Indie Games
Ongoing coverage on Indie Games.
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Human: Fall Flat veterans launch new UK studio Pretty Cool Games
Veterans of Human: Fall Flat, Sitara Shefta and Will Dudley, have launched a new UK-based independent studio called Pretty Cool Games. The fully-remote outfit has secured financing from Hypergryph's investment arm, Coreblazer, for its debut project, a double-A, physics-based game focused on player expression.
Human: Fall Flat veterans launch new UK studio Pretty Cool Games with funding from Arknights developer Hypergraph
Human: Fall Flat veterans Sitara Shefta and Will Dudley have launched a new UK-based studio, Pretty Cool Games, with undisclosed funding from Arknights developer Hypergryph. The studio aims to build a sustainable and fair environment for employees, drawing inspiration from Nintendo, Hazelight, Disney theme parks, and The Pink Panther for its debut title. Pretty Cool Games is currently a team of four and plans to expand, with a focus on rewarding employees through share schemes.
Evening Reading - August 18, 2026
This edition of Evening Reading covers various gaming news, including NBA 2K27's new features like co-op MyCareer and the inclusion of female players. It also highlights the retirement of Warren Spector, the release of download codes for The Duskbloods Closed Network Test, and a review of Mortal Shell 2. The article also touches on indie game Servant of the Lake and mentions Kingdom Hearts 4 reveals.
ShackStream: Indie-licious Episode 210 - Servant of the Lake
This week's Indie-licious stream will feature Servant of the Lake, a point-and-click mystery adventure from Rusty Lake. Players will serve at the Vanderboom Estate, uncovering secrets and learning the family's history of dark alchemy. This is the third game in the Vanderboom Bloodline saga and can be bundled with Rusty Lake: Roots.
Interview: Mike Huguenor (Jeff Rosenstock) talks 'Surfing the Web With the Alien' video game — MP3s & NPCs
Musician Mike Huguenor discusses the creation of his retro side-scrolling game, 'Surfing the Web With the Alien: The Game,' inspired by the realities of touring. The game, set for release on Steam and Game Boy, aims to capture a DIY punk spirit. Huguenor also shares his thoughts on other games he enjoys and his desire to create music for a 'Silent Hill' title.
Inside the Rise of Cozy Horror Games
Cozy horror games blend atmospheric suspense and manageable dread with accessible gameplay and artistic presentation, creating a unique and inviting experience. Titles like Oxenfree, Little Nightmares, and Cult of the Lamb exemplify this trend, prioritizing mood and storytelling over constant threats. This subgenre's growing popularity, particularly among indie developers, suggests a broader player desire for horror that emphasizes ambience and narrative depth.
One Button Games 5-in-1 Vol. 8 Adds Five More Bite-Sized Challenges To Xbox And PC
One Button Games 5-in-1 Vol. 8 has been released for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows PC, featuring five new bite-sized challenges that utilize a single button for control. Developed by ABA Games and m1s3ry and published by Xitilon, the collection offers varied gameplay experiences such as a robot balloon-popping game, a fishing challenge, and a precision shooting game, all priced at £4.19.
WINGS really, really wants to fund your neat indie video game
WINGS, an investor focused on supporting women and gender-marginalized developers, has rebranded and announced new flexible financing pathways. The organization is soliciting pitches for projects with budgets of $500,000 or less, offering investment options such as white label publishing, self-publishing partnerships, and finishing funds. CEO Astrid Refstrup emphasized that WINGS invests for profit in games with commercial potential, aiming for long-term sustainability and success for developers.
The Best Games Under $10
This article highlights excellent games available for $10 or less, including several free-to-play options. It features titles like To The Moon, Portal 2, Vampire Survivors, and Half-Life 2, available on various platforms including PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch.
Someone Finally Made Another Game For People Who Miss Peggle
Hyperdrop, a new pachinko roguelite from developer Dark Dark Goose and publisher Devolver Digital, is set to release on PC. The game aims to capture the addictive gameplay loop of Peggle by featuring upgradable pegs and balls, physics-defying mechanics, and a neon-soaked aesthetic inspired by Geometry Wars. A demo is currently available on Steam as part of the Steam Pins and Pegs Fest.
