Daily Indie News Roundup #24 (25. 2. 2026.)

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Apologies for the unexpected break. While we aim to deliver Daily Indie News Roundup without interruption, unforeseen circumstances occasionally require us to adjust our schedule. Despite Steam Next Fest dominating the headlines, we’ve gathered the key stories you need to know, including updates from Xbox, new trailers and announcements, and the latest drama about Reboot Develop Blue.

John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando Gets New Animated Trailer

Focus Entertainment and Saber Interactive have gone full grindhouse with a very special animated trailer for John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando, the ‘80s-inspired action-horror video game arriving March 12 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store. Today’s trailer brings the game’s buddy-movie-meets-over-the-top-action spirit to life in vibrant cartoon form.

The Life and Suffering of Prince Jerian to Launch Kickstarter Campaign in March

Developer Schisma Games and international publisher 101XP announced the official launch date of the Kickstarter campaign for the narrative RPG The Life and Suffering of Prince Jerian. The campaign is set to begin on March 17. Once the campaign goes live, the page will feature a detailed overview of the project, including expanded information about the gameplay, the main funding goal and stretch goals, as well as the full list of rewards prepared for backers. This is a narrative-driven hardcore RPG set in a gritty world ruled by real but unrelenting gods.

NACON Teases More 1.0 Content For GreedFall: The Dying World

NACON and Spiders studio today present a new video showcasing the varied environments to explore in the narrative RPG GreedFall: The Dying World. The trailer is also carried by the game’s main theme, titled “From Another World,” composed by the renowned Olivier Derivière (Dying Light: The Beast, A Plague Tale: Requiem) and performed by Linda Olàh. Currently available in Early Access on Steam, GreedFall: The Dying World will be released in its final version on PC on March 10 and on March 12, 2026, on consoles.

Turn-based RPG Legends of the Round Table To Release on Steam at The End of March

Artifice Studio, the team behind Sang-Froid: Tales of Werewolves, announced that its turn-based RPG Legends of the Round Table will officially launch on PC via Steam on March 31, 2026, Inspired by the timeless legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, Legends of the Round Table reimagines the classic tale for a modern audience. Players will be transported into a richly detailed world of honor, magic and romance.

Balatro is Now Available on Nintendo Switch 2

A Switch 2 version of poker roguelike game Balatro is now available via Nintendo eShop at a launch discount price of $11.99. It is a free upgrade from the Switch version. Balatro is also available for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC via Steam, iOS, and Android.

Open-World ARPG Valorborn Launches in April

Sandbox open-world action RPG Valorborn will launch in Early Access for PC via Steam on April 15. “With Valorborn, we wanted to create a world where players can truly choose their own path and write their own stories. A lot of our inspiration comes from games like Mount & Blade, Wartales, and Kenshi, and from worlds like Game of Thrones and The Lord of the Rings”, said Laps Games founder Onurhan Akcay in a press release.

Flesh & Wire is a New First-Person Shooter Coming to PS5 and PC in 2027

Running With Scissors has announced Flesh & Wire, a first-person shooter that delves in the psychological horror roots of the POSTAL series. It will launch for PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam and GOG in 2027. Flesh & Wire is a first-person shooter that delves into the psychological horror roots of the POSTAL series.

CRPG Title Esoteric Ebb Finally Has Release Date

Fantasy CRPG Esoteric Ebb will launch for PC via Steam on March 3. A demo is available now as part of Steam Next Fest: February 2026 Edition, and save data can be carried over to the full game. Esoteric Ebb is an isometric, Disco-like, TTRPG-turned-CRPG set in a bizarre post-Arcanepunk fantasy setting. You are The Cleric, an expert in esoteric events, and a glorified government goon.

Roguelike Tears of Metal is Set to Launch This Spring on Steam

Montreal studio Paper Cult revealed a brand new trailer for the upcoming hack-and-slash roguelike Tears of Metal, unveiling a brand new character in Ruadh Stonecrusher. The game will release in Early Access on Steam in Spring 2026. Details regarding the Early Access launch on Steam, including more new information about gameplay, are still to come.

