keep up to date on the development of your favorite games? You should check out the devlogs section of the site! For developers, devlogs are the bes...
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itch.io Recommends: Relaxation, horror, and visual novels
April 09, 2019
by
SPNKr
18
#itchio-recommends
This week we’re trying something a bit new on the ol’ itch.io Recommends post, as we’re featuring not one, not two, but 92 different games. Wait, please don’t run away I promise this post is t...
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itch.io Recommends: A week packed full of surprises!
April 04, 2019
by
SPNKr
22
#itchio-recommends
This week is one of those times where I feel like three recommendations just aren’t enough. With so many good games coming out it’s hard not to sit here and write up every project launched on the...
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Here's where you can find analog games
April 02, 2019
by
SPNKr
19
#editorial
Tell your friends, we’re not just for digital games anymore. I’m happy to say that tabletop and analog games have landed on itch.io! Ok we’ve had tabletop developers uploading their projects to...
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itch.io Recommends: the internet, music, and capitalism?
March 28, 2019
by
SPNKr
14
#itchio-recommends
I’m so sorry, itch.io fans. Last week the team was out at GDC and I missed our Games of the Week appointment. Hopefully none of you were waiting by your computer or phone hitting refresh. As an apol...
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Finding the joy in spinning stuff: An interview with the Vignettes team
March 26, 2019
by
SPNKr
7
#editorial
I first ran into Vignettes on recommendation from itch.io Coder Extraordinaire Amos. He called it a game about spinning stuff until it turns into other stuff, and while that’s technically right he n...
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Baba is You is available and amazing
March 14, 2019
by
SPNKr
28
#editorial
This week sees the release of one of my most anticipated games of the year and I wanted to take a second to make sure it’s on everyone’s radar. It’s called Baba is You and it’s… different. Y...
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itch.io Recommends: Puzzles, Puzzles, Puzzles!
March 12, 2019
by
SPNKr
10
#itchio-recommends
Hey itch.io faithful! It’s a hectic time at itch.io HQ with GDC coming up (did you see the announcement that we’re helping Github with their party ?) but I still found the time to check out some n...
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We're bringing games to Github's GDC party!
March 08, 2019
by
SPNKr
8
We’ve partnered with our friends at Github to help bring their GDC party to life! That’s right, on March 19th Github are throwing open their office doors and inviting in the community to play game...
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Prepare for GDC with these quick tips
March 07, 2019
by
SPNKr
4
#editorial
It’s springtime in San Francisco which means that we’re about to play host to thousands of game devs for GDC. The annual (wildly expensive) conference is back which means that it’s going to be a...
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itch.io Recommends: Apes, Birds, and Demons, oh my!
March 05, 2019
by
SPNKr
5
#itchio-recommends
Hot diggity, we’ve got a new group of games! It’s finally starting to feel less like winter in itch.io HQ (note: there is no itch.io HQ) so let’s celebrate with some cool games. I’ve been look...
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itch.io Recommends: a pair of instant classics
February 28, 2019
by
SPNKr
11
#itchio-recommends
Didn’t you see the post on Tuesday? There are game jams happening RIGHT NOW! Ok, ok, game jams aren’t for everyone so here are some games! Everyone likes games, right? This week we have a pair of...
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Need something to do this weekend? Try out a game jam!
February 26, 2019
by
SPNKr
9
#editorial
Jams, jams, jams! If jam hosts could take a break for just one minute, I’d appreciate it, but that’s not really in the spirit of jamming is it? This week there are a trio of popular jams that dese...
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itch.io Recommends: Goats, Souls, and Puzzles. Oh my!
February 21, 2019
by
SPNKr
17
#itchio-recommends
What’s a new week without new games? Nothing, that’s what. This time around we’re taking a look at a motley assortment of games. There’s an anthropomorphic goat, some soulslike love, and a sta...
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Analog games are on itch.io, here are some of our favorites
February 19, 2019
by
SPNKr
27
#itchio-recommends
In case you didn’t know, itch.io isn’t just the best place to buy digital games but also the best place to buy analog games. On the home page if you navigate to the “ Physical Games ” link on...
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itch.io Recommends: the weird brilliance of 2019
February 14, 2019
by
SPNKr
20
#itchio-recommends
I’m genuinely excited for 2019. In a month and a half we’ve already seen a ton of absolutely amazing projects and this week keeps the streak alive. I’m happy to say that each of the three games...
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Announcing the itch.io Midwinter Selects Bundle!
February 12, 2019
by
SPNKr
20
#editorial, #bundles
Shake off the cold with a bunch of hot games in the itch.io Midwinter Selects Bundle ! Grab 6 games for just $10 and support developers while you’re at it. That’s right, for a crisp $10 bill you...
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The Stillness of the Wind is about "nostalgia and loss" — an interview with Coyan Cardenas about his new game
February 07, 2019
by
SPNKr
18
#editorial
Fans of slow-paced games about farming might remember when we featured Where the Goats Are on the itch.io blog. The game was a beautiful slow-burn about a woman living with the titular goats while try...
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itch.io Recommends: The Games of Global Game Jam 2019
February 05, 2019
by
SPNKr
15
#itchio-recommends
Global Game Jam is one of the year’s biggest jams, and it just wrapped up a week ago. The annual jam boasted almost 900 locations and, as usual, we have tons of new games for you to check out on itc...
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itch.io Recommends: charm, promise, and the avant-garde
January 31, 2019
by
SPNKr
13
#itchio-recommends
This week is a wild one for recommendations. I’m happy to say that this week features a game that has absolutely stolen my heart, an incredibly promising demo, and an avant garde collection of exper...
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"No matter what, we never stop fighting to do good." Heather Flowers on Extreme Meatpunks Forever
January 29, 2019
by
SPNKr
17
#editorial
Heather Flowers had a busy 2018. Early in the year she teamed up with Ryan Rose Aceae to release the brilliant Genderwrecked and then later on she released her episodic tour de force Extreme Meatpunks...
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There are scores of great VR experiences on itch.io
January 24, 2019
by
SPNKr
9
#editorial
So you’ve gotten your hands on that hot new VR set up, plugged in the headset, cameras, and controllers and are ready to live the sci-fi dream. But you’re missing one key component: games. Where c...
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itch.io Recommends: Relaxation, Relaxation, Relaxation
January 22, 2019
by
SPNKr
16
#itchio-recommends
There has been a deluge of games recently about relaxing and I love it. Sometimes we’re relaxing on boats, sometimes we’re in forests, but this week we’re going in two directions I haven’t see...
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5 years and a 2.0 update later, Mountain is still a uniquely brilliant game
January 17, 2019
by
SPNKr
14
#editorial
You may have missed it in the madness of late 2018 but David OReilly’s 2014 summit-based masterpiece, Mountain got a major update in December. This update --Mountain 2.0 as it’s called-- refreshes...
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itch.io Recommends: Romance, Relaxation, and Strange Game Hybrids
January 15, 2019
by
SPNKr
19
#itchio-recommends
I swear, the indie community doesn’t take a break. In the time it has taken me to get over my New Years’ hangover there have already been dozens of fantastic games released. In an effort to highli...
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itch.io Recommends: old-school roguelikes, co-op shenanigans, and retro shmups
January 10, 2019
by
SPNKr
19
#itchio-recommends
If you’re hoping to find a list of games with broad appeal… you should probably read the recommendations we made in previous weeks because we’re going hyper-specific this time. If you like couch...
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A new year means new game jams! Here are a few to check out
January 08, 2019
by
SPNKr
14
#itchio-recommends
It’s a brand new year and that means there are another 365 days worth of game jams you can take part in! There’s a brand new look for our Jam Tracker , which makes it easier to choose either the c...
