Indie gameshave had a huge presence in the gaming sphere over the past several years and 2022 was one of the biggest years yet for indie fans. With titles likeStray,Tunic,Neon White,Chained Echoes, and dozens more releasing over the past year, 2023 has some work to do if it is going to follow up on the success of theseindie games. Luckily, the initial outlook seems positive for the genre as some big titles by small teams are slated to release in the coming year.
Indie games are starting to receive the same level of recognition as AAA titles as is evident by games likeHadesandStrayappearing as Game of the Year nomineesalongside triple-A titles at the Game Awards. As a result, more attention has been given to indie releases through events like Nintendo’s Indie World Showcases and the Summer Game Fest. This growing recognition shows just how large of an audience indie games have, and fans can expect the presence of indie games to grow over the course of 2023.
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Hollow Knight: Silksong Should Finally Release this Year
One of the most highly anticipated indie games of the past few years isHollow Knight: Silksongand eager fans may finally get to play it in 2023. The sequel to 2017’sHollow Knightwas first announced to be in development by Team Cherry back in February 2019 and since then has had a scarce number of teasers regarding the game’s progress. From what has been revealed,Hollow Knight: Silksongwill continue the Metroidvania style of gameplay of its predecessor with players taking on the role of new protagonist Hornet. Despite the little information that is known about the game beyond these details, the popularity of its predecessor has contributed to the pre-release hype surroundingSilksong.
At the Xbox Bethesda Games Showcase in 2022, Team Cherry debuted a new trailer forHollow Knight: Silksongstating it will be coming to Xbox Game Pass on day one. Although it was brief, it sparked new hope that the game would be released soon. According to Microsoft, every game shown during that presentation was expected to be released within a year. Although no specific date has been confirmed, this announcement indicates thatSilksongshould release sometime in the first half of 2023. Since this presentation, there has not been much new information about the game beyond Sony’s confirmation of aPS4 and PS5 release forSilksong.
The lack of new gameplay footage beyond what was seen at theXbox Bethesda Games Showcase in 2022is concerning, but it’s very likely new gameplay will be shown in the coming months. With confirmation thatHollow Knight: Silksongis coming to PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S, there are a host of avenues new information could come from. In the meantime, fans will have to trust the word of Microsoft that the game really will be released this year. Assuming there is no further delay, players can expectSilksongto release by June 2023.
Devlover Digital Has The Plucky Squire and a Lot More in Store for 2023
Known for publishing unique, high-quality games and having wacky E3 parodies, Devolver Digital has become a well-known name within the indie community. Last year saw them publish such games asWeird West,Trek to Yomi, andCult of the Lamb, and revive a classic franchise with the release ofReturn to Monkey Island. Their line-up of 2023 releases looks to be just as strong with titles such asAnger Foot,Gunbrella,Pepper Grinder,Skate Story,andTerra Nillikely to launch this year. Players should be able to find something to look forward to in this diverse group of games.
The real standout from Devolver’s line-up of 2023 games isThe Plucky Squire, a charming 2D/3D hybrid adventure that sees players take on the role of Jot as he ventures out of his storybook and into the real world. What’s most notable about this game is the pedigree of its studio’s founder, James Turner, former designer and art director for thePokemonseries. As the first title from his new studio, All Possible Futures, there are a lot of expectations surroundingThe Plucky Squirewith its release on the docket for 2023.
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Sea of Stars and Bomb Rush Cyberfunk Seem Like Blasts From the Past
Indie games are a great medium through which developers can pay homage to classic, influential titles, andSea of Starsfrom Sabotage Studio wears itsChrono Triggerinspirations on its sleeve. With its beautiful pixel art and turn-based gameplay,Sea of Starslooks to recapture some of that JRPG magic of classic SNES titles while offering a modern spin on the genre. The game will feature a day and night cycle complete with dynamic lighting that players will be able to control as part of its gameplay, making for a unique yet familiar experience for seasoned JRPG fans. Although it was delayed from its original 2022 release date,Sea of Stars will release in Summer 2023.
The developer behind theLethal Leagueseries, Team Reptile, also has a retro-inspired game coming in 2023.Bomb Rush Cyberfunkis a stylized 3D adventure-platformer that is heavily inspired by the Dreamcast’s classicJet Set Radioseries that will give players the chance to skate, paint graffiti, and take part in dance-offs as they attempt to stake their claim on the city in this funky, futuristic game. Players looking forward to performing tricks and hitting tough graffiti spots inBomb Rush Cyberfunkcan expect to do so this summer when the game is planned to launch.
Yacht Club Games' Mina the Hollower May Release in December 2023
The latest IP fromShovel KnightdeveloperYacht Club Games,Mina the Hollower,was announced back in February 2022 and might see a release later this year. The game looks to combine elements of classicZeldaandCastlevaniagames in the Game Boy Color-style pixel art the studio is known for. Since the release ofShovel Knightin 2014, Yacht Club Games has continued to provide expansions to the game in the form of thePlague of Shadow,Specter of Torment,King of Cards, and Shovel Knight ShowdownDLCs. The studio has also released two spin-off titles for the franchise,Shovel Knight Pocket DungeonandShovel Knight Dig,however,Mina the Hollowerwill be the first new IP from the developer since the originalShovel Knight.
Although the game’s official website states the release date as TDB, theKickstarter page forMina the Hollowerlists an expected release date of December 2023. While it is very possible that this could be a placeholder date, it does give some indication as to the game’s planned release timeline. Regardless of ifMina the Hollowerreleases in 2023 or not, Yacht Club is likely to show off more gameplay and details regarding when fans can expect to play it sometime this year.
Nintendo Will Continue its Indie World Showcases
As the popularity of indie games has grown over the past several years, Nintendo has become dedicated to highlighting upcoming indie releases with itsIndie World Showcase presentations. These presentations are a great way to exposeindie gamesto audiences that would have never heard of them otherwise by using the draw a Nintendo Direct carries among fans. It’s looking like the indie space will continue to grow in the next year, and as such, fans can expect Nintendo to continue to partner with indie publishers to offer a look at what’s in development through these showcases.
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