August 17, 2026 | Triomatica Games, the award-winning studio behind Boxville, is excited to announce that the demo for I Want to Play the Villain!, their upcoming theatre-themed logic puzzle game, is now live on Steam as part of Ukrainian Games Festival 2026. This marks the first chance for budding theatre directors to step backstage and get hands-on with the game.

The demo contains the entire first chapter, 18 unique challenges to overcome.

Wishlist on Steam

To create the perfect show, you must match actors to their roles. But every actor has their own ambitions, fears, and wishes. Rearrange the cast, change the story, and use your logic to make everyone happy.

About the Game

A Story You Rearrange

I Want to Play the Villain! is a theatre-themed logic puzzle game where every character on stage has their own personality, and it’s up to you to arrange the cast so the show actually works.

Give Every Actor Their Perfect Role

Every actor has their own wishes, ambitions, fears, and favorite roles. Rearrange the cast, switch costumes, and change the story to make everyone happy on stage. Give an actor their dream role, pair them with the right partner, or keep them away from situations they fear.

Every Chapter, a New Puzzle

Explore unique chapters, each with its own setting, characters, mechanics, and story. A single change can transform the entire performance.

Key Features

• Solve clever theatre-themed logic puzzles
• Explore unique chapters, each with its own setting, characters, mechanics, and story
• Change modular stories to create different performances and outcomes
• Learn each actor’s personality, preferences, ambitions, and fears to solve increasingly challenging puzzles
• Every performance is different. Can you create the perfect show?

About Triomatica Games
Triomatica Games is a young but ambitious Ukrainian independent game development studio, founded in 2020 by artists and developers. The studio handles the full stack of development and publishing in-house, and is best known for Boxville, winner of the GDWC 2023 Mobile Award and PGA’23 Best Indie International Game.

Debut title occult deck-burner ‘Burn With Me’ haunts PC via Steam Oct. 12, 2026

LISBON, PORTUGAL – August 17, 2026 – Inner Pocket, a new label co-founded by industry veterans from CRITICAL REFLEX, Gaijin Entertainment, and indie studio Nozomu Games, launches today. By combining extensive experience across games marketing, publishing services, development, and business strategy, the Inner Pocket team aims to utilize its well-rounded composition to empower indie studios.

As a publisher, Inner Pocket will deliver a curated library of titles and recommendations to audiences seeking memorable experiences that stick with players for years to come. Inner Pocket seeks to elevate and support games that are intimate and engaging, capable of immersing players and providing quality time. Inner Pocket games are deliberate and personal, active and driven forward by compelling stories that reward both introspection and discussion, not unlike a good book.

The team at Inner Pocket will assist developers from start to finish. This includes positioning and go-to-market counsel, store-page setup and optimization services, PR and creator outreach, press kit creation, trailer production, paid marketing and user acquisition, localization services, functional QA and release-readiness support, and platform relations. Porting and additional production services may be available depending on project details and final agreement.

Inner Pocket has partnered with Nozomu Games to bring narrative-rich occult deck-burner Burn With Me to PC via Steam as one of the publisher’s debut titles, set for release on October 12, 2026. 

In addition to its traditional publishing efforts, Inner Pocket aims to foster a community of gamers through curation efforts on Steam, YouTube, and Discord. Inner Pocket plans to launch a bespoke list of compelling, tonally interesting titles on Steam through its official Curator page.

“We’re choosing a pretty specific niche from the start, and we’re going to be very picky about the games we publish,” said Yaroslav “Pangolin” Kadyshen, Co-founder of Inner Pocket. “At the same time, there are already great titles out there that capture exactly the kind of feeling we’re after. We want to help grow this space in two ways: as a publisher, by supporting developers making curiosity games and helping more of them get made; and as a curator, by surfacing the great ones that are already out there. The kind you still think about years later – the games you keep close to your heart.”

Feed your curiosity about Inner Pocket on the official website and connect with fellow enthusiasts on the official Discord server.

About Inner Pocket

Inner Pocket was founded by people who believe games should leave a lasting impression. As lifelong players, the team is drawn to experiences that spark curiosity, pull people into unfamiliar worlds, and stay with them long after the credits roll.

A retro mini-roguelike inside a slot machine. Steady your blade – and spin.

