inKonbini: One Store, Many Stories, the debut game from developer Nagai Industries, has announced that the Prologue demo will be made available for the game on Steam starting on May 1st. It will be featured as part of LudoNarraCon 2025, an indie event organized by Citizen Sleeper 2 publisher Fellow Traveller.
The demo will feature the opening to the game, in which the protagonist Makoto starts her first night shift at the titular konbini, known as the Honki-Ponki Convenience Store. Players will be able to take their time taking in this environment and store, as the game hopes to offer qualities players expect from cozy sim games. The demo will also showcase the philosophy of ichi-go ichi-e, a Japanese philosophy that all encounters are “unique and unrepeatable,” which plays a significant role through the narrative.
inKonbini is set in the 90s at a convenience store away from the hustle and bustle of the big city. In this quiet existence, players take the role of Makoto, a young woman who will manage the day-to-day operations of the store. Players will order the product, stock shelves, and interact with regulars as they settle into their quiet life.
Nagai Industry stated as part of their official announcement on Steam:
Needless to say, releasing this demo is a big milestone for us at Nagai Industries. While we’ve had the joy of watching players interact with inKONBINI at various offline events, bringing it to a global audience through a digital demo is both incredibly exciting, and honestly, a little terrifying.
This marks the very first time we’re letting the game speak entirely for itself, inviting you to immerse in its cozy world that we have crafted with care, love and passion. We’ve seen your anticipation for the game, and we’ve worked hard to ensure this demo delivers a polished, fine-tuned experience.
The inKonbini demo will be available for a limited time, starting on May 1st, running through to May 8th. If you are interested in the game or just want to try it, this will make a perfect opportunity to do so, with no official release date as of yet.
inKonbini: One Store, Many Stories is slated for a 2025 release date. It will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
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