What Seattle Indies does

Seattle Indies is a Seattle-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2011 as a chat group and officially incorporated in November 2016, dedicated to supporting independent game developers in the Pacific Northwest. The organization operates as an all-volunteer entity with no paid staff, governed by a board of directors led by President and Executive Director Tim Cullings. Its core offerings center on community programming: the flagship annual Seattle Indies Expo (SIX), which drew nearly 5,000 attendees in 2025; SLICE (Seattle Loves Indie Creators Expo), a conference launched in 2025 covering industry topics such as funding, marketing, and team-building; recurring game jams; the Playtest Club; weekly Indie Support Group co-working sessions; and a portfolio of regional social events across Seattle, Eastside, Pierce County, Kitsap, SnoCo, Southside, and Westside.

The organization maintains no proprietary technology stack; its platform layer consists of widely adopted community tools — Discord (primary hub), Meetup (event RSVPs), Eventbrite (SIX ticketing), Twitch (SIX Online streaming), Steam Curator and itch.io (game collections), Patreon (recurring donations), and software sponsorship from Google for Nonprofits, Slack, GitHub, and Zapier. Its go-to-market motion is community-led and event-driven, attracting members through Discord, Meetup, Facebook, and LinkedIn communities. Combined membership exceeds 22,000 across Discord (7,800+), Meetup (10,000+), and Facebook (4,400+), with 15-20 events hosted monthly.

Revenue is generated through diversified, low-dollar streams: monthly recurring Patreon donations, one-time contributions via PayPal/Zeffy/Donorbox, corporate sponsorships (Xbox, ArenaNet, Xsolla, Hooded Horse, Mega Crit, among others), a $6 SIX submission fee (which guarantees at least five pieces of juror feedback), and retail affiliate kickbacks. The primary customer segment is independent game developers in the Pacific Northwest (Washington, Oregon, Vancouver BC), with secondary segments including hobbyists, students, and game industry professionals who mentor and scout talent. Geographic restrictions limit SIX exhibiting games to studios in WA/OR/Vancouver BC, with up to five out-of-town games accepted annually.

Name

Seattle Indies

Legal name

Seattle Indies

Website

https://seattleindies.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Seattle Indies is a Seattle-based 501(c)(3) non-profit community organization that supports indie game developers in the Pacific Northwest through events, game jams, co-working, and the flagship annual SIX expo, serving a combined membership of 22,000+ across Discord, Meetup, and Facebook.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Indie Game Developer Community Services

NAICS

Spectator Sports (71121), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Amateur/Grassroots Esports Leagues & Community Tournaments (MPAFADAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Indie Game Studios (MPAFAAAC), Hybrid Conferences & Conventions (In-Person + Streamed) (MPAGAOAC)

Keywords

• Indie game community
• Game developer events
• Nonprofit community building
• Game jams workshops
• Expo industry networking

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Membership: Monthly recurring donations through Patreon and one-time donations via PayPal and Zeffy platform
2. Sponsorship: Corporate sponsorships from gaming industry companies including Xbox, ArenaNet, Xsolla, PlayEverWare, 4 Culture, Stoic Studio, Hooded Horse, Mega Crit, and others
3. Event Submission Fees: $6 submission fee for Seattle Indies Expo (SIX) applications, which includes juror feedback from industry veterans
4. Retail Partnerships: 50% donation back from Dave & Buster's Power Cards and 25% from Regal movie ticket bundles when purchased through Seattle Indies links

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Seattle Indies is a 501(c)(3) non-profit community organization that supports independent game developers in the Pacific Northwest through a portfolio of community events and services. Its core offerings include the annual Seattle Indies Expo (SIX), the SLICE industry conference, recurring game jams, bi-monthly Playtest Clubs, weekly co-working sessions (Indie Support Group), regional social events, and a monthly newsletter reaching 20,000+ subscribers. Most events are free to attend; the SIX expo carries a $6 submission fee that guarantees at least five pieces of juror feedback.