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itch.io Recommends: start the new year with new games!
January 03, 2019
by
SPNKr
13
#itchio-recommends
Welcome to 2019! We can take a collective sigh of relief as we made it through the Running Man gauntlet that was 2018. Let’s start the new year off with something positive and talk about some great...
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2018
itch.io Recommends: specific games for specific people
December 13, 2018
by
SPNKr
40
#itchio-recommends
One of my favorite parts of running this blog is finding and recommending games that are going to appeal to very specific people. I realize that if I wanted to “maximize sales” I’d pick only the...
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A conversation with the curator of the PICO-8 Advent Calendar
December 11, 2018
by
SPNKr
23
#editorial
One of my favorite memories of the holidays has to be gathering around with my family and opening our advent calendars every night. The idea of building toward something throughout the season was, and...
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itch.io Recommends: Ludum Dare 43 Games!
December 06, 2018
by
SPNKr
18
#itchio-recommends
It’s the most wonderful time of the year: Chr- Ludum Dare! If you somehow missed one of the biggest jams of the year… welcome back! Last weekend thousands of developers descended upon their keyboa...
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itch.io Recommends: new friends, hidden friends, and dazzling critique
December 04, 2018
by
SPNKr
10
#itchio-recommends
It’s Tuesday which means it’s time for another roundup of great games! This week, we’ve got a delightful hidden object game, a promising mashup of two of Nintendo’s classics, and the return of...
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Celeste is one of our favorite games of 2018. Here's why we love it.
November 29, 2018
by
SPNKr
16
#editorial
What are the games you find yourself coming back to? Is it your favorite game from when you were a child? Is it the intriguing but flawed experience nobody but you seems to understand? Maybe it’s an...
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itch.io Recommends: A Detective Frog, a Grizzled Detective, and Beach Date!
November 27, 2018
by
SPNKr
9
#itchio-recommends
Welcome back to the itch.io Blog, everyone! We were out for most of last week, so there weren’t any posts, but we did have the Black Friday Not-Sale to keep you occupied. Did you pick up any new pro...
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itch.io Recommends: Fresh new picks to ban your midweek blues
November 13, 2018
by
SPNKr
11
#itchio-recommends
New week, new games! This week we’re back with a whole squad of new games for you to play and fall in love with. Need another reason to look down below? All of the games we’re highlighting this we...
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itch.io Recommends: beautiful, horrific, pizza games
November 08, 2018
by
SPNKr
11
#itchio-recommends
If you’re reading this it means that you managed to survive the spookiest holiday. Congratulations! Celebrate your continued not-being-scared-to-death with a cornucopia of new games! This week we h...
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October was a month full of game jams. Here are some of our favorites
November 06, 2018
by
SPNKr
8
#editorial
I don’t know what it is about October, but it looks like everyone and their mom decided to host or participate in a game jam. As always, you can check out all of the past and current jams over on ou...
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Post mortems are here on itch.io! Write them, read them, and support developers!
November 01, 2018
by
SPNKr
30
#editorial
You may have seen the update to our blogging system a few weeks back that expanded the types of devlogs that we support. Now there are official tags for tutorials, culture pieces, and what we’re tal...
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itch.io Recommends: Some games to get you started in the #itchHalloweenSale
October 30, 2018
by
SPNKr
7
#itchio-recommends
The Halloween Sale is in full swing for another few days (it’s going until Thursday at 10am PST) but with hundreds of games on sale it might be a little intimidating to wade through them all. Paraly...
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How CrossCode modernizes classic design: an interview with Felix of Radical Fish
October 23, 2018
by
SPNKr
17
#editorial, #interview
As I mentioned in our Games of the Week last week, CrossCode was a game that took me by surprise. Underneath its classic 16-bit exterior lies a deeply modern hack-and-slash with a shockingly complex s...
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itch.io Recommends: even more Halloween games!
October 18, 2018
by
SPNKr
13
#itchio-recommends
We don’t usually do this over here at the itch.io blog but this week we’re double-double dipping. Yep, it’s buckwild over here. Instead of just recommending games once this week, we’re doing i...
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itch.io Recommends: bad metaphors and great games!
October 16, 2018
by
SPNKr
11
#itchio-recommends
Cruise on in to the itch.io pit stop where we’ll fill you up with all kinds of great games! Fill up your tote with the freshest farm-to-table games at the itch.io farmer’s market! No I’m not gre...
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itch.io Recommends: Experimental Adventures
October 11, 2018
by
SPNKr
14
#itchio-recommends
I hope you’re ready to get experimental this week, because we’ve got a trifecta of wild experiences for you do dive headfirst into. This week there’s antiviral adventures, a demo of what could b...
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"I've been on a personal journey to be a more compassionate, empathetic person and I wanted to explore that in my work" An interview with Greg Lobanov of Wandersong
October 09, 2018
by
SPNKr
6
#editorial
Wandersong is a deeply impressive game. Usually when we talk about impressive games its because of their draw distance, detail of their models, or other technical wizardry. Wandersong is impressive be...
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itch.io Recommends: wholesome fun, gross fun, and classic fun
October 02, 2018
by
SPNKr
11
#itchio-recommends
Games, get your games! Fall games season (or as I like to call it: Novembergeddon) is starting up and we’ve got some great games to share from it. I’ve been following Wandersong and Pig Eat Ball f...
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Need to fill your October up with spooky games? Start here!
September 27, 2018
by
SPNKr
5
#itchio-recommends
I’m kind of a baby when it comes to scary games. I can handle spooky movies and books just fine, but give me a direct role in the action and I become a babbling mess. For some reason that I don’t...
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itch.io Recommends: Films, Criticism, and Alien SmashTV
September 25, 2018
by
SPNKr
11
#itchio-recommends
This week is a wild one. We’ve got movies, we’ve got criticism, we’ve got smart games, we’ve got (seemingly) dumb games. More than any other week, I feel like we’ve got something for everyon...
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3 reasons why you'll love the new itch app
September 20, 2018
by
SPNKr
36
#editorial
Last week we launched a full revamped itch desktop client and I may be a little biased, but it’s downright incredible. You may have seen our interview with the app’s steward, Amos last week where...
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itch.io Recommends: The network museum of the heart
September 18, 2018
by
SPNKr
12
#itchio-recommends
Did you see all of that content we had up on the blog last week? Two interviews and our first guest post ? That’s a lot to read! Sadly we didn’t have any time for games of the week. Here are some...
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Years In the Making: How Kitfox Games played the long game with Boyfriend Dungeon hype
September 14, 2018
by
Kitfox Games
27
#guest post
Editor's Note: Our friends at Kitfox Games have something special on their hands with the upcoming Boyfriend Dungeon. We thought a lot of folks could learn from their experiences so we invited them to...
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Meet the new and improved itch app!
September 13, 2018
by
SPNKr
43
#editorial
In case you hadn't heard: our desktop client, is new, improved, and lightning fast! ( And you can download it now by clicking here ) Our engineer Amos has been working on this update for what feels li...
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"We egg each other on like teenagers designing an unsafe skateboard trick." How Aether Interactive is able to launch two games in a month
September 11, 2018
by
SPNKr
15
#editorial
I've maintained for quite a while that the folks at Aether Interactive are doing some of the most interesting work in interactive fiction ever. Their games repeatedly play with both the structure and...
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The games we saw at PAX that should be on your radar
September 06, 2018
by
SPNKr
19
#editorial
We just flew in from PAX and boy are my arms tired. The rest of my body is also tired as evidenced by the fact that my brain couldn’t stop me from writing that terrible, terrible joke as a lede. Any...
