Sophie Smart

1. The Last of Us 2. Alexx Kidd 3. Animal Crossing New Horizons 4. Mickey Mania 5. Pokemon Yellow 6. Ghost of Tsushima 7. Divinity Original Sin 8. Planet Coaster 9. Kingdom Hearts

#my9games Well, since everyone else is, here are my top 9! :)

Tavern Talk Stories: Dreamwalker - A cozy visual novel A standalone prequel to the Kickstarter hit. Be the Tavernkeeper! Listen to stories, mix drinks, forge quests in a cozy seaside tavern.

📢It's the last day to back this coastal based, fantasy visual novel, Tavern Talk Stories: Dreamwalker on Kickstarter!

The team have worked so hard on this and it's a huge improvement on the games first in the series.

Please support this diverse team. Captain Beebug is so cute too!❤️🐝

A table with many cards and a small board game on it. The game is seven wonders duel. With a ginger cat with a tent, tunnel and marble run in the background.

Played a couple of rounds of 7 Wonders Duel over the weekend with my wife. Incredible 2 player board game. Going to grab the expansions when I can!

(Wife won both times 😅)

Also, please note the amount of toys we had to put out for the cats to stop them disturbing the game.

It's my birthday, lunar new year and pancake day all on the same day next week. 🎂🐉🥞

Super happy to be speaking at @londongamesfest.bsky.social 's first Self-Publishing Toolkit live sessions in April! 😀🌸

#LGF26 #indiedev #gamedev

Sitting within the big yellow cloud of 'Video Games Industry Professionals' ☺️

Working with Content Creators Tips for organic and paid coverage for indie teams

Just released the latest edition of Before You Launch, 🌸Blossom Arcade’s newsletter!

This month I focused on working with Content Creators. Something I've only picked up over the last couple of years, but learnt fast and have some tips for you if you’ve not worked with creators before 👍

#indiedev

We’re so excited to announce our Story-Rich Showcase!

Our official showcase runs during the Summer Game Showcase 2026 timeframe, dedicated entirely to story-rich indie games with first looks, reveals, trailers, release dates, and dev-led storytelling 💝

More details soon!
🚶storyrich.games

Oooh, 19th May. 👏 ❤️

Please give us a release date today 🙏🙏🙏🙏

So happy to see a Gazoo Racing car on the cover too. ❤️✌️

So excited to see Xbox getting straight to it with showing off Forza Horizon 6.

Honestly couldnt be more excited, I have over 1000 hours logged on FH5.

Ready for my new comfort game to launch and so excited its set in Japan! 🏎

There’s a guy on Facebook who hates the queer romance in Old Skies so much that he’s hopping on every recent thread related to the game to rant about it. Lesson learned. More queer stuff.

The developers of PEAK explain pricing

A computer, a glass of juice and a bowl of berries and yogurt and a book with the title Thunderhead are on a table with a fire in the background.

Enjoying lazy sunday mornings by the fire reading and writing. ✍️📖 Determined to finish editing my book this year.

A timeline visually representing the advice from my post, emphasising how dramatically and reliably having more time, with a testable build, converts to your game being better and your studio being safer.

I've been running an indie games studio for 15 years now, and it felt like a good time to boil down what I've learned into 4 pieces of advice:

www.pentadact.com/2026-01-08-1...

I hope it's of use, not least because goddamn I forgot how long blog posts take to write.

A big ginger cat lying on the floor in a sun ray.

Just providing my weekly Leo picture tax to you all. Here he is being a sun worshipper earlier this week. 🌞😻

Before You Launch Newsletter | Sophie Smart | Substack Practical guidance for self-publishing video games - from 🌸 Blossom Arcade. Click to read Before You Launch Newsletter, by Sophie Smart, a Substack publication. Launched a day ago.

Thanks to everyone who signed up for my new self-publishing newsletter 'Before You Launch'!

I've got a massive list of about 25 topics already that I want to cover, so I've got AT LEAST two years worth of publishing best practises and how-to's to share

If you've not subscribed yet, you can here:

A screenshot image of the newsletter on Substack

SURPRISE! Reposts hugely appreciated! ♥️

It's 2026 and I'm starting a Substack Newsletter!

Before You Launch 🎮
Practical guidance for self-publishing video games - from🌸Blossom Arcade

Read my first post about Best Practices for Steam Next Fest here: blossomarcade.substack.com/p/best-pract...

Subscribe to Before You Launch Practical guidance for self-publishing video games - from 🌸 Blossom Arcade. Click to read Before You Launch, by Sophie Smart, a Substack publication. Launched 24 minutes ago.

You can subscribe directly to get emails once a month with in depth looks into self-publishing topics here: blossomarcade.substack.com/subscribe?pa...

Game devs who are self-publishing upcoming or existing released titles, this one is for you! ✨

A screenshot image of the newsletter on Substack

SURPRISE! Reposts hugely appreciated! ♥️

It's 2026 and I'm starting a Substack Newsletter!

Before You Launch 🎮
Practical guidance for self-publishing video games - from🌸Blossom Arcade

Read my first post about Best Practices for Steam Next Fest here: blossomarcade.substack.com/p/best-pract...

I know right! Bought me a lot of joy this morning. :)

Picture out of a window at a street with a dusting of snow over the houses and cars as the sun is starting to rise.

First day back at the desk in 2026 and have a beautiful view. ❄️🌨

Had a fab time chatting to Link on the Red Tunic podcast today. Can't wait for you all to hear what we spoke about.

A lovely start to 2026. 😁👏

A top down picture of an eleborate cheese board with 4 types of cheese, caviar, fruits, nuts and crackers all arristically placed.

Seeing the year out with my beautiful wife who makes elite level cheese boards. 😋🧀

Picture of three books on a bed. The first book called Scythe, the second called Thunderhead and the third The Toll

Started reading this book series the day before yesterday that my wife got me for Christmas and am already part way through the second book. Honestly one of the best YA distopian series I've ever read. So excited to continue! #YAfiction #Scythe #NealShusterman

A big ginger cat sleeping on his green track and scratch pad toy.

Wow, lots of new followers overnight. Welcome all!

Please have a picture of my cat Leo after the excitement of new toys for Christmas yesterday.

Main content I post is game dev, publishing and cats.

🎮🐈🐈‍⬛️✌️

Picture of a big ginger cat sat on top of a large wrapped Christmas present.

Leo's ready for Christmas 😄🎄👏

🚨 The UK Video Games Industry Census closes 19 Dec.

Run by Ukie & Dr Mark Taylor, it’s the most comprehensive survey of the UK games workforce, exploring:
🔹 Industry mood & outlook
🔹 Layoffs, visas & training
🔹 Careers of women in games

Open to all UK games workers. Take part: zurl.co/yfMwu