Happy Labor Day!

I hope you’re using the day to support workers (unionize!), enjoy the last, best part of summer, and/or snatch some deserved rest from the jaws of the relentless capitalist machine.

A great way to do all three is to kick back and hang out with fellow indie game creators and enthusiasts at one of our monthly socials!

The September edition of the NYC Indie Games Social is this Wednesday, 9/3, 7-10pm, on the rooftop of Tavern 29.

View event details and RSVP on Freevite: https://freevite.app/event/nyc-indie-games-september-2025-social

You might notice we’re not using Partiful this time. I wrote a bit on Bluesky and LinkedIn about my decision to abandon the platform and find alternatives. (TLDR: ties to Palantir and exploitative surveillance.)

Freevite is pleasingly bare-bones, perhaps overly so—I’ve also heard good things about the slicker-looking, more fully featured Luma, which I might also try out. We’ll see! But the great thing about this newsletter is that I’m not locked into any particular platform for audience reach, and as a subscriber you’ll still hear about new events no matter where I host them.

It’s worth noting that with the move from Partiful I do expect to see a dropoff in optional $1 donations, since their RSVP flow aggressively routed guests into paying. I was never thrilled about that part, but the few extra bucks toward a drink or subway ride were certainly welcome, especially in the lean months between adjunct teaching appointments. If you have the means and would like to chip in fully voluntarily, dark UX patterns not required, you can send a donation directly via PayPal or Venmo. It’s always very much appreciated.

But enough shilling. Just turning up and seeing folks at these socials is always a highlight of my month, and I hope it is for you too. Please share widely and invite friends! Can’t wait to see you.

Cheers,

Jess

NYC Indie Games: https://jesshaskins.com/nycindiegames

Sign up for event announcements: https://buttondown.email/nycindiegames

Support these free events with a tip: PayPal, Venmo