Product overview

Seattle Indies is a non-profit community organization offering a portfolio of events and services for independent game developers. The core offerings include SIX (Seattle Indies Expo), the annual one-day celebration of Pacific Northwest indie games; SLICE (Seattle Loves Indie Creators Expo), an industry-focused conference; regular game jams; playtest clubs; co-working sessions; and regional social events. The organization also publishes a monthly newsletter and maintains curator collections on Steam and itch.io. Seattle Indies operates as a 501(c)(3) non-profit supporting the largest community of independent game developers in the United States, providing essential community, professional development, and global market access.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SIX (Seattle Indies Expo): Annual one-day celebration of independent games and game creators from the Pacific Northwest, held during PAX West weekend. Features both in-person showcase and online streaming component.
• SLICE (Seattle Loves Indie Creators Expo)

Products and services

• SIX (Seattle Indies Expo) Annual one-day in-person and online streaming showcase of independent games made in the Pacific Northwest, featuring game showcases, industry feedback panels, and networking opportunities for indie developers. The event is held during PAX West weekend at Hilton Motif Seattle; games exhibited must be from studios located in Washington, Oregon, or Vancouver BC, with up to five out-of-town games accepted annually. Submission fee is $6 and guarantees at least five pieces of feedback from industry veterans.
• SLICE (Seattle Loves Indie Creators Expo) Game dev/industry focused conference featuring panels, microtalks, roundtables, and networking with industry professionals, covering topics such as funding, marketing, and team-building for game developers at all experience levels.
• Seattle Indies Game Jams Organized game jams including Global Game Jam partnerships, Climate Jam, Mobile Ad Game Jam, Alberta Slow Jam, and Jamming the Curve (with LabX/National Academy of Sciences), providing opportunities for developers to prototype small-scoped games and collaborate with the community.
• Seattle Indies Playtest Club Regular playtesting sessions held twice monthly at venues like Chuck's Hop Shop and Stoup Brewery, offering developers feedback from people outside the game development community.
• Indie Support Group (Co-working) Weekly in-person co-working sessions held at Academy of Interactive Entertainment (AIE) where indie developers can work alongside peers with access to workspace, wifi, and community support.
• Seattle Indies Newsletter Monthly newsletter featuring community updates, event announcements, developer spotlights, and industry news with a reach of 20,000+ people across all platforms.

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

AI capability2 records

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered featured sponsor, community partner, venue sponsor, community sponsor and software sponsor.