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itch.io Recommends: Gods, Murder, and Juiceboxes
September 05, 2018
by
SPNKr
18
#itchio-recommends
Yes this list of recommendations is late. I know, I know, I’m sorry. Look PAX happened, and then there was a holiday. I understand that you’re disappointed in me, but don’t worry it won’t happ...
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itch.io Recommends: Highlights from #LOWREZJAM 2018
August 30, 2018
by
SPNKr
16
#itchio-recommends
There must be something in the water because we’ve got another world-class game jam on our hands. This year’s #LOWREZJAM just wrapped up and the entries are great. If you haven’t kept track of L...
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Join a game jam with our jam tracker!
August 23, 2018
by
SPNKr
29
#editorial
I’ve maintained for years that everyone has art in them. Maybe it’s an album, could be a painting, a poem, or maybe it’s a game. Unfortunately making a game is a long process. Many of your favor...
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itch.io Recommends: Ludum Dare 42 games!
August 21, 2018
by
SPNKr
8
#itchio-recommends
Ludum Dare was the weekend before last and the team over here has done basically nothing but play entries from the jam since then. This year we’ve had more than 1800 games uploaded to the Ludum dare...
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Visual novels are having a Moment
August 16, 2018
by
SPNKr
40
#editorial
We’ve written before about visual novels here before, but in the year since that last post the genre has been in a renaissance. Games like Doki Doki Literature Club have been playing with the struct...
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itch.io Recommends: Coffee, Kids, and Puppies!
August 14, 2018
by
SPNKr
6
#editorial
Indie games as a community has finally reached a point of maturity where we have career indies. Since the explosion of the indie scene through digital distribution, full-time indie development has bec...
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Rough games deserve our love and respect
August 09, 2018
by
SPNKr
96
#editorial
To call modern game development risky is an understatement. It’s no secret that developers are investing big and losing their shirts over it. Budgets and team sizes are swelling while sales expectat...
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itch.io Recommends: Dungeons, More Dungeons, and... Bob Ross?
August 07, 2018
by
SPNKr
14
#itchio-recommends
Writing this column is one of my favorite things to do each week. I believe really strongly in taking a human approach to curation (more about that here) so this column feels equal parts sharing aweso...
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Pilot a mech, Explore the stars, and Sext your Enemies: An interview with the developers of Heaven Will be Mine
August 02, 2018
by
SPNKr
20
#editorial
One day in the future we’ll be all be riding in mechs. We’ll fight in mechs, go grocery shopping in mechs, and if the folks behind Heaven Will be Mine have their way-- dating in mechs. If HWBM loo...
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A Game by its Cover starts today. Here are some of our favorite games from past years
July 31, 2018
by
SPNKr
17
#editorial
Game jams, dear readers, are everywhere. We cover them fairly frequently here on the itch.io/blog and in our email digest. We’ve even got an entire game jam tracker in case you want to know what’s...
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itch.io Recommends: Gnog, moon adventures, and the whole city of Melbourne
July 26, 2018
by
SPNKr
12
#itchio-recommends
We missed you last week. We were uh… vacationing? Does that sound believable? Yeah sure we were on vacation. Don’t worry, we’ll never leave you alone like that again. As an apology for our absen...
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Baldi's Basics in Development: An interview with the developer of one of 2018's biggest games
July 24, 2018
by
SPNKr
49
#editorial
Baldi's Basics in Education and Learning is not a pleasant game to play -- it's a great game, but it's one that never really makes you feel good. First it starts off as a janky-but-charming educationa...
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Bringing a decade old installation game to modern audiences: An interview with Tracy Fullerton of the Game Innovation Lab
July 12, 2018
by
SPNKr
8
#editorial
When I first heard of the Game Innovation Lab I was excited by its premise. An entire group of people with the express purpose of pushing the boundaries of game design. This week I got a chance to tal...
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itch.io Recommends: Anthropomorphic Dice, Cyberpunk Orphans, and Post-Modern Platforming
July 10, 2018
by
SPNKr
10
#itchio-recommends
Sometimes while recommending games in this column I become concerned that I’m recommending too many similar games. I mean last week we had two adorable games. While they were both great I was worrie...
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Developing a game every two weeks: How the Sokpop Collective is turning gamedev on its head
July 05, 2018
by
SPNKr
75
#editorial
The idea of making a game every two weeks for the foreseeable future stresses me out. How can anyone keep up with a breakneck pace? Well this cannonball run of game development is currently going down...
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itch.io Recommends: relaxing cuties and an artistic brawler
July 03, 2018
by
SPNKr
10
#itchio-recommends
Another week, another round-up of the best games around. How y’all are able to keep making games at this pace is a mystery I’ll never solve, but that won’t stop me from trying to check out as ma...
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itch.io Recommends: Surreal landscapes, Dangerous Hellscapes, and Indonesian Horror
June 28, 2018
by
SPNKr
10
#itchio-recommends
“Hey Spencer, didn’t you just feature a bunch of games on Tuesday”? Yeah but those were old games, and these are new games. That makes this totally different, ok? Anyway, we’ve got a ton of gr...
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A handful of games you might have missed
June 26, 2018
by
SPNKr
20
#editorial
Every week we like to feature some of the freshest, most interesting games we can find, but we can’t get them all. Unfortunately that means that some games fly under our radar. This week I’d like...
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Announcing the itch.io Summer Sale!
June 19, 2018
by
SPNKr
16
#sales
The itch.io Summer Sale is live now. Check here for all of the discounts. Grab your swimsuit and suitcase because we’re going on vacation. Next stop: the tropical island of the itch.io Summer Sales...
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itch.io Recommends: Voyageur, Magic Scroll Tactics, Like Camping
June 14, 2018
by
SPNKr
15
#itchio-recommends
You might have thought that we would have been quiet this week in light of the AAA explosion that is E3. Well guess what gang, indie never sleeps. We’re trucking right along with another hot batch o...
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"The internet is not a kind place for human brains" An interview with the masterminds behind Cultist Simulator
June 12, 2018
by
SPNKr
26
#editorial
Cults are so hot right now. Film, literature, games, everybody is making cult media right now. Alexis Kennedy and Lottie Bevan are the minds behind the recently launched Cultist Simulator, possibly th...
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itch.io Recommends: Awesome projects that aren't videogames!
June 07, 2018
by
SPNKr
19
#itchio-recommends
You want games? We’ve got games. We’ve got so many games. There are games everywhere in itch.io HQ. Open a drawer? Boom, games. Trying to take a shower? There’s another game. Pouring your mornin...
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itch.io Recommends: Cults, Cars, and Bullets (oh my!)
June 05, 2018
by
SPNKr
8
#itchio-recommends
Every week I write this article I’m always tempted to just spill the beans on what we’re working on behind the scenes at itch.io or link the lyrics to 90s hip-hop songs. These are on the opposite...
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itch.io Recommends: running, surviving, and fighting
May 31, 2018
by
SPNKr
5
#itchio-recommends
I maintain that one of the best parts of digging through each week’s new releases is the frequency with which I’m surprised. I’ve written before about how I thought I was too jaded to be blindsi...
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ESC's creator opens up about the game and working with a game design dream team
May 29, 2018
by
SPNKr
11
#editorial
ESC is a game about the future, but not a future of flying cars and high tech corporate espionage -- a future that is at odds with its past. It’s a game that asks the player to look into a cyberpunk...
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A Minute with the Minit devs: What they learned developing 2018's hottest Zelda-like
May 24, 2018
by
SPNKr
28
#editorial
Minit has become one of my favorite games that has come out this year. The top down 2-color adventure grabbed my attention and held it until its scant runtime was over roughly an hour and a half later...
