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All 36 Games We Saw At The Triple-i Spring Indie Showcase Extravaganza

All 36 Games We Saw At The Triple-i Spring Indie Showcase Extravaganza

A free Square Enix update for Vampire Survivors, roguelite Deep Rock Galactic gameplay, and much more

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Images show screenshots of gameplay from the Triple-i initiative showcase.
Image: Evil Empire / Triple-i Initiative / Kotaku

Big gaming showcases shouldn’t just be for major console makers and Geoff Keighley, which is why the team behind Dead Cells’ ongoing support, Evil Empire, launched the Triple-i Initiative last year. The event puts the spotlight on smaller projects ahead of Summer Game Fest season and returned this year with updates on a whopping 36 games, including world premieres for a few that look really cool.

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There was news about 2019 action platforming hit Katana Zero and its long-promised DLC, as well as brand new reveals for upcoming releases. There was Void/Breaker, a frenetic roguelike cyberpunk FPS from Stubby Games that looks like it builds off of some of the ideas in the team’s 2022 FPS puzzle adventure The Entropy Centre. There was also Frostrail, a post-apocalyptic survival crafting shooter from Shiro Unlimited and FakeFish. Another one of those? Yes, but this one revolves around a train that serves as your home base, transportation, and salvation from the cold and the “horrifying abominations” hiding in it.

The most surprising announcement for me personally was the latest free DLC for Vampire Survivors. While the bullet hell roguelite getting more content is nothing new, this update is a crossover with Square Enix’s lesser known SaGa franchise. Out now, the DLC drops SaGa Emerald Beyond’s characters into the game’s chaotic arcade adventure. What franchise collab should be next? I’m still holding out for Mega Man. You can watch the full showcase below or scroll through for a look at everything else announced during the 2025 Triple-i Initiative showcase.

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Free Katana Zero DLC is alive and almost complete

Free Katana Zero DLC is alive and almost complete

Real ones know and have been waiting almost five years for a glimpse of what was once likened to Katana Zero 1.5. With “all new characters, levels, gameplay and story,” this “massive” DLC still doesn’t have a release date but sounds oh so close.

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Void/Breaker is a new FPS about fighting free from AI

Void/Breaker is a new FPS about fighting free from AI

The high-speed shooter is coming later this year and offers weapon crafting, gun modding, and environmental destruction. An open playtest is currently running on Steam through April 24.

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Frostrail looks like Stalker meets Snowpiercer

Frostrail looks like Stalker meets Snowpiercer

The first-person shooter is all about open-world survival crafting to upgrade the train that’s keeping you and your friends alive. It hits Early Access for PC in 2026.

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The Alters is a sci-fi adventure of existential desperation

The Alters is a sci-fi adventure of existential desperation

11 Bit Studios’ latest project is about a space mission worker named Jan Dolski who must create alternate versions of himself with unique skills but shared memories in order to survive. It now has a release date of June 13, 2025.

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Neverway is a dream mashup of pixel art and synth music

Neverway is a dream mashup of pixel art and synth music

Neverway - World Premiere Trailer | The Triple-i Initiative

A nightmarish life sim, Neverway features the work of Celeste and TowerFall’s pixel artist and the music of Disasterpeace who composed the mesmerizing soundscapes for both Fez and Hyper Light Drifter. That’s it. That’s all I needed to know.

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Rogue Core is another Deep Rock Galactic spin-off

Rogue Core is another Deep Rock Galactic spin-off

If you guessed that Deep Rock Galactic: Rogue Core would feature the mining horde mode shooter’s mechanics with new run-based roguelike elements, you’d be correct. Players can sign up for a Closed Alpha happening now.

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Deep Rock Galactic meets Vampire Survivors has a release date

Deep Rock Galactic meets Vampire Survivors has a release date

One of the better Vampire Survivors copycats now has a 1.0 launch date. After winning fans over in Early Access, the full version is coming out September 17, 2025.

