PixelJunk Eden's Baiyon: 'Good For An Indie Game' Not Good Enough

Author: by Staff

As part of a feature-length Gamasutra roundtable interview, Kyoto-based artist, musician, and developer Baiyon discusses the view of indie games from within Japan. "Saying a game is good 'for an indie game' isn't high praise," he says. That's not the kind of compliment I'd like to receive," says Baiyon, who contributed art and music to popular Q-Games developed PlayStation Network download title PixelJunk Eden. He is collaborating with the developer further on the upcoming PixelJunk Lifelike. "It's like saying we should play indie games because it's charitable, not because it's a worthwhile endeavor in and of itself. To be looked down on in that way isn't much of an accomplishment," he continues. These statements came in response to discussions of indie-centric events occurring in Japan. Baiyon seems to want to engage with a wider world than some of his contemporaries. "I find I speak the same language as people who view the industry from an outsiders' perspective," says Baiyon. "In speaking with game designers like this, I increasingly come to the conclusion that it's vital to be involved in activities... that feel like they're derived from somewhere outside of the industry. This doesn't seem to be a popular opinion." The full interview, which also contains the thoughts of La-Mulana developer Takumi Naramura and Sony's Tatsuya Suzuki, who has worked on the Echochrome games, is live now on Gamasutra.