The Exit 8 dev is looking for real ads to add realistic vibes to the game’s sequel 

On February 21, Japanese indie developer Kotake Create began accepting submissions for guest advertisements to appear in the upcoming sequel to hit Steam game The Exit 8. The call is open until March 31, 2024. 

The Exit 8 is a short walking simulator currently available on PC (Steam). You are trapped in the underground passages of a Japanese subway station and must escape by reaching exit 8. Walking around the endlessly looping passageway, the player must look out for anomalies. The rules are simple: if you find an anomaly, you must turn back. If there are no anomalies, you can proceed. If you make a mistake, your progress towards the exit will be reset.  

The Exit 8’s simple but engaging concept led to it quickly gaining popularity, selling over 30,000 copies in the first 24 hours and spawning many anomaly-hunting copycat games. In the meantime, Kotake Create has been working on a sequel to the hit game. As revealed in an interview with Gamemakers, it seems the gameplay will be similar to The Exit 8, but the setting will be different. Last December, the developer announced that he would be looking for real-life companies and individuals who would like to place advertisements in the game, and now the call for submissions is officially open. 

The Exit 8 features fictional advertisements on the passageway walls, some of which end up having anomalies that the player must spot. It seems that Kotake Create might use a similar idea in the sequel but with advertisements from real-life companies and entities. However, the aim is not to generate revenue but to improve the quality of the adverts in the game and to reduce the cost of creating them. Therefore, companies and individuals can apply to put their ad in the game free of charge. 

To apply, applicants must create an advertisement image in a specified size. The instructions on the Google form state that advertisements that fit the game’s atmosphere will be chosen. “Ads that would not look out of place in a public space” and “ads that could be used to create anomalies” are likely to be selected. Advertisements containing generative AI elements and those created with non-redistributable free templates or copyrighted materials are prohibited, as is adult content. Submitters of chosen advertisements will receive a Steam Key for the sequel and will be credited in the game. 

The call for submissions is open until March 31. The application period may end early if the developer receives enough qualifying entries before then. More information, including image file size requirements can be found in the entry form (in Japanese).  

Regarding the sequel’s release date, Kotake Create commented on February 14 that “It’s almost ready for play testing, so it will take a while for it to be released.” 

The Exit 8 is available for the PC (Steam). 

Written by. Verity Townsend based on the original Japanese article (original article’s publication date: 2024-02-21 20:26 JST)