The Hollywood disruptors making a large-scale game with a 12-person team – and no generative AI
Wolf Haus Games is developing a co-op cult simulator called Join Us with a small team of 12-13 developers, utilizing custom tools built in Unreal Engine. The studio, which has roots in the film industry, secured funding from Krafton and Lifelike Capital and is intentionally avoiding generative AI in its creative process, focusing on a human touch for game development.
Beastfolk Barber is an adorable hairdressing sim that offers up more than just shop talk
Beastfolk Barber is an upcoming simulation game where players manage a hair salon catering to beastfolk clients in Starfish City. The game features minigames for haircuts, a narrative involving client personal lives and social issues, and a demonic character with unique requests. The demo suggests a future release with engaging gameplay beyond simple styling.
Sraëka Lillian's one-a-week RPG "sketches" are a lovely series of experiments with hoary old conventions from Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest
Sraëka Lillian is releasing a series of "RPG sketches" on Itch.io, with each mini-RPG experiment developed in under a week. These sketches explore and deconstruct common conventions found in classic RPGs like Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest, offering insights into game design and the creative process.
PlayStation 5 Version of Fun 2023 Game Blocked by Sony for Weird Reason
Sony has blocked the PlayStation 5 version of the popular 2023 PC game Stonks-9800, according to developer Ternox Games. The developer claims Sony mistakenly identified their studio as a shovelware producer, leading to the cancellation of their PlayStation contract and the delisting of all their games from the PlayStation Store. The Xbox and Nintendo Switch versions of Stonks-9800 will still be released as planned.
Sally Face 10th anniversary gives us a teaser trailer for Sally Face 2, and it's delicious
To celebrate the 10th anniversary of Sally Face, creator Steve Gabry and his studio Portable Moose released a teaser trailer for the sequel, Sally Face 2. The trailer features older versions of characters Ashley and Todd, and a fragmented Sal, hinting at a darker narrative. Sally Face 2 is available to wishlist on Steam, but an official release date has not yet been announced.
This Solitaire game is so tiny it can load from a QR code, which is just what I need in the age of massive games and…
TinySol is a new solitaire game developed by Classic Bits that is so small, it can be loaded from a QR code. The 3-kilobyte MS-DOS game features simple black and white graphics and offers three-card Klondike Solitaire. The developer plans to release a version with a one-card draw mode in the future.
Riffs on GoldenEye 007, Star Fox and Kingdom Hearts, and other new indie games worth checking out
This week's indie game roundup highlights several titles inspired by the 1990s, alongside games featuring dogs, cats, and sheep. The article aims to showcase new indie releases worth checking out.
GTA 6 fans don't "go around buying nerdy niche" games, indie says, so fellow devs don't really need…
Indie developer Tomas Sala argues that the upcoming release of Grand Theft Auto 6 should not cause widespread fear among smaller game developers, as its primary audience likely does not overlap with niche genres. He suggests that players of Grand Theft Auto 6 are not typically interested in indie titles like sailing simulators or visual novels. Sala also points to data indicating infrequent game purchases among most players, implying that GTA 6's release may not significantly impact the sales of indie games.
"I don't see why people are scared of it" – ShipShaper developer Tomas Sala on why indies shouldn't be stressing about GTA6
ShipShaper developer Tomas Sala believes indie developers shouldn't fear the upcoming release of Grand Theft Auto 6, as its audience is distinct from that of niche indie titles. He argues that while the industry faces challenges, it is currently a golden age for indie creativity, and success can be found by focusing on specific niches and understanding market fit. Sala also discusses his own business-minded approach to game development, emphasizing the importance of financial stability for creative freedom.
Phasmophobia devs Kinetic Games mosey into publishing with a witchy delivery game, a parasitic Metroidvania, and more
Phasmophobia developer Kinetic Games is expanding into publishing, announcing several new titles. These include Crescent County, a magic-tech delivery game; Shellbound, a parasitic Metroidvania; Contact Protocol, a retrofuturistic spaceship security game; and Aether Wizard Life, a mage apprentice simulator. Kinetic Games also announced a partnership with Sam Barlow for his next game, featuring Brandon Cronenberg.
