Daily Indie News Roundup #1 (15. 1. 2026.)

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A new format, the same indie energy. Instead of flooding your feed with dozens of individual posts, here’s everything you need to know from the indie games world today, neatly packed into one daily roundup.

New Game Announcements and Reveals

Relooted Brings Africanfuturist Heist Action This February

Nyamakop has announced that its “highly controversial” Africanfuturist heist game Relooted will launch on February 10 for Xbox Series X/S and PC (Steam & Epic Games Store). Relooted flips the traditional heist fantasy on its head. Players assemble a crew of everyday citizens from across Africa, each with normal jobs and backgrounds, tasked with reclaiming African artifacts from Western museums. Planning is fully player-driven, making every operation a bespoke puzzle of timing, routes, and teamwork.

Filmmaker and Actor Charles Davis Announced Obey the Insect God

Award-winning actor and filmmaker Charles Davis has revealed his studio’s first game Obey the Insect God, coming to PC later this year. This 2D narrative platformer blends digitized sprite aesthetics with live-action characters, evoking late-’90s classics. Drawing inspiration from Finland’s Kalevala, the game promises tough combat, unsettling mysteries, and powerful boss encounters inside the lair of a terrifying insect deity.

Curve Games Announced narrative RPG Sovereign Tower

Rennes-based studio WILD WITS, partnered with Curve Games, has revealed Sovereign Tower, an Arthurian-inspired narrative RPG launching on PC in August 2026. As sovereign, players manage a chaotic Round Table of eccentric knights, unpredictable quests, public opinion, and royal finances. When everything inevitably collapses, players can strike a demonic bargain to rewind time, retaining knowledge and unlocking new narrative paths with each reset.

Forgive Me Father 2 Creeps Onto Nintendo Switch

Fulqrum Publishing and Byte Barrel have announced that Forgive Me Father 2 launches on Nintendo Switch on January 22, with pre-orders available now. The Lovecraftian FPS brings its signature cell-shaded madness to Switch players, combining frantic gunplay with psychological horror. Expect writhing tentacles, grotesque enemies, and a descent into eldritch insanity as players battle both cosmic horrors and their own fractured minds.

Chain Letter Revealed Command-Input Roguelite Action in New Trailer

Solo South Korean developer Jarikki Studio has revealed a new trailer for Chain Letter, a 2D pixel-art, grid-based roguelite defense game. Players hold the line against demon waves within a fixed grid, dodging chaos while executing command-input skills. Progression unlocks 31 “friend skills”, allowing builds focused on summons, zone control, buffs, or rapid strikes as encounters grow increasingly intense.

Less Miserables Puts a British Spin on Victor Hugo

College Fun Games has teased Less Miserables, a classic-style adventure game and very loose adaptation of Les Misérables. Players step into the boots of Claude Van Claude, freshly released after 14 years in prison for stealing bread, navigating revolutionary Paris to find his missing daughter. Part Monkey Island, part ’Allo ’Allo, the game features hand-drawn art, 40 Parisian locations, a hobo-based hint system, and fully voiced characters recorded through live-improv sessions.

Farming Camp Announces Cozy Competitive Farm Life

Publisher SOEDESCO and developer Innerfire Studios have announced Farming Camp, a cozy single-player farm management game coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC (Steam). Players follow an ambitious teenager competing to become the best farmer at camp, managing crops, animals, fishing, and farm chores alongside a colorful cast of companions.

Release Dates & Launch News

Sea of Stars Heads to Mobile

Playdigious will release Sabotage Studio’s acclaimed RPG Sea of Stars on iOS and Android on April 7, priced at $9.99 (with a limited $8.99 pre-order discount). Originally released in 2023, Sea of Stars modernizes classic turn-based RPGs with dynamic combat, environmental interactions, and a nostalgic presentation centered on Eclipse Magic and the battle against the Fleshmancer.