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There’s never been a better time to go off-grid in Outbound

There’s never been a better time to go off-grid in Outbound

The twee van-life sim about crafting and sustainability will feature a closed alpha on April 14. Upgrade your vehicle, grow crops, and explore a beautiful alternate world where hope still abounds.

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The “Mario Kart of 2D platformers” is back for a sequel

The “Mario Kart of 2D platformers” is back for a sequel

SpeedRunners 2: King of Speed was announced with a release window of 2025 for PC and 2026 for console. The Nickelodeon All-Stars Brawl team is making it, and for anyone unfamiliar with the original, the hook is the game’s 8-player platforming races with a battle royale-like “ever-shrinking ring of fire.”

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Duskfade is a “clockpunk” 3D platformer

Duskfade is a “clockpunk” 3D platformer

A workshop apprentice goes on an adventure. Many 3D action-platformer hijinks ensue. Will there be collectibles in this modern re-imagining of a retro throwback? Players can find out when it hits PC and console in 2026.

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Ikuma puts a friendly spin on arctic terror

Ikuma puts a friendly spin on arctic terror

Control cabin boy Sam and loyal husky Ellie in solo or co-op to explore an uncharted island and uncover a bleak mystery. Who’s ready to cry?!

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Into the Fire looks nuts

Into the Fire looks nuts

But what is it exactly? I’ll let the devs explain. According to them, Into the Fire is “a disaster extraction survival with arcade elements.” Neat! Players can face volcanic demons in Dante’s Archipelago in Early Access later this year.

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Tears of Metal has won me over

Tears of Metal has won me over

Arcade medieval army brawler Tears of Metal has a great art style and some really rad-looking combat. You can try the hack-and-slash roguelike online with friends in the current Steam beta running until April 17.

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Vampire Survivors is at it again

Vampire Survivors is at it again

Vampire Survivors: Emerald Diorama is the hit arcade roguelite’s latest free update featuring a cross over with Square Enix. It’s out on every platform right now.

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Endless Legend 2 weaves together story and 4X grind

Endless Legend 2 weaves together story and 4X grind

The long-awaited strategy follow-up now has an Early Access launch window of summer 2025. I can’t wait.

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X4: Foundations is getting diplomacy

X4: Foundations is getting diplomacy

Interstellar politics is about to get more complicated. A free summer update for X4: Foundations will add new strategic elements for alliance building, including sending agents out on missions to influence partners and rivals.

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Escape Simulator 2 now has a free demo

Escape Simulator 2 now has a free demo

The escape room game lets you solve puzzles in Dracula’s castle or deep space starships. Players can go hands-on with the sequel now on Steam.

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Sifu devs’ take on football is coming to Game Pass

Sifu devs’ take on football is coming to Game Pass

Rematch is like Rocket League but with actual people playing actual soccer. Small teams play offense and defense on no out of bounds fields and perform over the top moves to score and tackle. It launches Junes 19, will be on Game Pass, and has a closed beta test the weekend of April 12.

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CloverPit = “demonic lovechild of Balatro and Buckshot Roulette

CloverPit = “demonic lovechild of Balatro and Buckshot Roulette

You’re stuck in a gross prison cell. Pay off your debt with nothing but an ATM and a slot machine. It’s coming to Steam later this year and also has a free demo available to try now.

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BlazBlue Entropy Effect is getting Dead Cells crossover

BlazBlue Entropy Effect is getting Dead Cells crossover

The action-roguelike spin-off is getting a couch co-op mode for two players and content from Dead Cells sometime this summer.

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Enshrouded is getting deadlier

Enshrouded is getting deadlier

Enshrouded - Thralls of Twilight Trailer | The Triple-i Initiative

The survival crafting Soulslike is getting a new Thralls of Twilight update in May as it continues its Early Access journey.

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Heroes of Might & Magic is back!

Heroes of Might & Magic is back!

Olden Era is a new entry in the beloved turn-based strategy series. It’s being developed by Iratus makers Unfrozen and published by Ubisoft and takes players to the previously unexplored continent of Jadame.

