As 2025 comes to a close, we’re already looking at what’s coming next year. Here we’ll be collecting the upcoming indie games in 2026 we think curious players should keep tabs on.
Needless to say, there are countless indie releases targeting a 2026 launch we think look neat, so cutting this list down to more reasonable numbers will be tough. We’re starting small, but it’s our plan to expand it into something meatier as we start getting more specifics on launch plans and the games themselves. It’s also our intention to highlight overlooked titles as often as we can. Otherwise, what’s the point?
Down with the Ship
After flying under the radar for a while, the recent marketing push for Proxy Studios’ Down with the Ship has caught our and many other players’ attention. It’s a strategy game… kind of, but also a unique take on the auto battler subgenre. The basic pitch is you build your own ships from scratch and let them all battle against other vessels in 2D encounters that use all sorts of variables and stats.
The developers are teasing a “roll, evaluate, and exploit” loop which involves learning from defeat and working out new synergies as needed “when the plan shifts.” Players can even tinker with the hull of each ship, and inventory management has been described as the “metagame.” At the time of writing, both very traditional single-player and versus online modes have been confirmed, but the focus seems to be on the multiplayer side of things.
Release window: 2026
Neath
The next game from Cellar Door Games, the studio behind Rogue Legacy 1 & 2, is a complete reinvention for the team. This time around, we’re looking at a “roguelike tactical RPG” with Eldritch theming in which players much “climb” to the top of a mysterious inverted tower. Horrors await, and it’s our duty to outsmart them.
The main gimmick is players must take control of the heroes and foes alike, shifting all the “pieces” of each battleground and encounter around in order to preserve the party in new and inventive ways. When it comes to new turn-based tactics games, this one has instantly jumped to the top of our most-anticipated list. Let’s hope it plays as well as it looks!
Release window: 2026
Sublustrum
Sublustrum is, by far, one of the most fascinating new games set to launch next year. It being a deeply reimagined, surprise return to an obscure point-and-click adventure is a huge reason, but Phantomery Interactive’s intention to rework the whole thing into a fully 3D exploration and puzzle game is something we don’t see every year.
Sublustrum follows a writer who’s trying to figure out the disappearance of his brother, but what he finds soon after throws him into a mind-bending adventure where nothing is what it seems. Those who enjoy psychological and surreal stories that aren’t spooky could find a lot to love in this one.
Release window: 2026
Ghost Keeper
Ghost Keeper is one of those games that have been floating around for a while, and at this point, we’re just guessing Quest Craft and publisher Gaming Factory really want to get this big off-beat dark comedy RTS & management sim right. It’s all about scaring the living with phantoms and whatnot, but with the promise of various intertwined systems, it could be more than meets the eye.
The 19th-century English scenery should give it quite the special flavor when mixed with its cartoony art direction, and considering players have to face against the Brotherhood, a group hellbent on eradicating the ghosts, a moody setting is clearly a must for the premise.
Release window: 2026
Atre: Dominance Wars
Atre: Dominance Wars is trying to tackle a lot with its massive mix of hardcore 4X strategy and RTS elements. The fantasy world it’s presenting looks gigantic; the lore is enticing; and beyond paying homage to the old classics, the Ironward developers are clearly making an effort to set it apart from the rest of the subgenre.
Moreover, ‘god game’ elements have been thrown in, making for even more explosive battles and tales of magical conquest and empire-expansion. On top of a meaty single-player story campaign, players will be able to enjoy it in co-op and versus online play. There’s even a map/campaign editor planned. It’s rare to see an indie studio go this big and straight into 1.0, but so far, what we’ve seen (and played) suggests Ironward is on the right path.
Release window: 2026
Nova Roma
Hooded Horse continues to be one of our favorite publishers in the business, and it all comes down to the consistent output of notable-to-excellent strategy games and management sims of all kinds. Therefore, it comes as no surprise Nova Roma is looking amazing so far. We love a good city builder, especially when it’s got a stylized aesthetic and refreshing take on an old historical setting as common as Rome.
With Kingdoms and Castles’ Lion Shield as the developers, we couldn’t be more excited for this one, as the team has proven itself time and again over the years. A big part of what aims to make Nova Roma special versus other city builders is a focus on your surroundings (not just the cities) and laws, from both the gods and men. Furthermore, those water simulations could reshape entire maps in ways other city sims haven’t explored yet.
Release window: 2026
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