CESA appointed game streamer Pocky (@Pocky_Sweets) as the Official Indie Game Ambassador for Tokyo Game Show 2026 (hereafter, TGS2026) for the fifth consecutive year.
Additionally, CESA selected eight finalist titles to present at the indie game developer presentation event, Sense of Wonder Night 2026 (hereafter, SOWN2026).
Pocky Named Official Indie Game Ambassador for 5th Consecutive Year! Also Serves as SOWN2026 Judge
Pocky (@Pocky_Sweets), active primarily as a game streamer, has been appointed as TGS2026's Official Indie Game Ambassador for the fifth consecutive year!
In addition to serving as a judge for SOWN, he will announce the Pocky Award during the event and publish Let's Play videos featuring the winning titles.
Pocky Releases Appointment Comment! Delivering the Appeal of Indie Games for a 5th Year
Pocky released a statement upon his appointment as Official Indie Game Ambassador.
Appointment Statement
This year again, I have been appointed as TGS Official Indie Game Ambassador.
I'm Pocky!
The world of indie games is getting more and more exciting year after year.
I'm so thrilled right now to see what kind of new games I'll encounter this year!
I'll do my best to bring lots of appealing games to everyone!
(Translated from Japanese)
SOWN2026 Finalists Selected! SELECTED INDIE 80 Excellence Awards Winners and Sponsors Announced
The 8 finalist titles presenting at SOWN2026, the indie game developer presentation event held on Day 1 of TGS2026 Business Days, have been chosen.
In addition, sponsor companies supporting indie game projects such as SELECTED INDIE 80—aimed at providing a platform for indie developers while contributing to the global games industry's growth—were also announced!
SELECTED INDIE 80 Excellence Awards Winners Announced! Which 8 Titles Were Selected?
From among the titles selected for the SELECTED INDIE 80 showcase, the following 8 titles were chosen for the SELECTED INDIE 80 Excellence Awards, a new award evaluating creativity and polish from multifaceted angles!
| Exhibitor Name | Title | Country / Region | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Platinum Award | Lidrox | Finding Polka | Japan |
| Gold Award | Takahiro Miyazawa | Face UFO | Japan |
| Gold Award | Wataru Ishizaki | Adap+ation | Japan |
| Gold Award | Studio ZeF | No door can Not be opened with a Non-black key | Japan |
| Gold Award | Yareta | YARETA | Taiwan |
| Gold Award | Valentin Wirth | Become | Czech Republic |
| Gold Award | INTERSCAPE | INTERSCAPE | Republic of Korea |
| Gold Award | Hugecalf Studios | STUCK TOGETHER | United Kingdom |
The award ceremony for this accolade will be held during International Party + Indie Night on Day 2 of Business Days, Friday, September 18, 2026!
SOWN2026 8 Finalist Titles Announced! Presentations to Take Place on Day 1 of Business Days
SOWN is a contest project aimed at discovering indie game developers with ideas that evoke a sense of wonder—a feeling where the moment you see or hear the concept, your worldview shifts.
Marking its 19th year in 2026, SOWN selected 8 final titles out of 151 entries!
| Exhibitor Name | Title | Country / Region |
|---|---|---|
| Takahiro Miyazawa | Face UFO | Japan |
| Team Gehanashi | ANRI | Japan |
| P.F.J | UNKNOT! | China |
| Software Control | Flip Panic! | Japan |
| Straight Banana | Selfie Worm | Taiwan |
| Easy Fox | Teach My Little Sister How to Drive | Republic of Korea |
| Valentin Wirth | Become | Czech Republic |
| Room 127 | LEGACY CODE | Japan |
The 8 selected finalists will deliver their presentations on Day 1 of Business Days, Thursday, September 17, 2026.
SELECTED INDIE 80 Official Website NOW OPEN! 79 Titles Published Domestic and Overseas
The official SELECTED INDIE 80 website, enabling indie game developers to exhibit at TGS2026's Indie Game Area free of charge, opened on Monday, August 10, 2026.
79 titles (29 domestic, 50 overseas) selected from 1,513 applications are now published.
SELECTED INDIE 80 Demo Events and Illustration Challenge Corner! Free Distribution of Official Guidebook
Here is information regarding projects associated with SELECTED INDIE 80.
Hands-On Event: SELECTED INDIE 80 Card Collection
Each SELECTED INDIE 80 booth will feature SI80 Cards introducing its respective title.
Visitors who try out a demo will receive one SI80 Card per title played!
Collecting cards allows entry into a no-lose raffle drawing held at a special booth.
INDIE GUIDEBOOK IN TGS2026
Free distribution of official guidebooks introducing TGS2026's Indie Game Area will be available!
It features introductions for Indie Game Area and SELECTED INDIE 80 exhibitors, as well as interview articles with indie game developers.
- Distribution Points: Hall 9 Indie Game Area, Hall 2F Esplanade, etc.
Indie Game Illustration Challenge
An Illustration Challenge Corner set up next to the SELECTED INDIE 80 area.
Draw illustrations using the paint app, CLIP STUDIO PAINT, widely used in indie game visual production!
Drawings will be printed onto postcards as gifts.
- Location: Organizer Booth, Hall 10 2F Esplanade
2nd Phase of Sponsor Companies Announced for Indie Game Projects! 12 Companies Total Including Nintendo and Kodansha
12 new companies have been confirmed as sponsors supporting indie game developers through SELECTED INDIE 80 and related initiatives.
Platinum Sponsors
- Nintendo
- Kodansha
Gold Sponsors
- PLAYISM
Silver Sponsors
- iGi indie Game incubator
- CLIP STUDIO PAINT
- Toei
Bronze Sponsors
- CRI Middleware
- Amakusa City
- Square Enix
Equipment Sponsors
- Ask Corporation
- Aurin
- WIT ONE
TGS 2026 Kicks Off September 17! Admission Tickets On Sale Now
At TGS 2026, you can enjoy various game exhibits alongside indie game projects featuring Pocky as official ambassador.
Admission tickets can be purchased on the official TGS 2026 website!
Check official TGS 2026 X (@tokyo_game_show) for the latest updates!
| Event Overview | |
|---|---|
| Name | Tokyo Game Show 2026 (TOKYO GAME SHOW 2026) |
| Dates | Thursday, September 17 & Friday, September 18, 2026 Business Days 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM Saturday, September 19, Sunday, September 20 & Monday, September 21, 2026 Public Days 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM (Closes at 4:00 PM on final day only) |
| Venue | Makuhari Messe, TKP Tokyo Bay Makuhari Hall |