The Indie Council Podcast

The Council has been running around recently, playing games, checking out PAX East, gearing up for a major indie showcase, and… I know there was something else important…oh yeah:This is Mike’s last episode of The Indie Council.(We love you, Mike!)

The Council has returned from a travel-filled March! Janet and Jill talk through their GDC experience, and we share the latest games we've been diving into.

The Indie Council is now in session ~ today's topic? Games that bring us comfort in hard times.

The Council is now in session, and today we're giving ourselves the challenge of making an indie game themed zoo! What'll be included? Listen to find out!

Happy New Year! The Council is back, setting up their indie game predictions for the year ahead!

The Council convenes for the final time in 2025 to share their top 10 indies of the year AND award teams the custom accolades created oh so many years ago!

The Indie Council is now in session! Today's topics include celebrating the indie game nominees for The Indie Game Awards and TGAs, as well as taking a look back at our bingo predictions for the year. Were we able to shout BINGO? Listen and find out!

A slower week for the Council as we brace for the final push before GOTY discussions. The big question: what are we playing and how do we determine what "counts" for Game of the Year talk? We also celebrate Nov 11th: the latest "indie wave" day where there is a veritable storm of indies launching all at the same time!

The Indie Council shows up to this week's episode ready to welcome Halloween. Indie games are uniquely suited for horror, but we also shout out games for the less spooky-minded, so everyone can enjoy this autumnal time of year.

The Council is back after a whirlwind kickoff to the Fall season. We talk PAX AUS, weddings, rest, and (of course): Steam NextFest! Whispers of GOTY picks begin, and the Council also starts to determine what they need to do to be ready for the big end of year discussions.

We were promised indies with an "s" in this iteration of PlayStation's State of Play, so we decided to check it out ~ we CAN confirm there were plural indies involved, so join us as we react to the show! Note: If you're listening to the audio-only version, there IS a video version via Spotify and YouTube!

After a busy ending of the summer season, The Indie Council gathers once again to talk about all of it. We highlight our favorites from the big gaming events and we swim through the tidal wave of games rushing out of the Six One Indie Showcase that just aired! Finally, we spend some quality time with all of you playing a game about games. Play with us: List 1, List 2, List 3.

A special episode! Grab a warm beverage and get cozy because this is a long one, folks. With all the Gamescom festivities, The Indie Council is sitting down to watch for the gems. We also discuss a few highlights of the event so far. Don't forget to stop by the Steam page after watching!

The full Indie Council is uniquely unified this week.We pick apart the Steam and Itch.io controversies, and every member has some choice words.Also, we all love a game that's been sadly flying under the radar: And Roger.Find The Podcast On:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/70IeWKJ... Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Follow everyone at:@[email protected]@[email protected]@theindiecouncil.comLinks for further reading and playing:Nintendo Indie World Showcase: https://www.nintendo.com/us/whatsnew/...August 7 Releases: https://the-indie-in-former.com/2025/...The chaos and confusion of Itch.io and Steam’s abrupt adult game ban: https://www.theverge.com/games/715299...The video game fight against Visa, Mastercard, and censorship is only getting messier: https://www.polygon.com/visa-masterca...Itch.io statement: https://itch.io/updates/update-on-nsf...VILE: Exhumed: https://www.sixoneindie.com/read/vile...Inside The Mass Call Campaign To Stop Video Game Censorship: https://aftermath.site/steam-itch-por...Mastercard insists it has not “required restrictions of any” game on Steam or Itch.io but Valve claims otherwise: https://www.eurogamer.net/mastercard-...Mastercard’s Statement: https://www.mastercard.com/us/en/news...Itch.io is seeking out new payment processors who are more comfortable with adult material: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/itch...Consume Me was not caught up in this: https://bsky.app/profile/qdork.bsky.s...Mouthwashing was not censored off Itch.io: https://bsky.app/profile/itch.io/post...Games We've Been Playing:And Roger: https://store.steampowered.com/app/33...PEAK: https://store.steampowered.com/app/35...Ninja Gaiden Ragebound: https://store.steampowered.com/app/25...Time Flies: https://store.steampowered.com/app/20...Lexicon: https://www.lexiconthegame.com/Woodo: https://store.steampowered.com/app/25...Is This Seat Taken: https://store.steampowered.com/app/30...The Royal Writ: https://store.steampowered.com/app/33...Artis Impact: https://store.steampowered.com/app/18...Tiny Bookshop: https://store.steampowered.com/app/21...This game will end in 205 clicks: https://store.steampowered.com/app/35...Advent NEON: https://store.steampowered.com/app/15...Ra Ra Boom: https://store.steampowered.com/app/23...00:00 Start02:56 Topic of the Show1:13:40 Games We've Been Playing

