There is a massive library of AAA and AA games launching in 2026, already setting up a runway of potentially incredible releases. Alongside those games, many anticipated indie games of 2026 also deserve their own spotlight. In fact, thousands of indie games launch every year, with Steam alone seeing over 10,000.
I’ve always been a huge fan of indie titles and the way their developers discover new ways to create things I could only ever dream of. In recent years, indie games have all but blown bigger releases out of the water with innovative and unique designs, storytelling, and gameplay.
Of these thousands of indies, there are a few that I’ve been keeping my eye on for a while, and am excited that they’re finally set to launch in 2026. I apologize if the game you’ve been looking forward to isn’t on this list! These are just my personally most anticipated indie games of 2026, in no particular order.
10
Neverway
Coldblood Inc | 2026
Right out of the gate, Neverway is placed on this list because it is co-directed by the pixel artist of Celeste and has music by Disasterpeace. Neverway is an interesting blend of a bunch of different genres that mesh together in a weirdly horrifying way.
It’s a slow-burning RPG that puts your bonds with others at the forefront, making them the thread that makes or breaks combat. Not only do your friendships matter, but the people you meet can also be romanced, unlocking even more buffs and combat abilities along your journey.
I am personally a big fan of the dark, muted colors, and am really digging the way the devs at Coldblood Inc gave it life-sim gameplay features while still upholding horror aesthetics.
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9
Rootbound
Brainlag Games | 2026
Rootbound has been on my list ever since I first heard of it. It’s a puzzle and exploration-based game that uses physics-based gameplay to solve how you’re going to get to the next area. The overworld and in-game locations are also incredibly beautiful and well-designed, which is a great view behind your body flailing around.
You’re a plant with a talking backpack that’s tasked with meeting strangers, solving puzzles, uncovering secrets, and fighting monsters in a world now lost. In many ways, it is also a survival title, forcing you to keep track of your footsteps by torchlight to protect yourself from the rain.
Excited fans can request access to the playtest via the Steam page. You’ll be notified when you have access, so you can enjoy it for yourself before the official release date sometime in 2026.
8
TOEM 2
Something We Made | 2026
TOEM 2 is so beautifully designed that it was too hard NOT to add it to this list. You’re an adventurer who uses your camera to solve puzzles and help people from different perspectives with platforming gameplay.
Not only are you jumping around and getting upgrades, but you’re photographing your adventure and everything you do along the way. With every new face you meet, region you visit, or problem you help solve, you create lasting friendships and memories.
The very first TOEM was a really relaxing experience that heavily relied on its black and white and 2D/3D art direction, and I’m really excited to see that more installments are being added.
7
Hermit and Pig
Heavy Lunch Studio LLC | Feb 5, 2026
Hermit and Pig is an upcoming RPG about, well, a hermit and a pig going on an adventure they have zero business being a part of. The hermit and his equally yellow beanie-clad pig are a little antisocial and rough around the edges, which basically means they have zero to no social skills, adding conversations to the combo-based combat.
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According to the Steam page, it’s expected to be an incredibly story-rich adventure that allows players to change up gameplay to their preference using different toggles.
The demo gives just a taste of what’s expected on the February release, which really reminded me of games like Earthbound and Undertale. I really loved the art style and, more specifically, the color palette used throughout, giving it kinda an old-school, retro vibe.
6
Dosa Divas
Outerloop Games | 2026
As a lover of turn-based gameplay systems and food, Dosa Divas really caught my eye. You play as two sisters who are quite literally using the power of home-cooked meals to battle against the terrors of an evil fast food corporation, run by a different sister.
What’s really interesting to me is that as you travel from village to village, you’ll bring communities together, as well as build a reputation for yourself, through a deep cooking system.
Besides the focus on food and turn-based gameplay, I really love the colorful, cel-shaded art design. I know the developer is the same one behind Falcon Age and Thirsty Suitors, so that makes a lot of sense.
I am also a little bit biased about this choice because I adore turn-based gameplay, which this game looks to be taking a comedic spin on.
5
Desktop Explorer
Recurring Dream | Q2 2026
The entire vibe of Desktop Explorer is nostalgic and incredibly charming. The gameplay quite literally plays out as though you’re messing around on an old desktop from the 90s. While not really being the same aside from some visuals, it also gave me big Hypnospace Outlaw feels.
You inherited an old desktop from your uncle, and as you explore the folders within, you discover that the person who had it before him was trying to solve a digital mystery. It all plays out as though you’re just going through a computer, with things hidden behind every folder and in every window that aid in solving complicated puzzles.
There is a demo of Desktop Explorer currently available to check out on Steam, and, honestly, some of the puzzles really had me stumped. It really tests your ability to think outside the box.
4
MOUSE: P.I. For Hire
Fumi Games | Mar 19, 2026
Right after the famous mouse from the massive entertainment company whose name starts with a D entered the public domain, there has been no shortage of parodies and indie games using it. However, I have to admit that MOUSE: P.I. For Hire is the most creative use of the likeness, and really, the rubber hose animation style as a whole.
If you couldn’t guess from the title, you’re a mouse detective whose tasked with solving a missing persons (rat?) case that goes awry. What makes MOUSE really stand out, however, is that it uses first-person, boomer shooter gameplay, letting you blast at enemies to an original big band jazz soundtrack.
The trailers and gameplay videos I’ve seen really paint MOUSE: P.I. For Hire to let you explore a pretty big world with sprawling rooms and levels that are filled with enemies who don’t slow down. It also has a cartoony DOOM feel to it.
3
Find Your Words
Capybara Games | 2026
In doing my research for games to put on this list, I came across Find Your Words by developer Capybara Games, and couldn’t have added it faster. If you enjoyed games like To a T, then you’ll likely love the message and story being told.
Developed by two dads which non-speaking children who use Augmentative and Alternative Communication devices to talk to one another. So, in the game, you’ll attend Camp Pals, where you’ll meet other campers, spend time with them, and forge long-lasting friendships as you discover new communication methods.
Besides being an incredibly charming game, Find Your Words is also expected to be a cozy adventure about building friendships, and we definitely need more games like that in the world.
2
Big Walk
House House | 2026
I have a feeling that a lot of people are awaiting the release of Big Walk by developer House House, the same people behind Untitled Goose Game. The entire purpose of the game is to walk and talk with your friends, solving challenges and communicating with one another as you adventure on your big walk through a massive open world.
The team has made talking with your friends using proximity chat a massive focus of the game, with players sounding different depending on where they are, like in a tunnel or over a walkie-talkie. There will also be other methods of communication, like proximity text chat, pointing emotes, and even signs, that are all designed to teach you new ways to communicate or be straight-up silly.
Big Walk was originally announced back in 2023, so I am incredibly excited to see what more information House House has in store for us.
1
REPLACED
Sad Cat Studios | Mar 12, 2026
Of all the games listed here, I think REPLACED takes the cake for being the most visually stunning and is already one of my most anticipated indie games of 2026.
Taking place in 1980s America after a nuclear catastrophe, the world has taken on a cyberpunk aesthetic that’s made the bad only worse. You are an AI named R.E.A.C.H. that’s been trapped in a human body against its will, stepping out into Phoenix-City, where people are traded like cash and drugs.
It’s a pixel art 2D platformer that blends intense cinematics with fluid, free-flowing action. Honestly, I can’t really find another game to even remotely compare it to. The art design looks as though Octopath Traveler ate Cyberpunk 2077 and then used what was created to make a pixel-art movie.