Indie dev Friedemann (Summerhouse, Islanders) and publisher Future Friends Games (CloverPit, The Cabin Factory) have just launched Slots & Daggers on Mobile for Apple and Android! The game launched on Steam late last year and became an instant hit with 300,000 copies sold and over 6,500 reviews at 94% positive.

Arm yourself to the teeth and set out on an adventure across strange and dangerous lands! In combat, your actions are decided by a spin of the wheel: attacks, potions and spells are represented by symbols on the slot machine.

• Steam Page // Google Play Store // iOS App Store

About the game

From the creator of SUMMERHOUSE comes Slots & Daggers – a compact retro-fantasy roguelike where battles play out on a slot machine. Arm yourself to the teeth and set out on an adventure across strange and dangerous lands, where every spin could be your last!

In combat, your actions are decided by a spin of the wheel: attacks, potions and spells are represented by symbols on the slot machine. You’ll need a keen eye, quick reflexes and good old fashioned luck to triumph over an eccentric cast of foes: Gunslingers of the Red Desert, Knights of Kul, Hammer Goblins and a guy named Ike. Victory will earn you powerful modifiers – extra wheels, new weapons, spells and more. 

Fine-tune your loadout, hone your strategy, and turn the odds in your favour until victory is secured!

Features

• A compact, addictive roguelike from the creator of SUMMERHOUSE
• Satisfying slot machine gameplay meets white knuckle fantasy fights
• Battle through ten levels, each with unique foes and bosses
• Unlock game-changing new weapons, equipment and abilities as you go
• Adapt your loadout and strategy on the fly as you play through each run

About the developer

Friedemann is an independent game creator based in Berlin. As one of the 3 founders of Grizzly Games alongside university friends Paul Schnepf and Jonas Tyroller, he helped create breakout indie hits Superflight & ISLANDERS. He also made Pizza Possum alongside Kingdoms creator Thomas van den Berg. Last year he released his first solo project SUMMERHOUSE, with publishing help from Future Friends Games, a partnership that’s continued into his latest game, slot machine roguelike Slots & Daggers.

ICYMI, classic arcade space action returned in style as epic roguelike starfighter Rogue Eclipse recently launched on PC via Steam! Micro-studio HUSKRAFTS, with the support of Outersloth, invite you to strap into the cockpit for the thrill of high speeds and an explosive spectacle unlike anything previously seen in the genre before!

Master your piloting prowess! Blast and burn your way through swarms of starfighters, merciless armadas, and colossal behemoths in an Arabesque Future that spans the cosmos. Easy to learn, tricky to master, and impossible to put down.

• Steam page

About the game

Rogue Eclipse is an epic arcade spaceflight action roguelike for the new age. A love letter inspired by the greatest arcade spacefighters and the sci-fi frontiers of Arabesque Futurism, Rogue Eclipse brings the best of arcade flight speed and spectacle to a fresh epic sci-fi setting.

You are a pilot on the front lines of the war for humanity’s future. Try, die, and try again, blasting and burning your way through swarms of starfighters and merciless armadas in the deepest reaches of the galaxy. Delve into hulking enemy behemoths and battle your way through destructible environments, tuning your starfighter and honing your skills to vanquish a malevolent evil that spans the cosmos.

Features:

• Edge-of-your-seat spaceflight action, easy to learn and difficult to master
• A destructive arsenal of weapons to choose from
• Upgrade, customise and personalise your starfighter as you progress
• A Roguelike Campaign that spans multiple chapters, with new foes and hazardous environments to overcome
• An epic space opera setting inspired by Arabesque Futurism 

About the Developer

Husban Siddiqi, AKA Huskrafts, is an indie developer based in the UK running Huskrafts. He’s an alumni of the IGDA Foundation next-gen leaders programme as well as an Epic MegaGrant and Creative England New Ideas Fund Recipient. Husban is currently working on his debut title, epic spaceflight action roguelike Rogue Eclipse.

About Outersloth

From Innersloth, the creators of Among Us, Outersloth is a fund for indie developers looking to sustainably and freely make the games they want. Outersloth aims to share their success and support indies with friendly terms that help developers make their fun, clever, and original games. To learn more, visit their website.

Kosice, Slovakia – August 14, 2026 – Independent developer Moonpyre and RPG publisher Grindstone (Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel) today launched the first public demo of Hellforged, the loot-driven extraction bullet-heaven where every run is a calculated heist. This is the first time anyone can play Hellforged freely – previously the game was only available through a closed playtest, and it has already convinced over 60,000 players to add it to their Steam wishlist.