GAMING INDUSTRY NEWS

Minimap to Host Indie Game Showcase Tomorrow

Minimap, a social platform for video gamers, is hosting its first-ever Minimap Indie Game Showcase tomorrow, February 26th (Thursday) (11AM PST / 1PM CST / 2PM EST). The showcase will feature 30 indie titles and will be livestreamed on Minimap’s official YouTube channel.

Digiphile Launches Boomer Shooter Blueprint Game Collection for 17$

Digiphile, the new game discovery platform from the former Humble Bundle business development team, announced the Boomer Shooter Blueprint game collection, a selection of seven of the best boomer shooters from the past few years available for just $17 through Digiphile.co. The Boomer Shooter Blueprint collection is available now through 10 March and features seven of the best FPS games of the past few years: Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun, I Am Your Beast, MULLET MADJACK, Beyond Citadel, CULTIC, Selaco, and INCISION.

Reboot Develop Future Uncertain Following Organizer’s Bankruptcy Filing

The organiser of Croatia’s Reboot Develop Blue conference, Digitalna avantura, has been declared bankrupt by a Zagreb court over €520,000 in unpaid debts, according to tportal. Owner Damir Đurović was ordered to pay €2,000 to begin proceedings after the court found the company lacked sufficient assets. Concerns about the event’s future have grown for months, with no response from Đurović and no known staff remaining. The Dubrovnik Sheraton, which hosted the conference since 2015, confirmed it has no 2026 booking and no longer hosts the event.

Xbox faces “no pressure from Microsoft” to use AI, says new leadership

Xbox faces “no pressure from Microsoft” to adopt AI under Microsoft Gaming CEO Asha Sharma, who says the technology will support development, not replace human creativity. Chief content officer Matt Booty added there are no AI mandates, with teams free to use tools for tasks like coding or bug testing. Sharma stressed Xbox will not “flood” the ecosystem with low-quality AI content.

She also reaffirmed her commitment to console hardware, saying she wants to “return to Xbox” starting with console, while still reaching players on other devices. On strategy, including exclusives, Sharma said “nothing is off the table” as she reviews long-term goals. Booty emphasised Xbox remains committed to its first-party studio model and close partnership with Microsoft’s hardware team. Both leaders said they aim to revitalise the brand and focus on long-term growth.

Discord Postpones Age Verification to Late 2026 Amid User Backlash

Discord has delayed its global age verification rollout to later this year following backlash over privacy concerns. CTO and co-founder Stanislav Vishnevskiy admitted the company failed to clearly explain the plans, meaning many all users would need to submit face scans or ID. He said over 90% of users will not need to verify their age, as internal systems can determine this for many adults. Discord will publish more technical details before launch and offer additional verification options, including credit card checks.

FF7 Steam Port Review Bombed

Square Enix replaced the 2013 PC version of Final Fantasy VII on Steam yesterday with a new port that’s already “Mostly Negative” from 326 reviews (38% positive). Battles and actions now run at double speed after the FPS cap jumped from 15 to 30 without syncing animations or audio, leaving fights desynced. Backgrounds and FMVs turned blurry from poor upscaling, non-4:3 resolutions vanished, SFX glitch on rapid playback, and some face crashes the old version didn’t have. New features like 3x speed mode and autosaves couldn’t offset the broken core.

Mewgenics Will Offer Mod Support on Steam “Eventually”

In the wake of its successful launch, indie hit Mewgenics has announced plans to implement Steam Workshop support and an official launcher. When asked about modding capabilities, Glaiel confirmed on X that the team intends to add the features “Eventually,” though immediate priorities remain on language packs, technical fixes, and long-term DLC development expected to take over a year.

Insider Gaming to Host its First Ever Game Showcase

Airing on May 28th at 3pm ET/12pm PT/8pm UK across Insider Gaming’s YouTube and social media platforms, the Insider Gaming Showcase comes to you with the goal of helping games get funded or find publisher backing. The showcase will feature nonstop, back-to-back game trailers, with no fluff in between to distract viewers from the awesome games currently in development.