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Moonlighter 2 is out this summer

Moonlighter 2 is out this summer

Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault takes the shopkeeper roguelite into 3D in just a few months. The dungeon crawler will be starting out in Early Access.

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Morbid Metal brings shapeshifting to hack ‘n’ slash combat

Morbid Metal brings shapeshifting to hack ‘n’ slash combat

The character action roguelite in which you transform into different characters to unleash powerful attacks hits Early Access this summer.

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Over The Hill still looks rad

Over The Hill still looks rad

The next game from the maker of Art of Rally lets you drive classic off-roading vehicles through trails and scenic landscapes for the colorful, lo-fi escape we all need right now.

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No, I’m not a Human looks to creepy for me

No, I’m not a Human looks to creepy for me

But horror fans may be enthused. Navigate a post-catastrophic world where creatures disguise themselves as humans in a very Night Trap meets Maniac Mansion meets Aphex Twin kind of way.

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Necesse gets new update ahead of 1.0 launch

Necesse gets new update ahead of 1.0 launch

The Forgotten Depths is a free content drop out today that adds a new biome to the pixel art-looking combat crafting sim. Necesse is slated to leave Early Access this summer.

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V Rising’s next major update is just around the corner

V Rising’s next major update is just around the corner

The top-down survival game is getting Invaders of Oakveil on April 28. Players will explore a new venomous area, collect poisonous weapons, and fight the Serpent Queen Megara.

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OPUS: Prism Peak is 100 percent on my radar now

OPUS: Prism Peak is 100 percent on my radar now

The narrative-driven adventure game has you use old cameras to explore a place outside of reality uncovering secrets, and probably dealing with past traumas, to make your way home. The music and art looks excellent.

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SacriFire is a cool HD-2D indie RPG coming next year

SacriFire is a cool HD-2D indie RPG coming next year

“Embark on an epic quest as Ezekiel, a devoted young bishop of the god Sheol, who must recover the sacred Malkora and cleanse Antioch from heretics,” reads the plot summary. If the whole game looks and sounds as good as the trailer, sure!

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Multi-layer 3D factories finally come to Shapez 2

Multi-layer 3D factories finally come to Shapez 2

The Dimension Update arrives June 2 for the construction management game. It adds a bunch of new features including a refined placement system, multi-floor platforms, and various quality-of-life improvements.

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Asteroid base-builder Star Birds is getting a demo in June

Asteroid base-builder Star Birds is getting a demo in June

The next project from the makers of Dorfromantik is Star Birds. You lead spacefaring birds across the galaxy by automating systems on an asteroid. Its first demo is just a few months away.

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Super Fantasy Kingdom arrives in late 2025

Super Fantasy Kingdom arrives in late 2025

It’s a roguelite city builder in which you harvest, build, mine, cook, brew, and grow in order to defend against invasions. You can lead the human or undead kingdoms, each rendered with an old-school 8-bit look.

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Watch out for zipline beavers in Timberborn’s next update

Watch out for zipline beavers in Timberborn’s next update

In Timberborn Update 7 the post-apocalyptic beaver masses are taking to the skies and water-sealed tubeways. “By putting up the dirt in layers, they now can build hanging gardens, grow plants on their roofs, and even create tunnels and artificial caves.” It hits May 8.

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Craft the ultimate sword in Blacksmith Master

Craft the ultimate sword in Blacksmith Master

The blacksmithing sim lands in Early Access on May 25. Run a medieval smithy from top to bottom, supervising ore shipments and selling the finished products.

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A platforming adventure with incredible music

A platforming adventure with incredible music

The Eternal Life of Goldman will land sometime in 2025 and is boasting an all-star cast of composers when it does, with contributions from Kevin Penkin (Star Wars: Visions, Made in Abyss, Florence), Mason Lieberman (Overwatch 2, Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical, League of Legends: Wild Rift), Pete Lepley (Wargroove, Sky Rogue), and Yasunori Nishiki (Octopath Traveler, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth).

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