30 Most Anticipated Indie Games of 2026
Indie gamers rejoice! 2026 is shaping up to be another huge year for new releases.
Kate Hunter
co-host of indie video game podcast No Small Games
Emily Merritt
co-host of indie video game podcast No Small Games
The pace of incredible indie game releases seems to be accelerating year over year, and 2026 is coming in hot! It was quite a bit of work to narrow down our list of most anticipated games to only 30. You’ll notice that quite a few of these games are slated to come out in the first half of the year, too. There’s no telling how much wilder the pace of releases will get as the year progresses. We’re excited to be along for the ride!
1. Well Dweller
Release Date: 2026
Developed by: Kyle Thompson
Published by: Kyle Thompson, Top Hat Studios, Inc.
Well Dweller Steam Page
Kyle Thompson is back with another metroidvania (this time with a dark fairy tale vibe) that will no doubt hit every mark. His style is so specific and on point, and after experiencing Crypt Custodian… I’ll play whatever he’s got cooking.
-Kate
2. Over the Hill
Release Date: 2026
Developed by: Funselektor Labs Inc., Strelka Games
Published by: Funselektor Labs Inc.
Over the Hill Steam Page
I don’t just want to be an offroad vehicle with 4-wheel drive exploring beautifully rugged landscapes with my friends, I NEED to be an offroad vehicle with 4-wheel drive exploring beautifully rugged landscapes with my friends.
-Emily
3. Mitch
Release Date: 2026
Developed by: ygretz, upsideyonder
Published by: ygretz
Mitch Steam Page
Help Mitch settle into her home on a new planet in this story driven point and click! This game has an unforgettable art style and I really love some slice of life vibes. Developer ygretz’s previous game (Margo) is currently free on steam and you can play it now!
-Kate
4. Building Relationships
Release Date: Q1 2026
Developed by: Tan Ant Games, Tanat Boozayaangool
Published by: Tan Ant Games
Building Relationships Steam Page
Regardless of whether you’re an indie game dev yourself, Tanat Boozayaangool, the developer behind Building Relationships, is an inspiration for their dedication, authenticity, and creativity. I feel confident that Building Relationships will bring us the exact kind of unhinged and heartfelt chaos that we need in 2026.
-Emily
5. Besmirch
Release Date: May 11, 2026
Developed by: Gangru Games
Published by: 2 Left Thumbs
Besmirch Steam Page
Stardew-style farming and pixel art but make it tense, uncanny, and slap on a limited color palette. I’m so in.
-Kate
6. ROCKBEASTS
Release Date: TBA
Developed by: Lichthund
Published by: Team17
ROCKBEASTS Steam Page
BoJack Horseman meets Behind the Music. Enough said. I’ve never wanted to be a washed up band manager from the 90s before in my life.
-Emily
7. Virtue and a Sledgehammer
Release Date: 2026
Developed by: Deconstructeam, Selkie Harbour
Published by: Devolver Digital
Virtue and a Sledgehammer Steam Page
I’m not sure what I’m signing up for when it comes to Virtue and a Sledgehammer, but I know it will be unforgettable! Deconstructeam and Selkie Harbour are honestly the dream team, and they’re at it again with the thick vibes and mind altering experiences.
-Kate
8. Dosa Divas
Release Date: 2026
Developed by: Outerloop Games
Published by: Outerloop Games, Outersloth
Dosa Divas Steam Page
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I will play anything that Outerloop Games serves up. The developers who brought us Thirsty Suitors are cooking up a turn-based RPG about community, culture, and food!
-Emily
9. Music Power Up
Release Date: 2026
Developed by: microStudio
Published by: microStudio
Music Power Up Steam Page
As I said last year, this game will allow you to create your own original sounds, or use pre-composed tracks while you play as a musician and audio producer for video games! (AKA Kate’s dream job simulator.)
-Kate
10. Big Walk
Release Date: 2026
Developed by: House House
Published by: Panic
Big Walk Steam Page
Big Walk is coming fresh off the heels of the year that brought us the term “friend slop,” but this open world co-op game is anything but hastily constructed. House House has been working on this next title for several years now, and I’m looking forward to exploring and puzzling through their highly polished landscapes together with my pals.