• Xbox (Microsoft)featured sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Major featured sponsor of Seattle Indies providing visibility and support for the indie game developer community. Xbox supports the community through sponsorship of events and programs.
• ArenaNetfeatured sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Featured sponsor supporting Seattle Indies events and the indie game development community in Seattle.
• Xsollafeatured sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Payment platform and gaming industry partner providing sponsorship support for Seattle Indies events.
• PlayEverWarefeatured sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Sponsor of Seattle Indies Expo and the Seattle Indies Holiday Party, supporting community events.
• 4 Culturefeatured sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Cultural funding organization providing annual grants to support Seattle Indies events including SIX.
• Stoic Studiofeatured sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Featured sponsor supporting the indie game developer community through Seattle Indies sponsorship.
• Perfect Day Productionsfeatured sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Mobile gaming company sponsor supporting Seattle Indies and the indie game development community.
• Hooded Horsefeatured sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Publisher of deep strategic and tactical games (Manor Lords, Against the Storm, Terra Invicta) supporting indie developers and Seattle Indies community.
• Mega Critfeatured sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Featured sponsor of Seattle Indies, creators of successful indie games including Slay the Spire.
• IndieCadecommunity partnerStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Indie gaming festival partner collaborating with Seattle Indies on Game Jams throughout the year.
• Academy of Interactive Entertainment (AIE)venue sponsorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026AIE generously hosts the weekly Indie Support Group event at their Seattle Center Armory location, providing venue and facilities.
• Niantic Labsvenue sponsorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Niantic hosts monthly Show & Tells at their Bellevue office, providing venue for game developer showcases.
• Pacific Science Centervenue sponsorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Hosts game jams at the Pacific Science Center, supporting indie game development community events.
• Stoup Brewingvenue sponsorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Capitol Hill location hosts monthly Westside Social events for the Seattle Indies community.
• Harebrained Schemescommunity sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Community sponsor supporting Seattle Indies, veteran indie game studio based in Seattle.
• Universe Sandboxcommunity sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Community sponsor supporting the indie game development community through Seattle Indies.
• Google for Nonprofitssoftware sponsorTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2026Provides Google workspace tools and services for nonprofits to support Seattle Indies operations.
• Slacksoftware sponsorTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2026Slack provides communication platform access for nonprofit organizations including Seattle Indies.
• GitHubsoftware sponsorTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2026GitHub provides free nonprofit organization accounts for open source development and collaboration.
• Zapiersoftware sponsorTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2026Provides automation tools for nonprofits to streamline Seattle Indies workflows.
• Seattle Online Broadcasters Association (SOBA)community partnerStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Streaming partners collaborating with Seattle Indies on event coverage and online showcases.
• LabX (National Academy of Sciences)community partnerStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Partners with Seattle Indies on Game Jams like Jamming the Curve, providing educational outreach.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• International Game Developers Association (IGDA): Global, member-based nonprofit organization serving game developers through chapters, advocacy, and networking. IGDA is the closest peer in structure (nonprofit, membership-driven, developer-focused) and mission, operating at a global vs. Seattle Indies' regional scale.
• IndieCade: International indie games festival and community organization that curates showcases and game jams. IndieCade partners with Seattle Indies on Game Jams and is comparable in mission (indie game community-building, showcases, and developer support).
• Global Game Jam: World's largest game jam network, hosting simultaneous in-person and online game creation events. Seattle Indies runs Global Game Jam sites and other jams, making Global Game Jam a direct peer in the grassroots indie community and jam-organization space.
• Day of the Devs: Free, public indie game showcase co-organized by iam8bit and Double Fine, featuring playable games from indie developers. Day of the Devs is a direct peer as a curated indie showcase event serving the same indie developer and gaming community audience.
• A MAZE. Berlin-based indie games festival and community organization running exhibitions, awards, and artistic games showcases. A MAZE. is a direct peer as a nonprofit/community-led indie games festival with comparable showcase, awards, and community programming.

Regional players

• BitSummit: Japan's leading indie game festival organized with community partners (including indie game developers). BitSummit is a regional peer — same indie showcase and community-building model, but serving the Japanese/Asian indie developer ecosystem rather than Pacific Northwest.
• Nordic Game Jam: Regional game jam community in Copenhagen that brings together indie and professional developers for intensive game creation events. Nordic Game Jam is a regional peer with comparable game-jam-driven community programming and indie developer support focus.

Broad incumbents

• PAX (Penny Arcade Expo): Major gaming convention circuit (PAX West, East, South, Aus, Unplugged) operated by Penny Arcade. SIX is timed to PAX West weekend; PAX is a broad incumbent — overlapping indie showcase and gaming community audience, but at much larger scale and as a commercial (not nonprofit) operator.
• Game Developers Conference (GDC): The largest annual professional game industry event, organized by Informa Tech, featuring summits, tutorials, and a major expo. GDC is a broad incumbent with overlapping industry-professional and indie developer audiences, including conference programming similar to Seattle Indies' SLICE.

Emerging players

• Wholesome Direct: Indie game digital showcase event featuring trailers and demos from a curated set of indie developers. Wholesome Direct is an emerging player in the indie showcase space, comparable to SIX as a curated indie developer showcase, but operates digitally rather than as a regional community.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/SeattleIndies
• YouTubetwitch.tv/SeattleIndies
• Facebookfacebook.com/groups/SeattleIndies
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/seattle-indies

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Seattle Indies