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itch.io Recommends: games you can get for less than a cup of coffee
May 22, 2018
by
SPNKr
9
#itchio-recommends
“Didn’t we just do a games of the week post?” You may ask yourself. Yes, well-intentioned reader, we did BUT there are even more great games in the universe than last week so we must soldier on...
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itch.io Recommends: free games for your weekend
May 17, 2018
by
SPNKr
25
#itchio-recommends
Do you ever see a game and think to yourself, “Dang, they could have charged way more for this”? I know I do, and that feeling is especially noticeable when you play great free games. This week I...
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Make your game pages beautiful to boost your sales
May 15, 2018
by
SPNKr
34
#editorial
So you’ve been working away on your game for days, weeks, months, or years. It’s been a labor of love and you’re almost ready to drop your masterwork onto the world. Now what does that mean? Pre...
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Announcing the 3rd itch.io Selects bundle!
May 10, 2018
by
SPNKr
14
#editorial, #bundles
Strap yourself in for another deluge of deals and check out some of our favorite games at a wallet friendly price. Yep, it’s another entry in our line of premium itch.io Selects bundles. This time w...
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Everything is Going to be OK's final update is out and it's brilliant
May 09, 2018
by
SPNKr
18
#editorial
Everything is Going to be OK has received its final update and it completes the story of one of 2017’s best games. If you’ve never played Nathalie Lawhead’s interactive zine, now is the best tim...
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itch.io isn't just for games: Check out our non-gaming content
May 03, 2018
by
SPNKr
16
#editorial
If you’re reading this blog you already know that itch.io is the best place to buy games. Our tools are flexible enough to allow anyone to upload their projects, and our community creates amazing wo...
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itch.io Recommends: Paradise, Heterotopias, and the Knuckle Sandwich Demo
May 01, 2018
by
SPNKr
8
#itchio-recommends
Howdy itch.io Blog faithful. You seem well, is that a new haircut? Are you doing something new with your teeth? Haha, we sure do have fun here, right? I tell jokes, you laugh at jokes (I hope) and the...
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itch.io Recommends: Ludum Dare 41 Games
April 26, 2018
by
SPNKr
26
#itchio-recommends
In case you hadn’t heard, last weekend was Ludum Dare 41 which means --once again-- we’re flooded with awesome jam games on the site. This compo’s theme was “Combine 2 incompatible genres” a...
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Here's how to find and join game jams on itch.io
April 24, 2018
by
SPNKr
19
#editorial
Oh no! You missed last weekend’s Ludum Dare game jam! (Ok, I missed Ludum Dare and yes I’m still salty about it.) If only there was some way you could see all of the upcoming game jams and their d...
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itch.io Recommends: Adventure Skate Queens
April 19, 2018
by
SPNKr
6
#itchio-recommends
Get ready for a relaxing weekend with a handful of great games. We’ve got some wacky giraffe antics, the best skating game in years, and my favorite princess-maker. Yeah, it’s a packed week. Check...
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itch.io Collections are great and you should use them
April 17, 2018
by
SPNKr
35
#editorial
How often has this happened to you: You’ve found a creator you really like but you can’t scroll through their Twitter to find all of their favorite games. Or maybe you want to keep track of games...
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itch.io Recommends: Literate Pixel Teens
April 12, 2018
by
SPNKr
12
#itchio-recommends
When writing these posts every week I like to imagine myself as Christian Bale in Newsies. A plucky youngster who has to deliver the news to the people at all costs. Also there’s singing and dancing...
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"Make a game someone would kill a man to play" An interview with Brianna Lei of Butterfly Soup
April 10, 2018
by
SPNKr
61
#editorial, #interview
We love Butterfly Soup over here. We held it up as one of our favorite free games of last year , and I certainly haven't cooled on the game over time. I got the opportunity to meet the game's creator,...
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itch.io Recommends: Cozy Time Pirates
April 05, 2018
by
SPNKr
4
#itchio-recommends
Alright itch.io community, what gives? Y’all keep producing amazing games and if I’m being honest, it’s hard to keep up. There are so many games coming out that I don’t have time to sleep, to...
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Announcing the #museumjam AKA the Pippin Barr Game Idea Jam #2
April 03, 2018
by
SPNKr
11
#editorial
We’re pleased to announce the #museumjam in partnership with the Zium Musem. Throughout the entire month of April you’re invited to make any sort of 3D art you want for a chance to be featured in...
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itch.io Recommends: A Flashy Duck Collective
March 29, 2018
by
SPNKr
8
#itchio-recommends
It’s hard to overstate how impressed I am by the itch.io community. Each week I work on these recommendations and think “After all of these years there’s no way I’ll be surprised by games” a...
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We're losing our Flash game history but we don't have to
March 27, 2018
by
SPNKr
47
#editorial
I spent a lot of time as a kid playing games. Sure there was a lot of Pokemon and N64 but I also fell in love with Flash games during my formative years. In many ways the Flash community of the mid-20...
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itch.io Recommends: Horror, Tech Horror, and IP Horror
March 22, 2018
by
SPNKr
9
#itchio-recommends
It may be GDC week, and a good portion of the itch.io team has descended on San Francisco but that didn’t stop me from playing some games to recommend to you. Included this week are a sublime horror...
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Amanita Designs opens up about their creative process and comedy on CHUCHEL
March 20, 2018
by
SPNKr
19
#editorial
Last week we recommended the recent point and click comedy adventure, CHUCHEL. It's a delightful romp that refines point and click mechanics beautifully, but it's also a game that shows off the hearts...
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How we Curate
March 15, 2018
by
SPNKr
73
#editorial
Alright gang, pull up a seat and let’s talk about the number one topic on the hearts and minds of children everywhere: curation. If you’re unaware already, curation in this context is the act of s...
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itch.io Recommends: Jokes, Technology, and a Co-op Roguelike
March 13, 2018
by
SPNKr
13
#itchio-recommends
Howdy itch.io community. If you read last week’s recommendations you’ll remember that we just celebrated 5 years of itch.io. Well we’re following that up with another milestone: 100,000 projects...
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itch.io Recommends: Surrealist Adventures and Assets
March 08, 2018
by
SPNKr
14
#itchio-recommends
It’s been a big week over here at itch.io HQ. If you missed the news, we’ll soon be shipping off to kindergarten as the site just turned 5. It’s been a crazy journey so far and I can say without...
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A handful of tips to maximize your first convention
March 06, 2018
by
SPNKr
14
#editorial
As much as it pains me to say it, we’re entering convention season. Starting with GDC this month we average roughly one major trade show a month until PAX in September. This means that a lot of memb...
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itch.io Recommends: Hiversaires, Fossil Hunters, and Go Morse Go!
February 27, 2018
by
SPNKr
11
#itchio-recommends
Sweet mercy, look at all of these games! Another week has passed which means it’s time for another week’s worth of new games! I’m really pleased with the diversity of games this week as we veer...
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Features, get your features! Here are our best features you're not using
February 22, 2018
by
SPNKr
44
#editorial, #bundles, #widget, #refinery
We’re a pretty busy crew over here at itch.io. You may have seen some of the recent posts on our updates blog detailing some of the changes we've been hard at work on. We’re all really excited to...
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itch.io Recommends: A Raven Monologue, Speed Dating for Ghosts and Dino Run DX
February 20, 2018
by
SPNKr
6
#itchio-recommends
How about that Valentine’s Day itch.io Selects bundle and Sale, huh? There sure were a ton of great games available on discount. I know that I grabbed a bunch of stuff to check out, but how about yo...
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Announcing the itch.io Valentine's Day Sale and Selects Bundle!