The Council is now in session, and today, we're talking AI and indie games! In addition to sharing our thoughts about the recent Alters statement and backlash, we discuss our wider understanding of how AI is currently being used, where we see it going, and how we feel about it as a whole. Link to full show notes: https://bit.ly/TheIndieCouncil-ShowNotes⁠

The full Indie Council dives into recent headlines for longer than even they expected. That is, before Mike can't go on any longer.Subnautica 2 team vs Krafton: https://www.gamesindustry.biz/krafton...Krafton/Subnautica 2 Lawsuit: https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-indust...Strange Scaffold Summer: https://bsky.app/profile/strangescaff...Dames4Games Summer Showcase:    / @dames4games   Everdeep Aurora: https://store.steampowered.com/app/22...Desktop Survivors 98: https://store.steampowered.com/app/33...Fretless: The Wrath of Riffson: https://store.steampowered.com/app/24...Worship: https://store.steampowered.com/app/15...Blue Prince: https://store.steampowered.com/app/15...Blue Prince Doesn't Have A Satisfying Ending, But That's The Point: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/blu...PEAK: https://store.steampowered.com/app/35...WAGON: https://store.steampowered.com/app/24...Slay the Spire: https://store.steampowered.com/app/64...Curiosmos: https://store.steampowered.com/app/25...Lost and Found Co.: https://store.steampowered.com/app/21...PancitoMerge: https://store.steampowered.com/app/36...and Roger: https://store.steampowered.com/app/33...00:00 Start1:36 Indie News: Subnautica 2/Krafton22:36 Strange Scaffold Summer34:23 Everdeep Aurora1:00:46 Mike Goes Flat1:24:54 Rapid Games We've Been Playing

We're back at it again, re-exploring what "indie" may actually mean! That, plus some last SGF, Rog Xbox Ally, and Silksong thoughts for this episode. Get ready: The Council is now in session!Follow everyone at:@[email protected]@[email protected]@theindiecouncil.comLinks for further reading and playing:Pew Pew Bang D&D:    • Pew Pew Bang Season 1 Finale - The DnD Epi...  Xbox Showcase: https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2025/06/0...REMATCH: https://store.steampowered.com/app/21...Toronto Games Week: https://torontogamesweek.com/Squeakross: Home Squeak Home: https://store.steampowered.com/app/28...Cast N Chill: https://store.steampowered.com/app/34...Town to City: https://store.steampowered.com/app/31...Strange Antiquities: https://store.steampowered.com/app/28...Mushroom Musume: https://store.steampowered.com/app/24...Deltarune: Chapters 3 & 4: https://store.steampowered.com/app/16...00:00 Start03:40 Xbox Showcase's Silksong Moment49:22 Is Rematch An Indie?1:12:45 Toronto Games Week1:28:09 Games We've Been Playing

Time for the official episode recounting and recapping SGF adventures ~ the Council is now in session!

A special episode on site at Summer Game Fest with Jill and Mike ~ The council is now in session as they talk all the latest news, hands-on experiences, and most memorable moments of the event!Find The Podcast On:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/70IeWKJ... Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Follow everyone at:@[email protected]@[email protected]@theindiecouncil.comLinks for further reading and playing:Toem 2: https://store.steampowered.com/app/29...Blighted: https://store.steampowered.com/app/29...Mixtape: https://store.steampowered.com/app/25...Lumines Arise: https://store.steampowered.com/app/23...Grave Seasons: https://store.steampowered.com/app/32...Crisol: Theater of Idols: https://store.steampowered.com/app/17...00:00 Start04:53 Toem 209:53 Blighted17:48 Mixtape23:29 Lumines Arise29:52 Grave Seasons35:09 Crisol: Theater of Idols

Jill has prepared for the Council a battle of wits, agility, and persistence: who will come out on top? Hope you all enjoy today's extra silly episode of The Indie Council! Find the show notes here: https://bit.ly/TheIndieCouncil-ShowNotes⁠Follow everyone at:@[email protected]@[email protected]@theindiecouncil.com

We recap our PAX East memories and best of shows, and get ready for the absolute DOOZY that will be SGF!Official show notes: https://bit.ly/TheIndieCouncil-ShowNotes⁠Find The Podcast On:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/70IeWKJBCSvtvDWH6JIBDZ Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-indie-council-podcast/id1700898215 Follow everyone at:@[email protected]@[email protected]@theindiecouncil.com

