Indie titles are some of my favourites to pick up at events like Summer Game Fest because they rarely get enough attention in mainstream media. I love scouring the show floor to find unique and interesting titles that I’ve never heard of, or even ones I have that I have been dying to get my hands on. Indies span such a massive number of genres, and indie devs are usually where you are going to find a wealth of creativity in gaming.
With that, though, comes the time crunch at these events. The indie titles I was able to check out at Summer Game Fest 2026 ranged in length of appointment from a quick five-minute pitch to 25-minutes of hands-on gameplay. That can make giving each one a fair preview or even a fair chance pretty difficult. What I decided to do this year was cover every indie game I saw at SGF with my first impressions, the same amount of content, so you can check them out and see what you think too!
I saw a ton of indie titles across publishers at Summer Game Fest, the XBOX Games Showcase and more. You can check out my Nintendo Switch 2 list for some more great games, too. This year brought some of the most ambitious titles I’ve ever seen, incredible works of art, deep narrative moments and plenty of great adventures.
Here are the indie titles I took on at Summer Game Fest 2026:
Bad Magpie
Bad Magpie was first announced during the XBOX Games Showcase, and to be honest, I didn’t think much of it. Once I played it, I learned that this indie is a story about a little bird with a fixation on shiny things. If that doesn’t appeal to me, I don’t know what does. This is one of those games where I am really impressed with the creativity of some people, and wonder where Milktooth came up with the idea. You run around this beautifully illustrated world, pecking at things all in a goal to gather shiny objects to bring to a star you want to impress to cure your loneliness.
It sounds so sweet and innocent, but really, you can start fires, attack small mice, and cause a bit of ruckus in the world. Some puzzles feel a bit surreal, like one where you break your way into a stack of monitors and become the picture on the screen, and others involve burning items or breaking glass. According to the Steam page, every puzzle even has multiple solutions. It’s a perfectly pleasant little indie title that I have no doubt will be popular with cozy gamers everywhere.
Bad Magpie will be released on Steam and XBOX Series X|S.
Bub
Developer Paperfrog has created one of the most unique-looking games I have ever seen with Bub. The game is a narrative adventure in which the studio used multiple media to bring the story to life. Using various art styles like abstract designs, paper cutouts, paint and more, they tell the story of Bub, a New York artist, and his memories, each reflected in the art you see on screen.
The story can be dark at moments, and it wasn’t something I was ready for at my Day of the Devs appointment. The game feels like flashes of moments in Bub’s life, and I am not sure how it will all play out, but it is certainly beautiful, and the sound only enhances the story even more.
Bub will release on Steam in Q4 of 2027.
Ithaca
Ithaca was a game I don’t think was given enough of a push at Summer Game Fest. It was grouped in with Day of the Devs, meaning we had just about 10-minutes with the title, but no one was on site to give a quick rundown of exactly what it was. I found out I was Penelope, I was in a car, and left to sort out what exactly that meant. Snooping around the car during a road trip, I was able to check messages, make phone calls, and adjust settings on the dashboard.
After speaking to a few people at the event, it seems all of our experiences were different, which really intrigues me. According to Steam, Ithaca is a narrative adventure about climate change with some slight RPG elements. What I experienced was a mystery that I really wanted to solve. After some phone calls, I learned that someone in my family needed help, and I had a big secret I really wanted to discover.
Ithaca feels like an interesting concept, and I would love to learn more. It will release on Steam at a later date.
JOIN US
JOIN US was probably one of the most exciting trailers I saw at the XBOX Games Showcase. Coming from Wolf Haus Games, an indie studio from Montreal, the concept is twisted and had me intrigued immediately. You are starting a doomsday cult branch to please the leader. In 1-4-person co-op, the game is part sim, part management, part survival and a lot of parts sacrificing followers for the cause.
Cult of the Lamb was my first foray into cults, and it was some of the best fun I’ve had in a game. I can’t wait to make the whole CGM crew again! I do think that the combat in JOIN US still needs a bit of fine-tuning, but the demo I played was a blast. There is no shortage of enthusiasm, hilarity and creativity coming to the studio, so JOIN US is one to watch for sure. Even their official website is a hilarious concept.
JOIN US releases in March 2027, for Steam, Epic Games, PlayStation, and XBOX Series X|S.
Lazy River
Lazy River was a tough indie to get the hang of in a quick 10-minute preview at Summer Game Fest, but luckily I had a team member by my side saving my ass, literally. Ever worry about peeing in the pool? Well, in Lazy River, it caused everyone to turn into zombies. Its up to you to make it to the other end of the lazy river alive to escape. This is a cartoony, co-op, FPS that does not take itself too seriously, and I think it will make for a pretty good time.
In Lazy River, you can expect to shoot water guns at zombies to take them out. Sounds simple enough, but at the same time you are crafting your heart out to survive the ride. Cut down trees, combine inner tubes to make a raft, scavenge the waterpark for materials. At one point we were even grilling hot dogs on the raft for health. Don’t take the derpy-faces for granted either; Lazy River actually poses some challenge in all of its ridiculousness.
