Japanese-Swedish marketing agency Neon Noroshi is leveling up its mission to support personal, offbeat indie experiences by launching a brand-new publishing label: Yotsuba Interactive. Headed by Neon Noroshi founder and CEO Tomoko Miya, the label’s debut title, I Write Games Not Tragedies, will be unveiled next month at BitSummit: The 13th Summer of Yokai in Kyoto.
The name “Yotsuba,” meaning “four-leaf clover” in Japanese, reflects the studio’s mission to champion unique, soul-baring games that feel tailor-made for each player—“like stumbling on a lucky clover meant just for you,” as Miya puts it.
Introducing I Write Games Not Tragedies: A Visual Novel for the Elder Emo Soul
Slated for release in late 2025, I Write Games Not Tragedies is the debut title from Studio Wife and Commandog, two indie devs now based in the UK and Hong Kong after meeting in London. The title blends narrative-driven visual novel storytelling with rhythm gameplay, telling a messy, hilarious, and heartfelt story of self-discovery, regret, and the healing power of screaming your guts out to lyrics.
Players follow Ash through three life chapters: a “baby bat” phase in the late 2000s filled with eyeliner and cringe-worthy romances, the alcoholic struggles and emotional burnout of the 2010s, and finally his reflective “elder emo” years of the 2020s. Along the way, players will make choices, hit timed lyrics, and literally scream into their microphones to chase high scores in cathartic rhythm segments.
The title’s name is a loving riff on Panic! At The Disco’s I Write Sins Not Tragedies, and that same spirit of emo melodrama and awkward charm flows through every part of the game.
Publishing With Purpose
Since its founding in 2018, Neon Noroshi has built a reputation for helping indies find their voice, especially those self-publishing. However, as the indie scene scales toward bigger budgets and broader markets, Miya says many small studios are being left behind.
“Yotsuba Interactive is here to bring indies back to their roots,” she explains. “We’re focusing on games that reflect the small, lived experiences of real developers—games full of personal meaning, identity, and weirdness. That’s what players connect with.”
Neon Noroshi will continue operating as a separate marketing and PR agency, while Yotsuba focuses fully on publishing. I Write Games Not Tragedies will mark its official debut, with more titles expected in the near future.