The demo is available now and free to download on Steam.

Control the Chaos, Secure the Loot

In Hellforged, players step into the boots of the survivors of a shattered expedition into the Blackspire. The mission: battle through hordes of bloodthirsty demons to loot epic gear with powerful modifiers. But the greatest challenge isn’t surviving the bullet-heaven – it’s knowing when to leave. Using a mid-battle extraction mechanic, players must decide at any moment whether to safely extract their hard-earned equipment and secure their progress, or risk everything for even greater rewards. Die, and you lose it all.

What’s in the Demo

• Extract mid-battle or risk everything – safely recover your gear during a run, or push deeper into the corruption to gamble for legendary rewards.
• Two demo-exclusive classes – each forged with its own distinct powers, offering a first taste of the wildly different playstyles waiting in the full game.
• Pre-craft your builds with the Arsenal – take control of RNG by pre-selecting which abilities drop during an expedition, then craft specialized, screen-clearing elemental combos in the Eternal Tree.
• Devastating boss encounters – channel gathered chaos to summon lethal bosses that test the limits of your build, and extract with the most powerful gear in the game.
• Monthly Trials – each month brings a new sin-themed gauntlet, from greed to wrath and beyond. Climb the live leaderboard and claim exclusive in-game titles.

A Genre Fusion Built Around One Decision

Hellforged takes the addictive, screen-filling chaos of a bullet-heaven and welds it to the nerve of an extraction looter – two genres that shouldn’t fit together, built around a single tense decision you make again and again: leave now, or push your luck. Every expedition into the Blackspire is a fresh gamble.

Powerful gear modifiers, deep class fantasies, and the sprawling Eternal Tree talent system mean no two builds play alike, while the Arsenal lets you bend fate and chase the exact synergies you want. Stack enough chaos and you can summon the game’s deadliest bosses on your own terms – the ultimate test of a build, and the fastest route to its most overpowered loot. It is fast, readable, and deliberate: easy to pick up in the first minute, hard to put down once the greed sets in.

Product Details

• Title: Hellforged
• Developer: Moonpyre
• Publisher: Grindstone
• Genre: Loot-driven extraction bullet-heaven ARPG
• Platform: PC (Steam)
• Public demo: Live now

About Moonpyre
Moonpyre Studio is a fresh indie team making action games with strong atmosphere, smooth controls, and a focus on gameplay that feels good from the first minute to the last. Founded by the co-founder of SquareNite, the studio behind Darfall (2025), Moonpyre was built around a simple idea – small teams can still make games that feel deliberate, refined, and rewarding to play. We believe polish is not about size. It is about care, clarity, and thousands of small decisions that make combat, movement, and progression feel right.

About Grindstone
Grindstone is a video game production and publishing company with a strong background in RPG development based in Slovakia. It was founded as a spin-off from the well-established Slovakian development studio Games Farm to create new opportunities and support game developers in delivering creatively and commercially viable games that can compete on global markets. https://www.grindstone.sk/

Invade minds. Uncover the truth. Survive your past. 

Meridiem is pleased to announce that Observer System Redux – Limited Edition will arrive physically for Nintendo Switch 2 on November 13^th, 2026. Developed by Bloober Team, Observer System Redux is a first-person cyberpunk horror detective story set in a decaying, neon-scarred future. 

Meridiem is responsible for designing and manufacturing of Observer System Redux- Limited Edition for Nintendo Switch 2 and will include a copy of the game, a special case, a lenticular 3D postcard, in-game ads cards and digital content!  

The year is 2084. The future has turned out much darker than anyone could imagine. First, there was the Nanophage. A digital plague that killed thousands upon thousands of those who chose to augment their minds and bodies. Then came the War, leaving both the West and the East decimated and shattered. With no one left to seize power, corporations took over and forged their own crooked empires. 

You are an Observer – a tool of corporate oppression. Feared and despised, you hack into the darkest corners of your suspects’ minds. You creep into their dreams, expose their fears, and extract whatever your investigation may require. 

In this sci-fi tale crafted by Bloober Team – the modern-day masters of horror, prepare to experience a dystopian future where not even your innermost thoughts are safe. 