February 12, 2018
by
SPNKr
12
#editorial, #site-promotions, #bundles
It’s that time of year again when the days get a little brighter, the coldest part of winter is behind us, and there’s a little something in the air. That’s right it’s pollen season! Wait, it...
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itch.io Recommends: Curse of the Arrow, NUTS, and Packets, Please
February 08, 2018
by
SPNKr
7
#itchio-recommends
It’s Global Game Jam season which means our site has been flooded with awesome content that talented devs were able to cobble together in less than a few days. This is common knowledge by now but it...
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Peering into the Rusty Lake: An interview with the series' creators
February 06, 2018
by
SPNKr
8
#editorial, #interview
If you’ve been reading the blog for long enough you’re probably already familiar with how enamored with Rusty Lake we are. The series is 12 games deep and despite that manages to surprise with eac...
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itch.io Recommends: Celeste, Apocryph, and Quiet as a Stone
February 01, 2018
by
SPNKr
13
#itchio-recommends
It’s hard to recognize when you see the birth of a classic. Typically classics are defined in the cold light of the future but this week we’ve got a new classic, a faux-classic, and a stone-classi...
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5 Questions with Porpentine, one of indie's most prolific stars
January 30, 2018
by
SPNKr
24
#editorial
Porpentine has had a career throughout the lifespan of the modern indie renaissance. Releasing her first games in 2012 she’s been around even longer than itch.io and her name became synonymous with...
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itch.io Recommends: Aria's Story, Bit Rat: Singularity, and Genderwrecked
January 23, 2018
by
SPNKr
19
#itchio-recommends
Another week, another group of upsettingly good games. Why do good games upset me? Because I know I’ll never be able to play all of them. Think of all of the gems lying cold and unloved in the lost...
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itch.io Recommends: Impossible experiences
January 18, 2018
by
SPNKr
15
#itchio-recommends
There are a lot of reasons to love games. They can build empathy for people going through things you’ve never experienced, you can relax and unwind with games that make you feel like the world’s g...
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Everything is Going to be OK: A conversation with Nathalie Lawhead
January 16, 2018
by
SPNKr
41
#editorial
Nathalie Lawhead had a busy 2017. Her autobiographical digital zine Everything is Going to be OK released, was shown publicly, and was nominated for IGN’s Most Innovative Game Award. She was also bo...
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Welcome to 2018, now play some beautiful games
January 11, 2018
by
SPNKr
15
#itchio-recommends
We’ve finally made it into 2018 and we’re in the part of the year where anything feels possible. Sure nothing changed but the date when the clock struck midnight on the 31st but that doesn’t mea...
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A labor of love: an interview with the developers of Love on the Peacock Express
January 09, 2018
by
SPNKr
11
#editorial
Dating sim romance options are no longer stuck in the realm of high school girls and 20-something office professionals. Games like Hatoful Boyfriend and Dream Daddy have pushed the boundaries into the...
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itch.io year in review 2017
January 04, 2018
by
leafo
98
#year-in-review
The start of a new year marks a good time to look back and reflect. Now that 2017 is over with let's take a moment to see what’s been going on at itch.io for the past year. In addition to highlighti...
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2017
Our favorite paid games of 2017
December 28, 2017
by
SPNKr
27
#itchio-recommends, #editorial
This post marks the final entry in our end of year "favorite games" series. We've talked about a bunch of awesome projects that you can read about here , here , and here . But today's not about all of...
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Our favorite non-gaming content of 2017
December 21, 2017
by
SPNKr
24
#editorial, #itchio-recommends
One of my favorite parts of working for itch.io is seeing the community use the tools we’ve built in ways we never expected. When we first launched itch.io it was a site for games, and it still is...
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Announcing the itch.io Holiday Sale!
December 18, 2017
by
SPNKr
8
#site-promotions, #bundles
Get the itch.io Selects Bundle Let’s get festive! By the time you’re finished reading this the itch.io Holiday Sale will already have begun! That’s right games are discounted across the site fro...
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Our favorite jam games of 2017
December 14, 2017
by
SPNKr
15
#editorial
We’re huge fans of game jams at itch.io. We’ve got the best jam tracking page around and a good portion of our team takes part in jams on the regular. Even now, at the end of the year there are ne...
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Our favorite free games of 2017
December 07, 2017
by
SPNKr
42
#editorial
The year is coming to a close and we wanted to celebrate some of our favorite games of the year. This is the first of a series of posts we’ll be putting up in the coming weeks highlighting games and...
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The Challenges of Curating a Digital Museum: an Interview with Michael Berto
December 05, 2017
by
SPNKr
9
#editorial
The Zium Museum has been out for a little over a week now, and it’s been a project I have kept coming back to over the past days. You might be familiar with the project as a player (it’s free and...
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itch.io Recommmends: Games?
November 28, 2017
by
SPNKr
17
#itchio-recommends
What is a game? What counts as a Video Game? The pedants would tell you that the only experiences worthy of such a valuable categorization are games with graphics, guns, and empowerment. The businessm...
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Announcing itch.io Selects, curated bundle of some of our favorite games
November 22, 2017
by
SPNKr
28
#bundles
Curation is more important than ever. Here at itch.io we’re dedicated to finding and celebrating the best content. As a part of this we’re happy to announce a fresh bundle bundle of handpicked co...
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Developing Games and Tools from the Ocean: An Interview with Hundred Rabbits
November 21, 2017
by
SPNKr
22
#editorial, #interview
When covering creators and their works there is always the fear that the creator is more interesting than the work. Percy Bysshe Shelley comes to mind. When I discovered Hundred Rabbits' work I was s...
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Here's some incredible non-gaming content on itch.io
November 16, 2017
by
SPNKr
25
#itchio-recommends
itch.io is known for all kinds of things: unique games, diverse tools, and in-depth stock advice. Ok maybe not that last one, but one of our best kept secrets is the treasure trove of content that has...
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itch.io Recommends: a Variety of Relaxing Games
November 14, 2017
by
SPNKr
11
#itchio-recommends
If you read last week’s games of the week post you’ll remember that I was frustrated by the lack of November games. Nothing has changed this week I just wanted to remind you in the hopes that if I...
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Discounting for Developers: How and when to do it
November 09, 2017
by
SPNKr
21
#editorial
Discounting your game has become one of the surest ways to increase exposure in this crowded scene, but it’s also one of the most contentious. Critics argue that heavy discounting has devalued indie...
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itch.io Recommends: These Aren't Autumn Games
November 07, 2017
by
SPNKr
5
#itchio-recommends
While October has a gluttony of games that fit the theme of the month there isn’t anything that feels like a real November game. What’s the deal there? November isn’t a bad month, it’s got bea...
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Kickin' down doors to murder Satan: an interview with Terri Vellmann of High Hell
November 02, 2017
by
SPNKr
11
#editorial
“Hey you’ve got to check out this game, you shoot Satan in the face a bunch” High Hell was announced at the most recent PAX and it came out with all of the intensity and drama of kicking a door...
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itch.io Recommends: Games from the Halloween Sale
October 31, 2017
by
SPNKr
7
#itchio-recommends
The temperature is going down and the air is chill. Tonight is the night when the barrier between the living and the dead is thinnest. If you’ve ever seen a horror movie, you know that you should st...
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itch.io Recommends: Not Halloween games
October 26, 2017
by
SPNKr
10
#itchio-recommends
The last Games of the Week post before Halloween means one thing: we’re definitely not talking about spooky games. After all when the whole world is spooky, why would you want even more of the same?...
