The Indie Informer

Glancing over 2025’s most anticipated list, it was hard to imagine a better start to a year. Then I looked at 2026’s currently confirmed titles. The future is a swirl of tempting indie candies, and I’m the kid set loose in the shop.

You can peruse a brightly-colored wall of indies on the site’s fresh 2026 Release Schedule. But here are the treats coming this year that already have my mouth watering.

MIO: Memories in Orbit – January 20

My heart was dashed when MIO moved out of 2025. I had had an all-too-brief encounter with its stunning artwork and promising gameplay back in June. If the game maintains the high bar it set in my preview, it will be one of the year’s must-plays.

Lil Gator Game: In the Dark – February 12

It’s cute, but in a creepy way! Fans have been excited for this update for a while now, which has been likened to a follow-up rather than a simple DLC in size. I’m ready to say hello to an old friend in the darkness next month.

Esoteric Ebb – Q1 2026

These developers know I can’t resist a hand-drawn art style, but they’ve made their game even more tempting by making it an old-school RPG. Of course, I need to grab my dice, equip my gear, and get to exploring it — hopefully soon.

The Remake of the End of the Greatest RPG of All Time – Q1 2026

Looming in the distance, this ode to fandom, turn-based titles, and deductive gameplay has earned a few previews from The Indie Informer. So far, I’ve found it clever and brimming with obvious love for its eponymous genre and crafty design.

Entropy – 2026

While last year’s PAX West boasted more indies than I could count, Entropy had no problem standing out. It helps that the game is being developed by Lovely Hellplace, which also created Dread Delusion. This time around, the team is crafting a tactical turn-based experience that heads straight to hell.

LOVE ETERNAL – Q1 2026

Another long-awaited title I hoped to see launch last year, Love Eternal promises to hit in the next few months. I can’t wait. Beyond the bizarre and sinister tone lies gameplay as satisfying as it is challenging. You can read more of my impressions here.

Fishbowl – April 2026

April showers, as they say, but in 2026, it showers anticipated indies. The world is changing for our protagonist, Alo. Joy and grief, loneliness and independence battle each other as her aquatic pet suddenly speaks to her.

Besmirch – May 11

If these are the May flowers we can look forward to, I’m intrigued (and a little unsettled). Besmirch is a survival horror farming sim where you, the titular town’s farmer, struggle to feed the starving population. It’s too bad unspeakable creatures lurk in the darkness just waiting for night to fall.

Midnight Horde – May 2026

This is going to be something special. If you don’t want to take my word for it, you can watch me playing an early demo. Midnight Horde is a wild blending of several gameplay concepts. Auto-shooting and gaining upgrades to outlast a swarm of enemies takes place in a 3D space, which allows you to parkour up walls and over towers. The metaprogression involves a bit of city-building that grants bonuses, while also expanding the level you can interact with in-game.

Cozy Dungeons – 2026

I was really taken by my hands-on time with this indie. The action is two-fold: battle through a dungeon, then clean and decorate as the client specifies. It’s also speckled with secrets to discover, and the almost clay-like art style complements everything nicely.

Chronoscript: The Endless End – 2026

Chronoscript: The Endless End is the game I probably know the least about on this list. However, the impeccable art grabbed me from my first glance. I also hope its 2D-to-3D setting (à la The Plucky Squire) will make a successful stage for both combat and story.

Death the Guitar – 2026

Death the Guitar just feels good to play. As I noted while covering a Guerrilla Collective hands-on showcase, “Everyone I ran into that had played the ‘pop and violent 2D Platformer action game’ insisted it was a title I couldn’t miss — and its station’s constant traffic was a telling testament to its popularity.”

Psychotic Bathtub – 2026

The title caught your attention, didn’t it? Me too. And from there, the intense visuals and sinister rubber ducky kept me from looking away. Be ready to confront some dark topics here.

Mixtape – 2026

Beethoven and Dinosaur’s debut title, The Artful Escape, ensured the developer a spot among indie’s most intriguing creators. So, the surprise reveal of its next title, unsurprisingly, made waves. The 3D art changes up the studio’s portfolio look; however, its music-centric creativity seems unchanged.

Wax Heads – 2026

When I last played Wax Heads, the demo made a memorable impact on me. I remember a world populated by loveable misfits that felt welcoming. I wanted to spend more time in it. However, details get blurred as time passes, and I can’t wait to relive it all sometime this year.

TOEM 2 – 2026

Of course, we’re here for Toem 2, and only too happy to see it set for 2026.

Dosa Divas – 2026

Summer Game Fest 2025 marked Peter’s first appearance on The Indie Informer. Out of that week came his promising preview of Outerloop Games’ next project, concluding, “The story is intriguing, the combat is satisfying, and the cooking elements serve as a great lesson in cuisine taught over the course of a handful of easy-to-learn, hard-to-master mini-games.”

Truckful – 2026

I need to know what’s happening in the dark, fraying edges of this game. On the surface, all looks peaceful as I balance careful driving and keeping my truck’s load stable. But the developers have likened this title to Dredge a few too many times for comfort.

Blighted – 2026

Drinkbox Games is at it again. The creators behind Guacamelee! and Nobody Saves the World turn their unique artistic vision toward a horizon where your people and way of life are being decimated. An ancient custom is being twisted and profaned, and the only way to stop it seems to be following down the same dark path.

Planet of Lana II – 2026

Mui is back! That’s what we are all excited about, right? Well, I guess the lush environment is a sight for sore eyes as well. Plus, I’m eager to discover more about the world.

Valor Mortis – 2026

I went hands-on with this Bloodborne-meets-Napoleon adventure last year, and it’s a thing of beauty. Grotesque, brutal beauty. It’s hard to tell where the story will go, but the gameplay alone is worth putting this on your radar.

At Fate’s End – 2026

Thunder Lotus Games has something up its sleeve. Currently, the studio is getting 33 Immortals up and running, while the team is likely best known for Spiritfarer. They’ve proven they can tell a heart-squeezing story and deliver on combat. Hopefully, they combine both here.

The Secret of Weepstone – 2026

The Secret of Weepstone earned the Best In Show title from The Indie Informer at the most recent PAX West. Find out why and get this game on your wishlist.

Goobies 2 – 2026

The real ones will know.

Fields of Mistria – 2026

I’ve been holding off from playing Fields of Mistria’s more recent updates, and it’s been tough. I keep seeing more and more elements added to tempt me back in, like horseback riding and being able to romance the dragon — and no, that’s not a metaphor. It can’t launch out of Early Access soon enough.

LUCID – 2026

Is it really, actually, truly coming this year? It seems like it. Like Hollow Knight: Silksong before it, I suspect it will meet fans’ long-awaited expectations.