-Emily
11. Tenebris Somnia
Release Date: 2026
Developed by: Andrés Borghi, Saibot Studios
Published by: New Blood Interactive
Tenebris Somnia Steam Page
Shifting between pixel art and live action cut scenes created by an experienced team of filmmakers, this is a survival horror game that will terrify you in ways that you’ll never see coming. Tenebris Somnia has the potential to redefine the way we experience the horror genre.
-Kate
12. Slay the Spire 2
Release Date: March 2026
Developed by: Mega Crit
Published by: Mega Crit
Slay the Spire 2 Steam Page
Slay. The. Spire. 2. Need I say more?
-Emily
13. The Wide Open Sky is Running out of Catfish
Release Date: March 2026
Developed by: ZIPIT! Games
Published by: ZIPIT! Games
The Wide Open Sky is Running out of Catfish Steam Page
All my life, I’ve wanted to ride on a giant fish while I take pictures of other fish!
-Kate
14. Blue Ridge Hunting
Release Date: 2026
Developed by: Jade Meadows
Published by: Six One Publishing
Blue Ridge Hunting Steam Page
I LOVE tales of the paranormal and otherworldly cryptids, and there’s no location more fascinating to me than Appalachia. This game is going to bring my cryptid-searching dreams to life and, best of all, let me gather up a group of my friends to hunt down the scariest of them!
-Emily
15. Nocturne
Release Date: Jun 30, 2026
Developed by: Pracy Studios
Published by: Pracy Studios
Nocturne Steam Page
Emily and I loved this demo at PAX East 2025! The music and rhythm game mechanics are so tight, and I know lovers of classic RPGs are really going to enjoy this one.
-Kate
16. inKONBINI: One Store. Many Stories
Release Date: 2026
Developed by: Nagai Industries
Published by: Nagai Industries, Beep Japan Inc.
inKONBINI: One Store. Many Stories Steam Page
If you enjoy the gameplay of titles like Supermarket Simulator but you need a little bit more in the way of narrative, inKONBINI is going to be the game for you. Play as college student Makoto Hayakawa as she helps run her aunt’s convenience store. Get to know the usual customers, while Makoto figures out what she wants her own future to look like.
-Emily
17. Truckful
Release Date: 2026
Developed by: MythicOwl
Published by: MythicOwl, Pocketpair Publishing
Truckful Steam Page
It’s kind of like Jenga but also like Dredge? Except you’re driving a truck. What’s not to love?! The mysterious automotive enemy I experienced in the demo has me sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for this game to drop! Vroom vroom, babes.
-Kate
18. The Remake of the End of the Greatest RPG of All Time
Release Date: Q1 2026
Developed by: Coin Drop Games, Lucas Immanuel, Jacob Dominick, Kyle Chuang
Published by: Glootschke Games
The Remake of the End of the Greatest RPG of All Time Steam Page
Close your eyes and bring yourself back to the year 1998. You just got home from Blockbuster with a newly rented game. You pop in the cartridge and there’s already a save file! The Remake of the End of the Greatest RPG of All Time is kinda like that, but with a dark mystery to uncover at its core.
-Emily
19. LOVE ETERNAL
Release Date: Q1 2026
Developed by: brlka
Published by: Ysbryd Games
LOVE ETERNAL Steam Page
I’ll come for the horrific thrill of gravity defying precision platforming and I’ll stay for the peculiar and unsettling narrative.
-Kate
20. Coffee Talk Tokyo
Release Date: March 5, 2026
Developed by: Chorus Worldwide Games, Toge Productions
Published by: Chorus Worldwide Games
Coffee Talk Tokyo Steam Page
I’m feeling cozy just thinking about the newest installment in the Coffee Talk series! This time around we get to explore more of this fantastical alternate universe, meet a host of charming new characters (and see some familiar faces), and certainly make lots and LOTS of matcha.
-Emily
21. Wax Heads
Release Date: 2026
Developed by: Patattie Games
Published by: Curve Games
Wax Heads Steam Page
Not sure I’ll ever get the chance to manage a record store IRL, so I’m really thankful that we’ve got Wax Heads on deck for 2026. The sincerity, passion, and love for music shines so brightly in the demo and I know that experiencing the full game will heal me in some type of way.