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Let's get sad and talk about death and stuff: An interview with Gabby DaRienzo of A Mortician's Tale
October 24, 2017
by
SPNKr
8
#editorial, #interview
Human bodies are gross. We’re all bags of meat and juices that (hopefully) kick around for 90 years and then stop moving. Dead bodies are even grosser. Or at least that’s what I thought before I p...
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Announcing the GitHub Game Off on itch.io
October 20, 2017
by
SPNKr
14
#game-jam
Perhaps you’ve heard of Github, the largest code repository online. You may recognize it as the place where we keep the code for our open source desktop app , itch. So perhaps you’d like to hear t...
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How to maximize your launch on itch.io
October 19, 2017
by
SPNKr
58
#editorial
To describe the modern indie scene as “crowded” is a major understatement. Reports come out on a seemingly weekly basis that there are more games launching than ever before. Every storefront is bu...
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itch.io Recommends: 2 cozy games and some anime
October 17, 2017
by
SPNKr
12
#itchio-recommends
We’re reaching peak AAA season here in the games universe which in past years has signaled the hibernation of the indie community. Turns out, we’re way more resilient than that now. This week we...
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Let's make more mystery games
October 12, 2017
by
SPNKr
10
#editorial
There’s something inherently attractive about detectives. Talented crime-solvers have charmed audiences for centuries, there’s a good chance that your grandparents’ grandparents read Sherlock Ho...
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itch.io Recommends: The games of Indiecade
October 10, 2017
by
SPNKr
6
#itchio-recommends
In case you somehow missed it Indiecade was last weekend and we were on site to check everything out. For the uninitiated, Indiecade is an annual festival honoring indie games and developers that take...
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itch.io Recommends: Hot Takes on Cold Genres for the Week of 10/5
October 05, 2017
by
SPNKr
9
#itchio-recommends
Despite the date, we’re back from last week’s trip into the spooky zone. Well, sort of. This week we’ve got one spooky game, but it’s flanked by a surreal adventure and a fresh take on a class...
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Your Game Jam Forecast for the rest of 2017
October 03, 2017
by
SPNKr
6
#editorial
Oh game jams how do I love thee let me count the ways: you inspire people to think creatively, you teach people to start developing, and you force people to accept scaling design. As far as I can tell...
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Kentucky Route Zero is Half-off and All-good
September 28, 2017
by
SPNKr
8
#editorial, #sales
Kentucky Route Zero is not a new game -- the Kickstarter launched in 2011-- but it’s definitely a fresh game. Detailing the supernatural adventures of a deliveryman on “one last job” Kentucky Ro...
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itch.io Recommends: Spooky Games for the Week of of 9/26
September 26, 2017
by
SPNKr
6
#itchio-recommends
To say horror games have become popular in the past few years would be an incredible understatement. Since Amnesia: The Dark Descent came out in 2010 horror games have bloomed into a beautiful scene...
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itch.io Recommends: Punctual Games for the week of 9/21
September 21, 2017
by
SPNKr
4
#itchio-recommends
Do you look forward to these recommendations each week? I know I do. I’m not inside of each of your homes (yet) but I choose to believe that y’all mark your calendars and set alarms each week for...
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Zines are awesome, unique, and available on itch.io
September 19, 2017
by
SPNKr
22
#editorial
Zines -- short for magazines or fanzines -- are growing in popularity everyday. We have seen more and more of these compact works of writing crop up on itch.io and they’re consistently interesting a...
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itch.io Recommends: Better yourself for the week of 9/14
September 14, 2017
by
SPNKr
5
#itchio-recommends
If you were cynical you’d call this week’s post on games that heal an excuse to recommend games twice in a week. That would be very cynical and definitely inaccurate . In continuing with our theme...
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Games are a great way to take a break from the nightmare that is 2017
September 12, 2017
by
SPNKr
7
#editorial
Anyone who plays games regularly understands their ability to heal. We’ve got endless books written about this, charities set up behind this idea, and now game designers explicitly making games abou...
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itch.io Recommends: Experiences for the week of 9/7
September 07, 2017
by
SPNKr
3
#itchio-recommends
I think one of the best parts of itch.io is the diversity in not only our community, but our content. Y’all have created all kinds of rad things. Everyone knows we host games, but we also have sound...
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Your Quick Guide to Making Friends/ Talking to the Press
September 05, 2017
by
SPNKr
16
#editorial
So you’re making a game. That’s great! You spent countless hours and sleepless nights to make sure that your brainchild made it out into the world. Now, if you want to make rent it’s time to get...
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itch.io Recommends: Amazing Games for the Week of 8/31
August 31, 2017
by
SPNKr
11
#itchio-recommends
It's been a good week for games. Yeah, it feels like every week is a good week for games but this week was especially good for games. We've got a whole new selection of games for you and hot damn they...
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One Man's Quest to Become Every Team's Artist
August 29, 2017
by
SPNKr
14
#interview
I wouldn’t call Kenney Vleugels a household name. He doesn’t have the name recognition of John Romero or Shigeru Miyamoto, but you’ve probably seen his work. To make things a little more intrigu...
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itch.io Recommends: #LOWREZJAM 2017 games for the week of 8/24
August 24, 2017
by
SPNKr
9
#itchio-recommends, #game-jam
When you see as many game jams as we do at itch.io, it gets hard to be genuinely surprised by a jam’s results. Impressed? Sure. Excited? Definitely. Blown away? Almost never. Low Rez Jam finished up...
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In Defense of Puzzle Games
August 22, 2017
by
SPNKr
9
#editorial
I’ve been harboring a deep secret that I need to let out: I love puzzle games. I’ve spent a few nights over the past week staying up late playing games like Rusty Lake Roots and I’ve loved every...
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itch.io Recommends: Fresh games for the week of 8/17
August 17, 2017
by
SPNKr
4
#itchio-recommends
Early access games get a bad rap. Sure there are lots of cash grabs that will never be finished, but at the core early access can be an awesome way to engage with games and developers in a more substa...
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Why Tacoma's UI is secretly brilliant
August 15, 2017
by
SPNKr
7
#editorial
A clarity of purpose is a key part of designing a game. Trimming out what is unimportant to your game is a deeply necessary act of development. This goes for all elements of your work. Tacoma understa...
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itch.io Recommends: Surprising games for the week of 8/10
August 10, 2017
by
SPNKr
5
#itchio-recommends
Surprises are -- by and large-- great. Sure you occasionally get hit with something rough (I’m looking at you, check engine light) but unexpected treasures are about the only respite we have in the...
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Jamming for charity: Announcing War Child's HELP game jam
August 08, 2017
by
SPNKr
5
#game-jam, #editorial
Sure game jams are fun. At this point everyone knows it. But what if jams were something more? What if jams could help with real world issues. War Child is a charity that works with children in some o...
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itch.io Recommends: Ludum Dare 39 games for the week of 8/3
August 03, 2017
by
SPNKr
3
#itchio-recommends, #ludum-dare
If you don’t check itch.io often you would be forgiven for not knowing how much we love game jams. After all, we’ve only posted about it twice in the past week . Well strap in for a 3-peat because...
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Want to get into game jams? Here's how
August 01, 2017
by
SPNKr
12
#ludum-dare, #jams, #guides
Game jams. They’re here, they’re important, and you should take part. It’s not a secret that we love jams at itch.io. We host them, write about them, consult on them, and track them. Many member...
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Get ready for Ludum Dare: Game development tools
July 28, 2017
by
leafo
133
#ludum-dare, #guides
Ludum Dare 39 starts today! I previously wrote about Ludum Dare with tips for completing your game along with getting the most out of itch.io, so check that out if you haven’t already. Ludum Dare...