Lazy River is expected to release in Q3 2027 for Steam.
MR. RECORDS
MR. RECORDS was one of the indie games at Summer Game Fest that made it to our Best of Summer Game Fest list this year, and rightfully so. Originally I thought I was jumping into a record shop management sim, which is right up my alley. But with a name like Glee-Cheese Studio, I should have known I was in for something a bit more wacky. Store owner George is a lover of music, but to stock his store, he needs to do his research.
Each day, you and your dog, Buzz, will open the store and help customers find their perfect albums, but at night, George listens to new records to become more knowledgeable and sell them in his store. Doing this takes you on a rhythm game adventure fit for a proper LSD trip while you jump, kick and slide your way across each note. With songs like The Sausage Blues, how can you go wrong?
MR. RECORDS is a true love letter to vinyl and will be available on Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG.
Petal Runner
SGF 2026 is not the first time I saw indie game Petal Runner, and I am just as curious as ever after playing a new section of the game this year. Made by Canadian studio Nano Park Studios, the game has this striking pink and purple 8-bit aesthetic, and I absolutely love it. You play as Cali and her pet Kira and become petal runners—motorcycle couriers. It’s a bit more elaborate than that, with this year’s preview adding a little mystery to the story.
In my experiences so far, you are able to explore the map at your own pace, with four sections in total, meeting new NPCs, picking up jobs and delivering a lot of little digital pets. It makes sense, I swear. In order to deliver these digital pets, you need to take on a mix of small, fairly simple mini-games, some shorter, some longer, and you’re able to uncover a pile of these digital pets. It’s cozy, it’s got story, and it has creature collection. What more could I ask for?
Petal Runner will be available on Steam.
Screenbound
Screenbound was one of my personal indie picks for best at SGF this year, and if you spend just a couple of minutes playing, you will completely understand why. Your character finds a device called the Qboy—much like a Game Boy—and when you turn it on, you are now controlling the world around you in both 2D and 3D at the same time. Platform around the 3D world as you will, but don’t forget to pay attention to your Qboy or you might miss secrets, entrances, ladders and more.
A few times I would enter a secret door in 3D only to find myself in a pixelated 2D world. Once making it through, I could come out in the 3D world in a whole new place or go back the way I came. I would love to know more about the overall story of Screenbound, but for now, it is one of the most innovative games I have ever seen, and playing the full title is going to be a trip.
Screenbound releases on September 10, 2026, for Steam, PlayStation 5 and XBOX Series X
SEED
I came out of my SEED appointment at Summer Game Fest DYING to tell someone all about it. This has to be one of the most ambitious games I have ever seen, not just indies, but taking on AAA titles as well. The premise is that you are dropped down on this untouched world and need to build a society with other players. Think The Sims, but an MMO, and on steroids. There are no NPCs, no shops, just the world of Avesta controlled by its players.
Do you want furniture for your house? Or walls? Get to work, cut down some trees, and learn to build. Is no one in your society making clothes? Well, you’re out of luck then, I guess. Everyone in the society contributes a role, and if no one contributes, then you’re going to have a bad time. The game is persistently online, and you can set up your characters with a full schedule while you’re away. You can even use an app to text with your characters while away. Be careful because they only have about a 4-month real-time lifespan, too, so you need to start a family or design more!
Full disclosure, the game does use AI, as you are able to direct your characters via a chat app at all times. You can find out how they’re feeling, what they need, and direct them on how to fix or ruin everything. AI is a tricky space, but my mind was blown during my SEED appointment, and I really hope it is all it seems to be.
SEED releases on July 21, 2026 via the SEED launcher, with a Steam release later this year.
Shot One Fighters
Shot One Fighters was a pleasant surprise at my Day of the Devs appointment. Part roguelite, part fighter, you can make your way through the set-out map, choosing which direction to go, and what to take on. You gain abilities and power-ups (or downs) as you move along, and no two runs will ever be the same.
My appointment was fast, but I really enjoyed the overall gameplay loop. Some runs I was taking on battle after battle, but others I was able to chain together stops as these random stops. These would be small instances within the story where something good or bad could happen. It was my own little gambling ring inside the game. I think it will be a great jump-in-jump-out title and people will really enjoy the blending of genres.
Shot One Fighters will release at a later date on Steam.
Super Yooka-Laylee Kart
Yooka-Laylee was not a franchise I have played before, but I certainly know my kart racers. Despite being horrendous at racing titles, they are always a blast, and the developer I spoke to from Playtonic Games was a pleasure to talk to. I can’t say the game is breaking the mould when it comes to kart racers, as most of what I saw followed a familiar formula. Pick a track, choose the number of laps, and go crazy getting power-ups and taking out your opponents.
What was interesting, however, was the art style behind the game. I really like the aesthetic they are going for and love to see something that looks a bit different overall. The game also offers a lot of customization, such as how long to run, which power-ups to use or not use, and more. If you are a fan of the franchise overall, this is definitely a game you want to check out, but if it isn’t, there is still a lot left on the table for a great time.
Super Yooka-Laylee Kart will release on Steam so far.
