If you’re an Xbox owner looking for new indie games to play, today’s ID@Xbox showcase provided 30 minutes of new, upcoming, and existing indie games coming to Microsoft’s platforms. We’ve rounded up every announcement here for a quick recap of the event.
Magenta Down (World Premiere) – 2027
2 Ton Studios, creators of 2020’s Unto the End, announced this atmospheric sci-fi title about surviving a harsh exoplanet. For you and your crew to survive, you must scavenge reattle what appear to be giant alien sea urchins
Croak – March 2027
Xbox Series X/S, PC (Game Pass Day 1)
Frogs are the de facto mascot of the indie scene, and Croak, a hand-drawn 2D platformer, keeps this unofficial tradition alive. As the Frog Prince, you’ll use your lengthy and sticky tongue to grapple up platforms and propel yourself forward, then roll into a ball to bounce onto and between objects like an amphibian Sonic the Hedgehog.
Mr. Records – Spring 2027
PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, PC
Developer Glee-Cheese Studio treated viewers to a full look at one of the game’s many music-based platforming levels.
Chronoscript: The Endless End – Summer 2027
This hand-drawn search action game about an editor trapped inside an unfinished manuscript is coming to Xbox after previously being announced for PS5 and PC.
Love is a Roguelike – Fall 2027
Developer Titan1Studios describes Love is a Roguelike as “50 First Dates meets Edge of Tomorrow“, which is quite an intriguing combination of story premises. This deck-building strategy sci-fi western stars a Rex, a rogue space marshal, and his partner, Lakshmi, who must recover the shattered memories of the latter while trapped in a time loop on an asteroid.
Drill Keeper – Summer 2027
Xbox Series X/S, PC (Game Pass Day 1)
This blend of roguelike deckbuilding and tower defense tasks players with stripping fully destructible worlds of their riches while protecting your Planetary Drill by erecting fortresses and other defenses.
Mr Magpie’s Harmless Card Game – Early 2027
Xbox Series X/S, PC (Game Pass Day 1)
This sinister deckbuilder sees you gamble your life for cash in the deadly corporate office of Mr. Magpie, a deranged puppet voiced by Matt Mercer. You’re trapped, so to climb the corporate ladder, you must strategically flip cards, stack your deck, take advantage of synergies, and, whatever you do, avoid Jerry cards.
Waveling Island (World Premiere) – 2027
There’s no shortage of indie creature collecting games, but Waveling Island aims to win fans over with its hand-drawn pixel art, cozy vibes, and tropical island backdrop. After washing ashore, you’ll capture, train, and battle various strange creatures (e.g., a sentient pencil) while befriending the island’s residents and unraveling a big mystery. You can also rebuild the island by gathering re
A Game About Digging A Hole Together – December 4
PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, PC
The multiplayer sequel to the minimalist viral hit A Game About Digging a Hole is, like its 2025 predecessor, exactly what it sounds like. Up to four friends can now work together to dig a big hole, only this time it’s on a beach. You can unlock new digging equipment, find treasure, and collect and sell re
Scramble Knights Online – October 26
Xbox Series X/S, PC (Game Pass Day 1)
Formerly known as Scramble Knights Royale, the game’s focus has shifted to focus on co-op exploration in a shared world with other players. This MMO-lite features dungeons to crawl, monsters to slay, and loot to find for those looking for a multiplayer take on classic Zelda.
Paper Shredder – Winter 2026
Another game that’s exactly what it sounds like: you must shred confidential company documents to earn a $1 million payout. Destroying towering paper stacks becomes an easier task thanks to the moral support of the constantly-watching, toxically positive “Happiness Manager”.
Vanran – Early 2027
This dark fantasy RPG centers on a human slaving away in the Demon Realm who rebels against his captors. The third-person Souls-like action looks bloody and brutal, though genre fans probably wouldn’t want it any other way.
Rustown – June 30, 2027
Set in a post-apocalyptic world wiped out by the “idiot virus”, the protagonist receives a letter from their long-missing father to kick off a search for answers. The story-driven action games challenge players to survive slums filled with infected citizens in a narrative centered on finding life and kindness in a broken world.
Red Kiss – 2027
Xbox Series X/S, PC (Game Pass Day 1)
The team behind Herald: The Interactive Period Drama tells a decidedly more fantastical tale about dispatching a team of vampires in Cold War-era Berlin. To succeed in this tactical narrative RPG, you must navigate choice-driven scenarios to earn the trust of your undead teammates and use their powers to determine the destiny of your house.
Graytail – November 2027
After the greatest female pilot goes missing, players control a headache-suffering detective searching for her whereabouts. The top-down adventure sees players gather clues, solve puzzles, and regularly take medication to remedy their persistent headache. You’ll also battle enemies with over eight weapons, including a cane, umbrella, and crossbow.
Zero Parades: Director’s Cut – November 3
Zero Parades: For Dead Spies, the spiritual follow-up to Disco Elysium, only launched in May, but it already has a much-improved Director’s Cut coming next month. This version features new scenes adding over 40,000 words), a backstage mode, a new dramatic encounter, voice-over improvements, new clothing items, a new death screen, inventory filtering, and more. While the update has been available for the existing versions of the game on PS5 and PC, it will be the default version when it comes to Xbox.
The Wolf Among Us Remastered – October 29
PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, Switch, PC
Check out a new story trailer for the upcoming remaster of one of Telltale Games’ most celebrated adventures ahead of its launch in a couple of weeks.
Shrek 2 Remastered (World Premiere) – November 10
PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, Switch, PC
The cult-favorite movie tie-in to Shrek 2is being remastered courtesy of Aspyr. If you missed the 2004 game, it features Shrek, Donkey, Fiona, and other familiar faces battling evil in solo or co-op play for up to four players (local and online). The remaster boasts improved visuals, new features such as a photo mode, and the ability to swap characters instantly.