Features 

• Become a Neural Detective: You play as Daniel Lazarski, an elite investigator of the future portrayed by late cyberpunk icon Rutger Hauer. As an Observer, you hack into the minds of suspects to extract clues and evidence. Anything they felt, thought, or remembered can and will be used to solve your case. 
• Eat Their Dreams: Using a device known as the Dream Eater, hack into the minds of the dead and dying to relive their final moments to explore their fears and obsessions. Delve into these twisted neural mazes and search for clues that can help you find the elusive killer. 
• Take in the Atmosphere of 2084: Enter a world ravaged by war and cyber-plague, where life is cheap and hope is scarce. Where most people will do anything to escape their grim existence. Virtual realities, mind-altering drugs, neural implants – pick your poison and drift away into a blissful oblivion. But remember, no matter how deep you go, you can never hide from an Observer. 

Observer System Redux – Limited Edition will arrive physically for Nintendo Switch 2 (cartridge) on November 13th, 2026. 

For more information, visit www.meridiem-games.com 

About Meridiem 

We are Meridiem, a video game publisher and distributor in love with its culture, which we protect and pass on in order to preserve it. We do this by fostering talent through investment in independent projects with potential, bringing back classic titles, promising indies and AAA games while continuing to support the physical format. 

When we stop working on video games, we celebrate by playing video games. https://meridiem-games.com/  #PLAYTOREMEMBER. 

About Bloober Team 

Founded in 2008 and based in Kraków, Bloober Team is a passionate house of horror, creating deep and immersive experiences that linger with players. With over 250 creative professionals, they tell stories that are both terrifying and unforgettable. 

Bloober Team’s award-winning lineup includes Layers of Fear, Blair Witch, Observer: System Redux, and The Medium. Their most celebrated project, developed with KONAMI, was the highly anticipated remake of SILENT HILL 2, which earned widespread acclaim, numerous awards, and nominations—including Game of the Year at the Horror Game Awards and Best Game of 2024 by IGN Japan. 

The studio’s latest release, Cronos: The New Dawn—its first original survival horror IP—launched on September 5 across multiple platforms and received praise from both players and media, marking an important milestone for Bloober Team. 

Today, Battlefield 6 released a deep dive video exploring its upcoming Top Gun collaboration, giving players an in-depth look at all the new content arriving August 18. 

BATTLEFIELD 6 x TOP GUN — DEEP DIVE In this video, members of the Battlefield 6 development team break down the level of craft and artistry that went into building this collaboration and what you can expect when Battlefield 6 x Top Gun arrives on August 18, 2026, including a look at the incoming Carrier Strike mode, the new F-74A Seacat and the F/A-81F Super Spectre two-seater jets, and more.

Visit us on Battlefield.com. Join the official Battlefield community channels over at discord.gg/Battlefield. Follow us on @Battlefield to stay informed on the latest updates, and @BattlefieldCom for the rollout of live updates.

About Battlefield
Battlefield is a storied franchise renowned for uncompromising combat gameplay, and all-out warfare, for over two decades. 100 million players and 5 billion hours played later, Battlefield Studios is defining the future of the first-person shooter with the biggest launch in franchise history with Battlefield 6, and a new era beginning with Battlefield REDSEC.

New D23 Trailer Reveals A Vibrant World Inspired by Disney and Pixar’s Coco

SYDNEY (Aug. 17, 2026) – During D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event 2026, SQUARE ENIX and Disney & Pixar Games announced that the highly anticipated action-RPG KINGDOM HEARTS IV will release in late 2027 with a new trailer debuting at the Disney Entertainment Showcase, revealing the new in-game world inspired by Disney and Pixar’s Coco. Alongside this announcement, it was announced that ‘Kingdom Hearts’ (working title), an original anime series for Disney Channel and Disney+, is in development in collaboration with Tetsuya Nomura and the creative team at SQUARE ENIX

A panel during D23 titled DEEP DIVE into KINGDOM HEARTS commemorated 25 years of the franchise, discussing how the saga united Disney, Pixar, and SQUARE ENIX, with insights from the creative minds, character voice talent and more. The panel was livestreamed to audiences around the world and unveiled an extended trailer of KINGDOM HEARTS IV for fans to enjoy.

Watch the extended KINGDOM HEARTS IV D23 trailer

KINGDOM HEARTS IV follows protagonist Sora and some familiar characters as they journey though the mysterious city of Quadratum, where dark creatures known as the Heartless are causing havoc. In the next chapter of the beloved series, Sora will once again journey to various worlds inspired by Disney and Pixar, where new figures cross his path and new powers awaken.

