KYOTO, Japan – July 1st, 2025 – BitSummit, Japan’s leading indie game festival, unveils the first round of stage programming for this year’s event, BitSummit The 13th: Summer of Yōkai. Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu headlines with his band conTIKI, joined by chiptune pioneer and Game Boy Camera creator Chip Tanaka and viral composer OkanP. Also joining the stage are industry veterans Hideki Kamiya, Boku no Natsuyasumi (aka My Summer Vacation) creator Kaz Ayabe, and Jiro Ishii, creator of the popular 428: Shibuya Scramble.
Making his BitSummit debut, veteran composer Nobuo Uematsu will perform Saturday, July 19, as keyboardist with his band conTIKI. Formed in 2021, the group’s live set often features a solo segment of Final Fantasy arrangements from the 2022 LP Modulation, conTIKI’s multimedia project and latest album Akarigatari—which blends narration, visuals, and music.
Regarding his first appearance at the annual event, Uematsu says “Thank you for inviting me to BitSummit. I have never performed in Kyoto with an orchestra or band before, so this BitSummit will be my debut in Kyoto. ...I wonder what will happen? We look forward to seeing you all at the venue!”
Composer, Hirokazu “Chip” Tanaka, the legendary sound designer, musician, and producer behind the Game Boy Camera, and the Metroid, MOTHER, and Tetris soundtracks, will take the stage on the final day at BitSummit for a special hometown appearance. An active chiptune artist since 2007, Tanaka’s set is shaped by decades of game sound innovation and a distinct electronic style.
Veteran game composer OkanP (aka Harumi Fujita) and viral TikTok sensation, best known for her work at Capcom on titles such as Mega Man 3, Final Fight, Pulstar, and Tomba!, will also perform on the BitSummit stage. In her first festival appearance since going viral, she’ll compose a brand new track live on stage, showcasing the same quick-fire creativity behind her debut video “Can you make a song like Rockman?”, which surpassed 2.8 million views, and sparked a following of over 300,000 followers across multiple platforms.
This year’s speakers panel is made up of a celebrated array of renowned game creators, some making their very first appearances at BitSummit, who will discuss and dissect their legacy, and do a deep dive on how creators shape their worlds. In a rare public appearance, Boku no Natsuyasumi creator Kaz Ayabe [Natsu-Mon! 20th Century Summer Vacation, Attack of the Friday Monsters! A Tokyo Tale] will speak at BitSummit, tracing his path from early work to the creation of his signature series under his own studio, Millennium Kitchen.
BitSummit is also excited to welcome back Clovers Inc., founder Hideki Kamiya [Okami, Resident Evil 2, Wonderful 101], joined by Crystal Noda, the creator of the Noda Game series of party games, for a special joint session, where they’ll dive into the evolving role of technology and individuality in game development.
Capping off this round of announcements is Shibuya Scramble Stories, a newly unveiled narrative game by Jiro Ishii, best known for the live-action title 428: Shibuya Scramble, with BitSummit hosting the first look at the project as a world premiere.
Press registration is now open
Accredited media will receive full access to the venue and may use the MeetToMatch platform to schedule interviews with exhibitors. Applications can be submitted through the registration form linked below. The deadline to apply is July 7th, 2025.
For more information concerning business tickets and regular visitor passes, please visit the BitSummit Official website.
BitSummit The 13th takes place from Friday, July 18th to Sunday, July 20th 2025. All three days' operation hours are from 10:00 AM JST until 05:00 PM JST. BitSummit The 13th will broadcast from the main stage on both days, live on YouTube, Twitch, and TikTok in Japanese and English.
Additional information regarding participating titles, special guest speakers, streaming booths, influencers, and sponsors will be unveiled in the coming weeks. For more information, please visit the BitSummit Official website or follow BitSummit on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Press and influencers registrations are now open here until June 30th, 2025.
About BitSummit
BitSummit is an annual festival based in Kyoto, celebrating independent game developers and development in Japan. Founded in late 2012 to support, unify, and evangelize the vibrant and innovative Japanese independent game development scene to the world at large, BitSummit has established itself as Japan's premier independent gaming event, attracting thousands of visitors annually, as well as a notable, international media presence. BitSummit has been covered by every leading gaming website worldwide and featured in print publications such as Weekly Famitsu, Dengeki PlayStation, GamesTM, EDGE, and more. BitSummit has also been the focus of panel discussions at the Game Developers Conference, IndieCade, IndieCade East, and CEDEC. BitSummit continues to grow alongside the burgeoning Japanese independent development scene in its tenth year running.
BitSummit is organized by the Japan Independent Games Aggregate (JIGA): Q-Games Ltd, Skeleton Crew Studios, Pygmy Studio Co. Ltd., and BlackSheep.
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