Indie Games
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Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 wins Best Game at the BIG Festival Awards at Gamescom Latam
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 won Best Game at the BIG Festival Awards held at Gamescom Latam in São Paulo, Brazil. The indie title from Sandfall Interactive also secured the award for Best Audio. The event recognized various categories, including Best Art, Best Narrative, and Best Gameplay, with other notable winners like A Rat’s Quest – The Way Back Home and A.I.L.A.
The new PC games of May 2026: Forza, 007 First Light, and early access games galore
May 2026 is set to bring a variety of new PC game releases, including major titles like Forza Horizon 6 and 007 First Light, alongside numerous early access titles. Notable early access games include Dead as Disco, Paralives, and Shift at Midnight. The month also features significant updates for live service games such as Phasmophobia and Path of Exile 2.
Alas, you and I will never look and sound as good as Rebounder
Rebounder, a precision platformer from ATOMIK devs Thirtythree Games, is now available for playtesting via Steam. The game features a unique pulp-print art style inspired by 19th-century printing techniques and Kaizo ROM hacks, casting players as a 2D astronaut who uses explosive alien spores for movement. The developers describe the levels as short, secret-filled, and featuring elements like sliding elevators and hallucinogenic milk.
Spelhelgen är extra lång – och extra bra!
Several individuals share their gaming plans for an extended weekend, with a focus on titles from Square Enix and Swedish indie developers. Games mentioned include Half-Life: Alyx, Final Fantasy IX and X, Chrono Trigger, Core Keeper, and Next of Kin, alongside Diablo 4 and Syndicate.
Review: HoloVillage: Our Cozy Days Is a Bug-ridden Holo Indie
HoloVillage: Our Cozy Days, a life simulation game based on Hololive Vtubers, is criticized for its numerous bugs and lack of quality-of-life features, making it feel like an unfinished early access title. Despite cute character designs and decorating options, the game suffers from technical issues, clunky mechanics, and shallow interactions with the virtual YouTubers, hindering an otherwise potentially charming experience.
Steam's Viet Indie Week Puts Over 100 Southeast Asian Games in the Spotlight | HappyGamer
Steam is hosting Viet Indie Week, an event showcasing over 100 games from Vietnam and Southeast Asia from April 28th to May 5th. The initiative aims to provide greater visibility for indie developers in the region, highlighting titles like Just A Shadow Game, Grim Trials, and TCG Card Shop Simulator. This event underscores the growing global nature of game development and the increasing demand for diverse perspectives in gaming.
Subnautica 2 pulls a Hollow Knight Silksong, shoves one of Steam's most-wishlisted games out of its original release date: "We need to dodge the Leviathan"
Subnautica 2's early access release date of May 14 has forced the indie survival game Outbound to shift its own launch to May 11 on Steam and Xbox to avoid direct competition. Outbound, which was previously the 13th most-wishlisted game on Steam, will still launch on PS5 and Nintendo Switch on May 14, as Subnautica 2 is not yet confirmed for those platforms until its 1.0 release.
Here's the top Steam Deck games for April 2026
The top games on Steam Deck for April 2026 include Slay the Spire 2 and Vampire Crawlers, alongside other popular titles like Stardew Valley and Baldur's Gate 3. Several newly released games also made the list, such as RACCOIN: Coin Pusher Roguelike and PRAGMATA. The article also notes that the Steam Deck continues to be frequently out of stock.
WE SMASHED IT!! Total pageviews 100 million on IndieRetroNews!
IndieRetroNews has surpassed 100 million pageviews, a significant milestone for an indie and retro gaming focused website. The site attributes its success to its readers, Patreon supporters, and Twitch and YouTube content creators, highlighting its global reach with readers from numerous countries.
Forbidden Solitaire Turns Classic Cards Into Horror Nightmare | HappyGamer
Night Signal Entertainment has developed Forbidden Solitaire, a horror game that weaponizes the classic card game mechanics. Set in 1995, the game uses card play as an investigation tool to uncover a disturbing mystery from a cryptic CD-ROM. The developers are focusing on atmosphere and psychological horror, initially releasing the experimental concept on itch.io.