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itch.io Recommends: Strange Games for the week of 7/27
July 27, 2017
by
SPNKr
4
#itchio-recommends
It’s hard recommending games to people. You’ve got to take individual tastes into account, how fresh a game is, and what the recommendee will think of you afterward. But that’s also what makes r...
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Your field guide to fantasy consoles
July 25, 2017
by
SPNKr
36
#guides
A long-haired elven woman sighs as she enters her house, the weight of the day visibly pressing her down toward the earth. “This can’t keep going.” After pouring a drink she sinks into the couch...
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itch.io Recommends: Stylish games for the week of 7/20
July 20, 2017
by
SPNKr
8
#itchio-recommends
Did y’all read the Moshboy interview from earlier this week? I thought we were hustling over here with our 3-ish games a week, but Steve is in a league beyond. 1000 creators over 3 years? That’s m...
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3 years and 1000 creators, Steve Cook's quest to curate the un-curateable
July 18, 2017
by
SPNKr
13
#interview
There are a lot of games in this world. Like, a lot a lot and that’s become a problem for developers and customers alike. It’s a complicated problem that nobody (not even us!) has 100% figured out...
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itch.io Recommends: Pay what you want games for the week of 7/13
July 13, 2017
by
SPNKr
7
#itchio-recommends
I feel like we’ve developed a rapport, you and I. I play a bunch of games, you love a bunch of games. It’s symbiotic, isn’t it? Luckily for the both of us, it’s been a week since we last did t...
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Accessibility in games is the industry's next great hurdle
July 11, 2017
by
SPNKr
16
#editorial
The games industry has been moving towards diversity over the past few years. We’ve been making strides to include more people of color, LGBT, and non-male leads into our games. This is amazing, but...
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The Tearoom is subversive, gay, and brilliant
July 06, 2017
by
SPNKr
3
#editorial
The following is Not Safe for Work. Robert Yang is one of the most banned people on Twitch. The New York-based academic and developer has created more banned games than literally every person on the p...
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itch.io Recommends: Double Fine games for the week of 7/3
July 03, 2017
by
SPNKr
15
#itchio-recommends
If you've been alive for more than 10 years you probably remember playing a Double Fine game. After all, there are a lot of hits in that catalog: Psychonauts, Grim Fandango, and Stacking are all class...
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William Chyr of Manifold Garden talks about the future of games
June 29, 2017
by
SPNKr
10
#interview
How do you build a game that ignores the most basic rules of geometry? Over the past 5 years William Chyr has worked tirelessly to find out. Manifold Garden is the Chicago-based developer’s upcoming...
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Announcing the #itchsummersales!
June 27, 2017
by
SPNKr
6
#sales
How many times has this happened to you: You’re sitting at your computer with access to the sum total of humanity’s knowledge and have nothing to do? Well wonder no further, selectively bored read...
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itch.io Recommends: E3 Apology games for the week of 6/22
June 22, 2017
by
SPNKr
6
#itchio-recommends, #e3
Hey itch fans, it’s been a while hasn’t it? Sadly, last week I abandoned my post to galavant around E3 and talk to devs about games, and Giant Bomb about Pixy Stix . It was a fairly productive tri...
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In defense of visual novels
June 13, 2017
by
SPNKr
30
#editorial
Just like Batman, I’m here to right wrongs. Unlike Batman I care about videogames. Without punching, let’s talk about how visual novels aren’t given a fair shake and why you should give them a t...
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itch.io Recommends: Non-gaming content for the week of 6/8
June 08, 2017
by
SPNKr
8
#itchio-recommends
We have fun here at itch.io, don’t we? We spend all of our time talking about games and the people who make them. But that’s not the only thing we have here at itch.io, we’ve also got a massive...
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Feature preview: the story behind, and the future ahead of the itch app
June 06, 2017
by
SPNKr
17
#itch-app, #interview
When I first joined the team here at itch.io I was asked what my favorite part of the site was. Sure I could have said it’s our dedication to indie creators. I could also have highlighted some of th...
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itch.io Recommends: Nostalgic games for the week of 6/1
June 01, 2017
by
SPNKr
5
#itchio-recommends
Alright gang, let’s get introspective here for a minute: getting older sucks. And it doesn’t suck a little, it sucks a lot. But that’s ok, right? We all get old together and get to come to grips...
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What every developer can learn from short games
May 30, 2017
by
SPNKr
62
#interview, #editorial
Games are getting longer. Look at any AAA RPG and you’ll see the industry’s race for 100 hour playtimes. But what about games that go in the opposite direction? What about microgame-- games that t...
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itch.io Recommends: Cerebral games for the week of 5/25
May 25, 2017
by
SPNKr
5
#itchio-recommends
Hey everyone, it’s been a while since we talked about awesome games for you to play over the weekend. Last week the itch.io office was besieged by a large squid and we weren’t able to save our rec...
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World of Horror is Poland's bloody tribute to Junji Ito and HP Lovecraft
May 23, 2017
by
SPNKr
11
#interview
You're walking downtown unnerved for some unknown reason. You feel hundreds of eyes on the back of your neck but there is no one else on the street. As you turn the corner you see your neighbors' bodi...
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Get started livestreaming your development with these quick tips!
May 16, 2017
by
SPNKr
16
#guides
Everybody is on Twitch these days. From players to developers and talk shows to tabletop it seems like everyone has a seat at the big purple table. But what does it take to really show the project you...
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itch.io Recommends: Fresh Games for the week of 5/11
May 11, 2017
by
SPNKr
6
#itchio-recommends
There's nothing better than being the friend with good taste. That person who everyone goes to looking for recommendations on shows, restaurants, and movies. We here at itch.io can't make you cool, bu...
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Tumbleseed is the next great Roguelike-like
May 09, 2017
by
SPNKr
9
#editorial
When I was younger I was diagnosed with a fairly rare heart condition. It didn't affect me much on the whole but there were stretches where I'd be trapped in bed for days at a time. This is where my l...
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itch.io Recommends Beautiful Games for the week of 5/4
May 04, 2017
by
SPNKr
10
#itchio-recommends, #ludum-dare
It's Thursday and you know what that means! Taco Tues- a fresh crop of games for you to play! That's right, your good friends at itch.io are here to fill up your weekend with great new games. Strap in...
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Politics and Game Jams: A Roundtable with the Organizers of #ResistJam
May 02, 2017
by
SPNKr
7
#interview, #game-jam
Art and activism have a beautiful history together. From avant garde artists to the punk bands of the past 40 years outsider art has proven to be a safe haven for the marginalized and a base for activ...
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The Raft Developers Open up About Successes and School
April 27, 2017
by
SPNKr
15
#interview
How do you make a game about rafting if you don't like rafting? How do you make one of the best selling survival games about rafting if you don't like rafting? Apparently all it takes is a team of ded...
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Intimidated by Ludum Dare 38? Let itch.io give you a place to start
April 25, 2017
by
SPNKr
5
#ludum-dare, #itchio-recommends
Ludum Dare 38 , one of the most influential game jams, concluded its 15th year anniversary this past Monday. 2,936 games were completed over 48 or 72 hours, with about 1,100 uploaded to itch.io as of...
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Get Ready For Ludum Dare
April 21, 2017
by
leafo
29
#ludum-dare, #guides
Ludum Dare is a 48 hour and 72 hour game jam. The jam takes place this weekend (April 21st to 24th). The “compo” portion takes 48 hours and is for solo participants. The “jam” portion starts a...
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itch.io Recommends: What to play on the week of 4/20
April 20, 2017
by
SPNKr
7
#itchio-recommends
Hey itchy people! Let's get real for a second: part of why we love itch.io is the huge breadth of content you can find on the site. Want an opera about dogs? We've got that. Looking for game assets to...
