Going to AnimeFest/GameFest? Add These Visual Novel Events To Your Schedule!

This is, hands down, my favorite time of year. Not only does the weather cool down and the trees change color, but con season is beginning to wrap for the year. I’m hopeful that I can make Anime Weekend Atlanta in a few months if my schedule allows it. But one that near and dear to me that I will not be able to make is AnimeFest in Dallas, Texas. It is the home con for the minds behind SakeVisual and for the last few years has served as a meeting spot for some of the best minds in the English Visual Novel community. This year, the VN portion will technically be at the GameFest half of AnimeFest. However, if you are in the area, it is a great convention to spend some time at and learn more about this corner of gaming.

So, as a service to those who may go, here what you need to know about what you can do! And, please remember, all posted times are Central Time Zone unless otherwise stated. First and foremost is the ever popular Visual Novel Reading Room. This is served as a great starting point for those looking to get into the subgenre as well as a place for developers to show off their upcoming projects. All of the games you can play are listed right here and the following times are when you can visit the room:

• Friday, Aug 16: Noon – 8 pm
• Saturday, Aug 17: 10 am – 8 pm
• Sunday, Aug 18: 10 am – 8 pm
• Monday, Aug 19: 10 am – 1 pm

As a part of the changes at AnimeFest, this year ALL (you heard right) ALL GameFest panels will be livestreamed. If you’ve never seen any of the traditional visual novel panels live, this offers you a great chance to check them out for the first time from the comfort of your own home! And I think it would be good for all of us to not physically at GameFest to support the livestream and show the organizers there is a real audience out here for the content. You can find their Twitch page here and here is a schedule for all of the visual novel panels:

• Friday, August 16: 5 PM (6 PM EST) Let’s Make a VN!
• Sunday, August 18: 10 AM (11 AM EST) Not ALL H-Games: A Deeper Delve into VNs.
• Sundau, August 18: 12 PM (1 PM EST) Visual Novel Dev Q&A
• Sunday, August 18: 12 PM (1 PM EST) Intro to Visual Novels Programming Workshop
• Sunday, August 18: 2 PM (3 PM EST) Making Visual Novels for Beginners
• Sunday, August 18: 3 PM (4 PM EST) State of Ren’Py

And for those looking for just general interest gaming, you can get more information about the schedule here! I hope everyone stays safe, hydrated and have a great time at AnimeFest/GameFest!