Tackle for Loss Launches Just Before the Super Bowl

Indifferent Penguin’s Tackle for Loss arrives on PC via Steam on February 5, 2026. Inspired by Hotline Miami and Taken, the game follows a former American football pro fighting through the criminal underworld to rescue his kidnapped daughter using raw strength, instinct, and brutal close-quarters combat.

The Last Starship Sets Full Release Course

Introversion Software has confirmed that The Last Starship leaves beta and launches in full on February 3, 2026. Following a successful beta, the BAFTA-winning studio plans ongoing free updates throughout 2026 and beyond, expanding its ever-growing sandbox universe at no extra cost to players.

Fighting Fantasy Classics Volume 1 To Launch on Nintendo Switch

Tin Man Games will bring Fighting Fantasy Classics Volume 1 to Nintendo Switch on February 5. This collection includes four legendary gamebooks: The Warlock of Firetop Mountain, The Citadel of Chaos, The Forest of Doom, and Starship Traveller fully remastered for digital play.

HumanitZ Locks in 1.0 Release for 2026

The isometric zombie survival sandbox HumanitZ will leave Early Access on February 6, 2026. The 1.0 update introduces redesigned characters, deeper customization, overhauled skill trees, a revamped infection system, and a brutal new endgame area known as The Island.

Tomb of the Bloodletter Turns Typing Into Combat

Solo developer Ethan’s Secretions is launching Tomb of the Bloodletter on PC via Steam on February 5, 2026, with a demo available now. This strategic typing roguelike transforms your keyboard into a weapon. Letters are infused with Magicks that react based on word placement, patterns, and structure, rewarding careful spelling over raw speed or build optimization.

Our Burial Dolls Remastered Brings Japanese Horror Worldwide

ROSEVERTE has announced Our Burial Dolls Remastered, a rebuilt Japanese horror visual novel. The Steam version launches worldwide on January 29, 2026, with console releases hitting Japan and Asia the same day, followed by North America and Europe on January 30. Originally a free indie release, the remaster is a full Unity rebuild and marks ROSEVERTE’s first official collaboration with an independent developer.

City Tales – Medieval Era Reaches Version 1.0 Later This Month

Irregular Shapes and Firesquid are preparing the January 29 launch of City Tales – Medieval Era version 1.0 on Steam. Priced at €22.99, the relaxing kingdom builder will launch with a 35% discount and a demo already available. The full release concludes the story, adds 11 masterworks, 10 companions, handcrafted maps, and a complete economy system with 48 resources.

Clue: Murder by Death Releases Next Month

Run-based murder mystery Clue: Murder by Death is set to launch on PC and consoles February 13, 2026 inviting players into a race against time inside a deadly mansion. With just two hours before Scotland Yard arrives, players must piece together the truth through multiple runs, stepping into the shoes of different characters, each offering a unique perspective on the night’s events. Inspired by Agatha Christie, Return of the Obra Dinn, and The Sexy Brutale, the game blends isometric visuals with layered investigation and looping timelines where no single run reveals the full story.

Early Access, Demos & Updates

Last Drop Expands Into a Vast 1990s Finnish Open World

Lohkare Games Oy has revealed a major development milestone for Last Drop, its raw, darkly humorous open-world story game set in 1994 Finland, as it moves closer to an upcoming Steam Early Access launch. What began as a small demo area measuring roughly 600 × 800 meters has expanded into a massive, cross-shaped world spanning approximately 22 × 25 kilometers. The environment is heavily inspired by real Finnish locations from the mid-1990s, featuring lakes, forests, quiet suburbs, rural roads, and the city of Nykylä.

Winnie’s Hole Turns Infection Into Progression

Twice Different’s genre-bending roguelite Winnie’s Hole launches into Steam Early Access on January 26, 2026. Players explore the body and mind of Winnie from the inside, spreading a virus using tetromino-style shapes that trigger automated actions. Infection isn’t failure, it’s how you grow stronger.

Vultures – Scavengers of Death Demo Arrives February 12

Team Vultures and Firesquid Games have announced a Steam demo for their tactical survival horror Vultures – Scavengers of Death, launching February 12. Players control two operatives scavenging an infected city, balancing stealth and turn-based combat while targeting weak points and managing limited resources.