The Indie Council is now in session! Today, we're talking game genres. How useful are they as a tool, how many is too many, and why aren’t some taken seriously? Let's get into it!Official show notes: https://bit.ly/TheIndieCouncil-ShowNotes⁠Find The Podcast On:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/70IeWKJBCSvtvDWH6JIBDZ Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-indie-council-podcast/id1700898215 Follow everyone at:@[email protected]@[email protected]@theindiecouncil.com

The council takes some time today to go over the best indies of Q1, both according to Metacritic score as well as personal standouts! Let us know what your favorites have been so far in the comments. Follow everyone at:@[email protected]@[email protected]@theindiecouncil.com

The Council has convened to discussed the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct and it's indie features! What did we think? We also dive into BAFTA winners, Blue Prince hype, and what we've been playing.

The post-event energy is real in today’s episode of The Indie Council. We rally to share our experiences and the games that caught our eye across GDC’s various showcases, events, and talks. Of course, indies never stop so we have plenty of games we’ve been playing to shout from the rooftops as well.

A new member of The Council steps forward in this week's episode: Haley MacLean! She's ready to object to our bad indie takes and walk us through what a publishing agreement looks like in 2025. Then we make Jenny blush with our thoughts on Wanderstop.Find The Podcast On:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/70IeWKJ... Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Follow everyone at:@[email protected]@[email protected]@[email protected]

The Council convenes to talk all about the Steam Next Fest and the kick off to event season!Find The Podcast On:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/70IeWKJBCSvtvDWH6JIBDZ Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-indie-council-podcast/id1700898215 Follow everyone at:@[email protected]@[email protected]@theindiecouncil.com

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, The Council gathers to suggest some love-themed indies for all occasions. We've got games for falling in love, for getting spicy, for heartbreak, for crying your heart out, and some extra special titles for the sickos out there.Follow everyone at:@[email protected]@[email protected]@theindiecouncil.com

Today, The Council convenes to talk about the problem of indie game imitators before brightening up the conversation with a slew of fantastic titles we've been playing.

For our 50th council session (already?!) it's a doozy! We've got news of the Earthblade game cancelation and we also take time to answer some questions about best practices for media and press outreach.

Welcome back to a bright new year of indies! In this first episode of 2025, we get the train going off the rails. The Council weighs in on Award nominees and game news to kick things off. Then we plummet into an unhinged list of 2025 predictions for a nigh-unwinnable game of bingo. Follow everyone at: @miketowndrow.bsky.social @gameonysus.bsky.social @kimchica.bsky.social @theindieinformer.bsky.social @theindiecouncil.com

The final verdit for 2024 is here: what games made the official Indie Council top 10, and who will win our custom accolades (like The Kool-Aid Man award and May 9th Game of the Year)?

The Council shares their indie canon stories: the first games that got them into indies! Then, we get into what we think should be in every indie gamer's starter pack: the best of the best, the games everyone should consider playing, especially if they're wanting to get up to speed on indie game legacies and influence.

After a flurry of game show nominations and announcements, the Indie Council is now in session to chat about their personal 10/10, 7/10’s — games that’ve captured our hearts, even if they haven’t gotten perfect reviewed scores.

The sweet spiced scent of indies is in the air, let’s talk about our personal favorite season-inspired games from this year people should be playing to get the most out of fall! 00:00 Start 01:04 Indie News 34:15 Topic of the Show 1:06:03 Games We've Been Playing

Happy Halloween! The Council comes to you during the spookiest day of the year fully prepared. We couldn't possibly appear before you on this day without the most appropriate garb and bearing the most horrifying of tales. So, delight in our costumes as we break Mouthwashing down to its core. Follow everyone at: @miketowndrow.bsky.social @gameonysus.bsky.social @kimchica.bsky.social @theindieinformer.bsky.social @theindiecouncil.bsky.social 00:00 Start 03:13 Indie News 09:35 Mouthwashing Non-Spoilers 28:51 Mouthwashing Full Spoilers 1:00:14 Narrative Jump: The News 1:38:39 Back To The Beginning 2:06:03 The Ending

The Indie Council is now in session, and we've got to get our backlogs in order ahead of GOTY discussions! We chat about the games we still need to get through, as well as recommend titles we think you need to play before the year is out!

BOO! The Indie Council is in session and we bring Steam Next Fest tidings your way! With over 2700 demos available to try in just one week (ahh!), we'll help point you in the direction of a few early highlights and frontrunners. We also chat about releases Neva, Grunn, and Europa, among other indies we've checked out this week!