BitSummit Updates! Announcing the Official Game Selection, Special Events and More!
The BitSummit Executive Committee has announced the official game selection for BitSummit PUNCH 2026, along with the venue map and special events. The festival, which celebrates Japan's largest indie game event, will feature MCs Ai Yokomachi and J-mon. The official selection page will be updated periodically.
Three Indie Games Take Center Stage in Weekly Dev Showcase | HappyGamer
This article highlights three indie games—Edge of Evil, Theralite, and Trip to the Core—featured in a recent developer showcase. These community-driven events are crucial for indie developers to gain visibility amidst the crowded market of PC and Steam releases. Such showcases help aggregate discovery and provide valuable exposure that isolated social media posts often fail to achieve.
GOG bring Polish history to the Preservation Program along with a big sale
GOG has expanded its Preservation Program by adding several classic Polish games, including multiple versions of Robbo, Electro Man, Heartlight, Citadel Remonstered, and the MaSzyna train simulator. Most of these titles are available for free, with Robbo Millennium being a paid purchase. A Polish-themed sale and a video interview are also featured.
Housemarque's Saros Directors: Our Greatest Influence Is Ourselves | HappyGamer
Housemarque directors revealed that their primary creative influence is the studio itself, rather than external games. This self-referential approach has defined their past successes with titles like Returnal and Resogun. While some question if this strategy is universally applicable, Housemarque's long history and technical mastery suggest their upcoming game, Saros, will continue this unique path.
MagiClean Launches on Steam With Magical Cleanup Fun and 37% Discount | HappyGamer
MagiClean has launched on Steam, offering a magical twist on cleaning simulation. Players cast spells to clean messes in a mystical Magic School, upgrade tools, brew potions for passive income, and collect mystical animals from booster packs. The game is currently available with a 37% launch discount.
Fragments In Situ Brings Psychological Horror to Steam's Escape Room Scene | HappyGamer
Fragments In Situ, a psychological horror escape room game from EIS Games, has launched on PC via Steam. The title challenges players to solve puzzles and steal objects while questioning the nature of reality and the puzzles themselves. EIS Games plans ongoing development with player feedback, a common approach for indie studios seeking visibility on Steam.
Indie Game Mayor May Knott Hits Release Candidate After Major Bug Fixes | HappyGamer
The indie game Mayor May Knott has reached Release Candidate 1.0, indicating it is nearing its official launch on PC. This milestone follows significant bug fixes, including issues with camera clipping, character getting stuck on the UFO ramp, and a soft lock bug related to player requests. The developer is confident this build will be the final version unless major problems arise, with additional quality-of-life improvements and visual upgrades also implemented.
Indie Dev Scores Dream Coverage from Japanese Gaming Press | HappyGamer
The indie game Mayor May Knott has achieved significant organic coverage from major Japanese gaming outlets, a dream scenario for its developer. This breakthrough was driven by community support on social media, highlighting the power of genuine connections in modern game marketing. The article also briefly mentions updates for a tactical auto-battler and a trailer for The Dragon and the Sword.
10 Indie Games Launch This Week With Horror Farming and Sci-Fi Mysteries | HappyGamer
This week sees the release of ten new indie games across various genres, including horror farming simulators, sci-fi detective adventures, and time-traveling strategy titles. Destiny 2 also introduces a new community challenge with an additional reward. The article highlights the creative risks and genre-blending common in the indie development scene.
BitSummit Punch 2026 Reveals Official Game Selection and Event Details
The BitSummit Executive Committee has announced the official game selection for BitSummit Punch 2026, an indie game festival held in Kyoto. The event will feature a diverse lineup of titles from Japan and around the world, including Antonblast, Inkonbini, and Finding Polka. The venue map and special events page are now live, and Ai Yokomachi and J-mon will return as MCs.