-Kate
22. LUCID
Release Date: 2026
Developed by: The Matte Black Studio
Published by: Apogee Entertainment
LUCID Steam Page
I actually don’t think there’s anything I could say to get you more hyped for LUCID than you’ll feel after watching the trailer. This painstakingly crafted metroidvania from The Matte Black Studio is beyond gorgeous and promises to deliver adrenaline-packed platforming.
-Emily
23. Garbage Country
Release Date: Q2 2026
Developed by: Noio
Published by: T.B.A.
Garbage Country Steam Page
Driving around a post apocalyptic wasteland while I manage an inventory and upgrade my car is kind of my bread and butter. Cloud Gardens had such a haunting yet soft vibe, and I’m really curious to see what kind of feelings I get from experiencing Garbage Country.
-Kate
24. Pony Island 2: Panda Circus
Release Date: TBA
Developed by: Daniel Mullins Games
Published by: Daniel Mullins Games
Pony Island 2: Panda Circus Steam Page
Daniel Mullins is at it again, folks. I have no idea what is waiting for us in Pony Island 2, but I think it’s a safe bet that it’s going to be weird and awesome.
-Emily
25. Mixtape
Release Date: 2026
Developed by: Beethoven and Dinosaur
Published by: Annapurna Interactive
Mixtape Steam Page
2026 is the year we return to physical media and make CDs for our friends, okay? Mixtape couldn’t be dropping at a more perfect time. In the era of AI and streaming services taking over our media consumption experiences, Mixtape will remind us of the joy and connection that comes from getting back to our roots.
-Kate
26. Fishbowl
Release Date: April 2026
Developed by: imissmyfriends.studio
Published by: imissmyfriends.studio, Wholesome Games Presents
Fishbowl Steam Page
I think we’re all still mentally and emotionally recovering from the peak of the pandemic in 2020, and I personally need a pandemic story to help me heal. Fishbowl promises to bring us an earnest, authentic story that many of us will be able to relate to in a gorgeous pixel-art package.
-Emily
27. Tom the postgirl
Release Date: 2026
Developed by: Oopsie Daisies
Published by: ARTE France
Tom the postgirl Steam Page
After playing this demo I stared at the wall for twenty minutes. Play as a peeping tom postgirl and see what kind of freaky or mundane activities your neighbors are up to as you deliver their mail.
-Kate
28. Forbidden Solitaire
Release Date: Q1 2026
Developed by: Grey Alien Games, Night Signal Entertainment
Published by: Night Signal Entertainment, Grey Alien Games
Forbidden Solitaire Steam Page
Who doesn’t love a little solitaire? Well, maybe not when it’s trying to kill you! This horror game has everything. It has cards. It has FMV. It has cursed CD-ROMs. And it’s gonna have my money, too.
-Emily
29. Mariachi Legends
Release Date: Q2 2026
Developed by: Halberd Studios
Published by: Halberd Studios
Mariachi Legends Steam Page
I need more gorgeous and vibrant metroidvanias in my life. Mariachi Legends will hopefully deliver on many fronts and provide us with something unlike anything we’ve experienced before!
-Kate
30. Neverway
Release Date: 2026
Developed by: Coldblood Inc.
Published by: Coldblood Inc., Outersloth
Neverway Steam Page
I’m currently fascinated with the intersection of cozy games and horror games. They feel like two sides of one coin. Neverway sits right in the middle of that intersection: part life sim, part action RPG, with a gorgeous limited color palette and nightmares waiting in every dark corner.
-Emily
About No Small Games
No Small Games is an indie game recap and review podcast brought to you by hosts Kate and Emily! They became friends while streaming on Twitch and bonded over their love of indie video games. In each episode of No Small Games, the two will discuss an indie game they both played independently. They’ll compare their experiences: the good, the bad, their most memorable moments of their playthroughs.
Learn more about the podcast and its hosts on the About page. You can find all our episodes here on the Episodes page, or listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.