The full Indie Council is in session! It's time to go over indie news (more Palword speculation as well as a new Devolver announcement), and the council discusses a recent question posted on Twitter: what's YOUR preferred way to request (and distribute) keys?

The Indie Council is now in session! After a few weeks away, the council has reconvened to talk about PAX West highlights, Palworld litigation, and plenty of other industry news that's been keeping us on our toes. Official show notes: https://bit.ly/TheIndieCouncil-ShowNotes⁠ Follow everyone at: https://twitter.com/itsMikeTown https://twitter.com/Gameonysus https://twitter.com/kimchica25 https://twitter.com/Indie_Informer https://twitter.com/IndieCouncil_

The three Js of the council, left to their own devices, seize this chance to dive into a game they all can't stop playing - Fields of Mistria. Of course, the discussion isn't complete without a nod to the bevy of August 15 releases and the Wholesome Games Steam Celebration. Follow everyone at: ⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/itsMikeTown⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/Gameonysus⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/kimchica25⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/Indie_Informer⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/IndieCouncil_

Which indie games would make for good television? The Indie Council is in session and debating that in today's episode! Additional topics discussed: SAG-AFTRA Video Game Strike, indie game launch date announcement trends, Fantastic Fest 2024 - Austin, and more. Follow everyone at: ⁠⁠https://twitter.com/itsMikeTown⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://twitter.com/Gameonysus⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://twitter.com/kimchica25⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://twitter.com/Indie_Informer⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://twitter.com/IndieCouncil_

The Beacon of Light (aka Janet and Jenny) is taking over for this episode of the Indie Council! They delve into the Humble Games layoffs, how to best find indie games, and what they're currently playing. Enjoy!

Soar through the skies with the Indie Council as we try something new today: play a game while recording our podcast! Today, we're enjoying the recently released Flock as a part of the Council as we discuss the latest news, launches, and titles from the indie side of the industry. Follow everyone at: ⁠https://twitter.com/itsMikeTown⁠ ⁠https://twitter.com/Gameonysus⁠ ⁠https://twitter.com/kimchica25⁠ ⁠https://twitter.com/Indie_Informer⁠ ⁠https://twitter.com/IndieCouncil_

It's easy to get so excited looking at the amazing indie games ahead that we forget to look back at the experiences we could be having right now. So, The Council has convened to present cases for this year's games that deserve way more love. Be sure to check them out before next week and July 16's avalanche of indies crashes into us! Follow everyone at: https://twitter.com/itsMikeTown https://twitter.com/Gameonysus https://twitter.com/kimchica25 https://twitter.com/Indie_Informer https://twitter.com/IndieCouncil_

The Indie Council puts an umbrella in their summer of gaming drinks with discussions on Summer Game Fest, Summer Trips, and Steam Next Fest. The greatest hits of this party include Strange Scaffold, July 16 coming for you, and (as always) so many great indies to play. Follow everyone on Twitter at:   / itsmiketown / gameonysus / kimchica25 / indie_informer  / indiecouncil_

Showcases! Directs! Broadcasts, oh my! The Indie Council is at Summer Game Fest ready to distill their favorite demos, dish on the most notable announcements, and celebrate one of the busiest weeks of the year.

Need some indie recommendations for a road trip / sick day / while listening to this podcast? The Council recommends some of our fave indies in a variety of scenarios. We also talk through the recent IGN acquisition and it's potential ripples throughout the industry and how SGF is on the horizon. Official show notes: https://bit.ly/TheIndieCouncil-ShowNotes⁠ Follow everyone at: https://twitter.com/itsMikeTown https://twitter.com/Gameonysus https://twitter.com/kimchica25 https://twitter.com/Indie_Informer https://twitter.com/IndieCouncil_

A new member of The Indie Council has stepped out of the shadows! Giovanni Colantonio is here to endure a tell-all rapid-fire interview and sing the praises of Lorelei and the Laser Eyes. We also all reveal our mid-year top ten indies list and unleash our experiences playing the big May 9 games. It’s a fully packed show.

What are the gaming stigmas we're still holding onto as an industry (or as Indie Council members?) -- Janet, Jenny, Jill, and Mike explore gaming stigmas as well as the recent ID@Xbox Showcase and Tribeca line-up. Official show notes: https://bit.ly/TheIndieCouncil-ShowNotes⁠ Follow everyone at: https://twitter.com/itsMikeTown https://twitter.com/Gameonysus https://twitter.com/kimchica25 https://twitter.com/Indie_Informer https://twitter.com/IndieCouncil_