After a fun, frenzied, and fruitful weekend at the gaming-focused Penny Arcade Expo, better known as PAX East 2026, the Outrun Gaming team is back at home base and back to regularly scheduled programming. Although physically back home, slumped before my laptop in a prawn-like posture, my mind and heart are back in Boston, Massachusetts, where we spoke intimately with video game developers and publishers from around the world. Between existing releases from lesser-known publishers to brand-new titles still in development, my Steam wishlist (and heart) grew three sizes. While it’s impossible to pit any one of the event’s exhibitors against another, I did leave the four-day event with a few favorites. These indie games, despite not having a launch date, top my to-watch list. Hoping to stay ahead of the curve?
Keep your eye on these innovative, addictive, and not-yet-released indie video games from PAX East 2026:
Cat Secretary
For folks who thought Little Kitty, Big City lacked anticapitalist sentiment, Cat Secretary is sure to please. In this upcoming 3D exploratory puzzle, players assume the role of a feline new hire at a multinational conglomerate. As you trot through your new workspace, run errands, and rub elbows with burnt-out employees, what began as a sanitized onboarding process starts to feel a little sinister. Wonderful VA performances, satisfying opportunities to snoop, slick puzzle solutions, and an increasingly resonant narrative have the potential to make Cat Secretary one of the year’s must-watch indie downloads.
Cat Secretary is slated for release sometime in 2026. Be sure to add the title to your Steam wishlist today, and stay tuned to Good Story Guild’s social media presence for more info.
Order Automatica
Slay the Spire fans, get ready. Order Automatica, the grid-set roguelike from developer New Beings, is likely to be your next Achilles’ heel. Tactical, turn-based battles take place on a 3×3 grid, with each auto-movement beefed up by strategic synergies and that sweet, sweet roguelike progression we love to see. Mix in foreboding audio, virtually endless replayability, stunning pixel art, and helpful accessibility settings, and you’ve got a game that can’t come out soon enough. Order Automatica is expected to launch in Q2 2026.
Wishlist Order Automatica and download the free demo today!
Rain98
Rain98 teleports players back to a rainy Y2K-era Tokyo, where they’ll meet a mysterious, soft-spoken young girl plotting to destroy the world as you know it. The bite-sized demo available at PAX East teased just enough to make me want more. Ambient lo-fi, nostalgic CRT-TV visual effects, unsettling still images, breathtaking scenes that feel plucked straight from 1990s anime — is your trip to the past enough to save your future?
While the playable PAX East demo is not available on Steam, make sure you wishlist Rain98 now to stay in the know.
Sigils of Nightfall
Brutal roguelike deckbuilder Sigils of Nightfall marries daunting dungeon-crawling gameplay with the stylings of award-winning Swedish RPG, Mork Borg. Haunting, hand-drawn gothic visuals, a dynamic metal soundtrack, stellar sound design, and a no-holds-barred quest for player survival make Sigils of Nightfall one heckuva card game. Though this brutal RPG-inspired deckbuilder has no set release date, a free demo is available on Steam. Be sure to wishlist Sigils of Nightfall now!
Pelican Post
Mail’s here! In the cozy parcel-delivery game Pelican Post, players embark on a journey through a kitschy small town to ensure snail mail safely ships from Point A to B. Connect with community members, each one cuter than the last, and observe the importance of neighborly camaraderie, public service, and, despite a busy route, slowing down to soak it all in. Pelican Post has no tentative shipment date yet, but in the meantime, add this cozy cutie to your Steam wishlist and stay connected to the game’s official social media accounts for more.