This new trailer revealed a plethora of new information about KINGDOM HEARTS IV, including the return of familiar faces like Sora’s friends Donald Duck and Goofy. Fans will be able to play as Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy as they seek to uncover information about Sora’s whereabouts.

KINGDOM HEARTS IV will be available for Nintendo Switch™ 2, PlayStation®5, XBOX Series X|S and PC in late 2027 and is available to wish list now. For more information, visit: https://www.kingdomhearts.com/

About the KINGDOM HEARTS SeriesKINGDOM HEARTS is a series of role-playing games created through the collaboration of Disney and Square Enix. Since the first KINGDOM HEARTS was released in March 2002 for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, the series has expanded with several additional entries. The series has shipped over 39 million units worldwide.

About Square Enix, Inc.

Ranked as the #1 Publisher of the Year in 2025 by Metacritic.

Square Enix, Inc. develops, publishes, distributes and licenses SQUARE ENIX and TAITO branded entertainment content throughout the Americas as part of the Square Enix group of companies. The Square Enix group of companies boasts a valuable portfolio of intellectual property including: FINAL FANTASY, which has sold over 212 million units worldwide; DRAGON QUEST, which has sold over 97 million units worldwide; and the legendary SPACE INVADERS. Square Enix, Inc. is a U.S.-based, wholly owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd.

More information on Square Enix, Inc. can be found at https://square-enix-games.com

KINGDOM HEARTS © Disney. © Disney/Pixar. Developed by SQUARE ENIX.

Nintendo Switch is a trademark of Nintendo. XBOX Series X|S, the Games for Windows logo and XBOX logos are registered trademarks or trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies and are used under license. All other trademarks are properties of their respective owners.

The story-driven horror adventure brings more unsettling dread to Sal and his friends

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | August 16, 2026 – Sally Face 2, the supernatural, post- apocalypse adventure from developer Portable Moose, reveals unrelenting horror and dark adventures for Steam Early Access with consoles and mobile ports to come at a later date.

Continuing after the haunting climax of Sally Face, Sal and his friends continue to navigate a dark and unforgiving world where terror lurks around every corner and even the release of death holds no relief. Guide this broken group of survivors in a horrifying narrative-driven adventure game filled with complex puzzles and gut-wrenching story twists inspired by 90’s cartoons and other nightmarish visions.

Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3937470/Sally_Face_2/  

ABOUT Sally Face 2

Sally Face 2 is a single-player, side-scrolling, narrative-driven adventure game and sequel to the original supernatural adventure, Sally Face. Guide Sal and his three friends through a dark world devoid of hope and filled with mind breaking terror. With everything falling apart and death brings no solace, Sally Face 2 asks “what’s left to hold on to?”

• Narrative Driven Horror – Get lost in a sinister post apocalypse world where unremitting threats lurk around every turn. Uncover a story of lost hope and encroaching darkness where no one is safe and each revelation is more shocking than the last. 
• Brain Bending Puzzles – Fight for survival by solving challenging puzzles and cryptic brain teasers to bring more revelations and mystery to a twisted world. Sally Face 2 also offers a hint system for those looking for a smoother, more forgiving experience.  
• Inspiration from 90’s Cartoons and Terrifying Nightmares – Sally Face 2 continues the frightening blend of unimaginable horror drawn from nightmares and classic 90s cartoons with each character, enemies, and environment.
• Hand Crafted Horror Made by Humans – Every aspect of Sally Face 2 is handcrafted from human hands, human creativity and human horror. There is not a single instance of A.I. generated content in the game. 

​“The community’s anticipation for Sally Face 2 has been inspiring, and we are excited to finally share a look at what we’ve been building,” said Portable Moose Founder Steve Gabry. “ Sally Face 2 is much more ambitious than the original, pushing the boundaries on art and tech beyond what was possible with the first game. The teaser is only a small taste of what’s to come.”

Sally Face 2will release on PC via Steam Early Access with consoles and mobile ports to come at a later date. 

For more information on Sally Face 2, please visit their website or follow them on X, YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. 

About Portable Moose 

Portable Moose is an independent game development team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania USA. Created by award- winning indie game developer Steve Gabry in 2015, the studio grew to a four person team in 2025. Portable Moose focuses on creating narrative- driven games such as Sally Face and the upcoming Sally Face 2.