March 13, 2026 (San Diego, CA) - Rice Games Inc, the independent studio behind the critically acclaimed JRPG Shujinkou, is proud to announce that it will sponsor BitSummit PUNCH 2026, marking the first event sponsorship in the company’s history.
Set to take place in Kyoto this May, BitSummit has become one of the most important stages for indie games in Japan, and this milestone carries special meaning for Rice Games as a still-very-small studio continuing to grow its reach internationally.
BitSummit Official Website - https://bitsummit.org/
At the event, Rice Games plans to introduce Shujinkou to a new wave of players while also offering an early look at a new, unannounced project currently in development. In addition, the studio is preparing a range of exclusive goods and merchandise tied to the Shujinkou franchise, with more details to be shared closer to the show.
Because Shujinkou has always been rooted in a deep appreciation for Japanese language and culture, Rice Games is aiming to make as much of its BitSummit presence as possible accessible in Japanese, including booth materials and playable content where feasible. The studio is also working toward support for Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese for select materials, goods, and playable content, though final language availability will depend on development progress and event readiness.
"We're ready for the PUNCH!" said Julian Rice, founder and director of Rice Games Inc.
- "I think we're probably the tiniest studio in the Bronze category, so being able to figure out a way to sponsor BitSummit (and for the first time!) feels surreal and super exciting. Shujinkou was created out of a love for JRPGs, Japanese language, and everything in between. Boothing at Kyoto, the heart of Japan, while also showing something new and sharing merchandise with fans in person, is going to be one of our biggest highlights this year."
Rice Games’ participation is especially notable given the company it now joins within BitSummit PUNCH’s current Bronze sponsor lineup, the same category as major companies such as Aniplex, Marvelous/XSeed Games, and Dentsu (電通). For a small independent developer, appearing in the same sponsor tier as recognized names currently listed on BitSummit’s site is an exciting step forward and a reflection of the studio’s long-term commitment to the Japanese market and to building Shujinkou into a broader franchise.
More details on Rice Games’ booth, event plans, merchandise, and language support will be announced at a later date.
About Rice Games Inc
Rice Games Inc is an independent game studio based in San Diego, California. The studio is best known for Shujinkou, a large-scale JRPG that blends classic dungeon-crawling, turn-based combat, and Japanese language learning into a single experience. Rice Games is currently expanding the Shujinkou franchise while developing other new projects for the future.
Official Website: https://www.ricegames.net/
Shujinkou on PS5 - https://store.playstation.com/en-us/product/UP6882-PPSA04625_00-SHUJINKOUGAMEPS5
Shujinkou on Nintendo Switch - https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/shujinkou-switch/
Shujinkou on Steam - https://store.steampowered.com/app/1386630/Shujinkou/
Director Interview: https://www.gamespark.jp/article/2024/12/08/147587.html