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In Our Darkest Hour, Cuteness is Here to Save Us
April 18, 2017
by
SPNKr
16
#editorial
There's an unblinking face on each of the trees. When I look up, there's a face on the clouds and sun. Inside the house, there are faces on breakfast, the furniture, and the plates -- it's cute as all...
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itch.io digest January 2017
January 02, 2017
by
itch.io
#itchio-recommends
Hey everyone! Welcome to another edition of itch Digest! As always, we've got news to share, and awesome games to show off. The holiday season has swept right by, and we welcome 2017! This week we're...
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2016
itch.io digest December 2016
December 17, 2016
by
itch.io
#itchio-recommends
Hey everyone! The digest returns this week with news and updates, as well as some awesome indie games to check out. The hamster wheels are greased, and team itch is busier than ever, working on the ap...
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Join GBJAM 5 on itch.io
September 30, 2016
by
leafo
26
#game-jam
We’re proud to be helping host GBJAM 5. A 10 day game jam where you create a GameBoy themed game. This means a resolution of 160px x 144px and only 4 colors. The restricted rules are a great way to...
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itch.io digest September 2016
September 26, 2016
by
itch.io
1
#itchio-recommends
Hey again! Thanks for checking out the digest. As always, If you have any questions or comments about the email visit our thread in the community . Staff Picks Vamp 'em ups, surviving pups, DIY Power...
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itch.io at XOXO
September 09, 2016
by
leafo
17
#xoxo
This weekend, itch.io is headed to beautiful Portland. We’re honored to have been invited to the XOXO Festival . We have a slot at the arcade , and Leaf will be giving a talk about itch.io in the co...
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itch.io digest August 2016
August 10, 2016
by
itch.io
1
#itchio-recommends
Hey again! Thanks for checking out our 2nd digest. As always, If you have any questions or comments about the email visit our thread in the community . New releases Boiling Bolt by Plug In Digital & P...
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itch.io digest July 2016
July 19, 2016
by
itch.io
#itchio-recommends
Welcome to the first itch.io digest. If you have any questions or comments about the email visit our thread in the community . Recent releases Kentucky Route Zero by cardboardcomputer [$12.50, 50% off...
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itch.io @ E3
June 09, 2016
by
leafo
15
#e3
UPDATE (6/13) - We’ve added another awesome developer to the roster- Ethan Redd ( kiddraddical.itch.io ) We’ll be streaming some games of his on Thursday at 2:30 PST! —– itch.io is going to be...
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Developer interview with Joni Kittaka
May 13, 2016
by
junklatch
#itchio-week, #interview
This post is part of day five of itch.io week. We'll be interviewing developers all week. Learn more here: https://itch.io/week Joni Kittaka Joni Kittaka is a game maker and artist whose work includes...
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Developer interview with Adam Saltsman
May 13, 2016
by
junklatch
2
#itchio-week, #interview
This post is part of day five of itch.io week. We'll be interviewing developers all week. Learn more here: https://itch.io/week Adam Saltsman Adam Saltsman is founder and director at Austin-based (for...
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Developer interview with Arielle Grimes
May 12, 2016
by
junklatch
#itchio-week, #interview
This post is part of day four of itch.io week. We'll be interviewing developers all week. Learn more here: https://itch.io/week Arielle Grimes Arielle Grimes is a game developer who creates interactiv...
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Developer interview with Mushbuh
May 12, 2016
by
junklatch
4
#itchio-week, #interview
This post is part of day four of itch.io week. We'll be interviewing developers all week. Learn more here: https://itch.io/week Mushbuh Mushbuh is making something cool called Burrito Galaxy 65 . Chec...
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Developer interview with Daniel Linssen
May 11, 2016
by
junklatch
7
#itchio-week, #interview
This post is part of day three of itch.io week. We'll be interviewing developers all week. Learn more here: https://itch.io/week Daniel Linssen View on itch.io: https://managore.itch.io Follow on Twit...
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Developer interview with Kenney Vleugels
May 11, 2016
by
junklatch
7
#itchio-week, #interview
This post is part of day three of itch.io week. We'll be interviewing developers all week. Learn more here: https://itch.io/week Kenney Vleugels View on itch.io: https://kenney.itch.io Follow on Twitt...
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Developer interview with Kyle Seeley
May 10, 2016
by
junklatch
1
#itchio-week, #interview
This post is part of day two of itch.io week. We'll be interviewing developers all week. Learn more here: https://itch.io/week Kyle Seeley View on itch.io: https://kyleseeley23.itch.io/ Follow on Twit...
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Developer interview with Robert Yang
May 10, 2016
by
junklatch
2
#itchio-week, #interview
This post is part of day two of itch.io week. We'll be interviewing developers all week. Learn more here: https://itch.io/week Robert Yang View on itch.io: https://radiatoryang.itch.io Follow on Twitt...
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Developer interview with Ditto
May 09, 2016
by
junklatch
1
#itchio-week, #interview
This post is part of day one of itch.io week. We’ll be interviewing developers all week. Learn more here: https://itch.io/week Ditto View on itch.io: https://ditto.itch.io Follow on Twitter: dittoma...
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Come say hello at PAX East
April 07, 2016
by
leafo
6
#pax
Are you going to be at PAX East? Come find Leaf and Chris to talk itch.io. We won’t have a booth but we’ll be walking the floor looking for creators, gamers, and anyone else who’s interested. If...
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2015
Running an Indie Game Store 2015
June 20, 2015
by
leafo
30
About nine months ago, I wrote Running an indie game store , a post describing some of the analytics I collected while running itch.io for the first 14 or so months. It was dedicated to all the great...
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2014
Running an indie game store
September 16, 2014
by
leafo
23
I always get excited when an indie game developer releases a post mortem . A detailed writeup describing how their game sold after launch, along with insights about what did and didn’t work. I curre...
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Public Domain jam on itch.io
May 17, 2014
by
leafo
28
#game-jam
itch.io is proud to be helping host The Public Domain Jam in collaboration with Gritfish ! 1) Find a PUBLIC DOMAIN story or character 2) Make a game between May 17 and May 24 3) Submit it to the jam...
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TOJam 9 on itch.io
April 28, 2014
by
leafo
2
#game-jam
itch.io is proud to be helping host TOJam 9 ! Check out some of the awesome games submitted already on http://itch.io/jam/tojam9 More information about TOJam 9 on the official website . Link: TOJam 9...
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Cyberpunk Jam results are now live
March 24, 2014
by
leafo
6
#game-jam
Thanks to everyone who participated in the Cyberpunk Jam on itch.io. 269 games were submitted between 03/01/2014 and 03/12/2014. 2726 ratings were cast by those who entered to 265 of the entries (98.5...
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Browse the Flappy Jam results
March 10, 2014
by
leafo
6
#game-jam
Now that the Flappy Jam is over don’t forget to browse the top games voted by those who entered. http://itch.io/jam/flappyjam/results 798 games were submitted between 02/10/2014 and 02/24/2014 ...
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Rating now open for the Flappy Jam!
February 25, 2014
by
leafo
5
#game-jam
The Flappy Jam game submission period is officially over. 798 games were submitted! That’s itch.io’s biggest game jam yet. If you’ve submitted a game to the jam then you’re eligible to rate g...
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Participate in the Flappy Jam on itch.io!
February 11, 2014
by
leafo
6
#game-jam
itch.io is proud to be helping host the Flappy Jam : Make a hard, almost unplayable game. Use assets inspired (not ripped) from classics. FLAPPY word or gameplay not mandatory. Have fun, be supportive...
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