Docked Shows Off Heavy Machinery

Saber Interactive released a new trailer for port simulation game Docked, spotlighting its eight massive port vehicles, including ship-to-shore cranes, straddle carriers, and mobile harbor cranes. Docked is coming to PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, with a demo currently available on Steam.

Aloft Celebrates One Year in Early Access

Funcom and Astrolabe Interactive are celebrating Aloft’s first anniversary in Early Access, with over 250,000 players and 260,000 player-created worlds since January 2025. The first major content update of 2026, Gliders & Gales, arrives February 12, introducing glider customization, six new Wonder Islands, and glider races, continuing the cozy sandbox’s steady evolution driven by community feedback.

Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days Dives Into the Outbreak’s Origin

The seventh free Early Access update for Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days, titled Heart of Darkness, is out now on Steam. Players are sent to Pickett Stadium, the epicenter of Walton City’s zombie outbreak, now a crumbling ruin filled with football-themed undead and haunting remnants of the past.

Industry News

German Games Industry Sees Massive Growth

A new report from the German Games Industry Association reveals that the number of game studios in Germany increased by 81% between 2018 and 2024. Studio numbers rose from 594 to 948, driven largely by a federal funding program offering €125 million annually. Industry revenue grew 22% to €3.78 billion, employment increased 20%, and female representation climbed from 25% to 30%.

Reanimal Confirms Friend’s Pass Feature

The original creators of Little Nightmares have confirmed that Reanimal will feature a Friend’s Pass, allowing co-op play without requiring both players to own the game. In this co-op horror adventure, players control a brother and sister exploring a nightmarish island by land and sea, working together to uncover dark secrets and rescue missing friends.

Disciples: Domination Opens Pre-Orders Ahead of February Launch

Kalypso Media and Artefacts Studio have opened pre-orders for Disciples: Domination, the upcoming dark-fantasy strategy RPG with turn-based combat, ahead of its February 12, 2026 release. The game will be available in both Standard (€49.99 / $49.99 / £44.99) and Deluxe (€59.99 / $59.99 / £54.99) editions. Pre-ordering either version grants access to the Corruption Skins Pack, while the Deluxe Edition includes exclusive weapon skins, character outfits, a digital compendium, resource pack, official soundtrack, and 72-hour early access.

Final Fantasy VII Remake Director Calls for Creative Diversity

Final Fantasy VII Remake director Naoki Hamaguchi shared insights from discussions with Expedition 33 director Guillaume Broche, emphasizing that games shouldn’t be boxed into “AA vs AAA” or “turn-based vs action” debates. Instead, both agree the industry thrives on diversity, where action and turn-based systems evolve side by side, AA games grow wider, and AAA games continue to push scale and ambition.

Sonic the Hedgehog Celebrates 35 Years

SEGA has released a Sonic the Hedgehog 35th Anniversary video, looking ahead to 2026. “In 2026, we’re celebrating 35 years of speed, friendship, adventures, and being Forever Fast.”

Two Styx Games Free on Epic Games Store

Epic Games Store users can grab Styx: Master of Shadows and Styx: Shards of Darkness for free until January 22.

No Rest For The Wicked Sold 1 Million Copies on Steam

Moon Studios shared on their social media platforms that their action RPG No Rest For The Wicked has officially sold 1 million copies. “You believed in No Rest for the Wicked during Early Access and helped us build it into what it is today. That’s not something we take lightly. With No Rest for the Wicked Together launching next week, this community grows bigger and more shared than ever”, studio said on X.

Dead by Daylight Survivors Enter Quarantine Zone

With over 300,000 copies sold, Quarantine Zone: The Last Check is celebrating a crossover with Dead by Daylight. Dwight, Meg, Claudette, and Jake now appear as survivors at the checkpoint in a free update. Dead by Daylight owners also receive an extra 10% discount on Quarantine Zone.