Several indie game studios came together to hold a showcase of their own on April 10. to. Over the course of this 45-minute event, developers and publishers such as Darkest Dungeon 2’s Red Hook Studios, 33 Immortals’ Thunder Lotus, Dead Cells’ Evil Empire, and Hyper Light Breaker’s Heart Machine made announcements about their upcoming games. The biggest announcement was for Slay the Spire 2, a sequel to one of the best roguelikes of all time, and The Rogue Prince of Persia, a new roguelite game based on Ubisoft’s franchise.
For fans of indie games, the Triple-i Initiative is a must-watch presentation. If you weren’t able to tune in live or just want a rundown of what was announced by all these indie developments, we’ve rounded up every announcement made during The Triple-i Initiative’s inaugural showcase.
Slay the Spire 2 was announced
MegaCrit Games’ Slay the Spire is one of the most influential roguelike games of all time, as its run structure and card systems have been adapted and reinterpreted by countless other games. At the Triple-i Initiative, MegaCrit revealed it is making a full-on sequel. While its trailer didn’t feature any gameplay, screenshots suggest Slay the Spire 2 won’t stray too far away from the card-based battles and choice-driven runs of the original. Slay the Spire 2 will enter Steam early access in 2025.
E-Line Media and Humble Games are making Never Alone 2
Never Alone was a 2014 indie game that reinterpreted a classic Iñupiat tale as a video game. It garnered quite a bit of buzz at release and has been featured in multiple museum exhibitions as an example of the intersection between video games and culture. Now, almost a decade after its initial release, E-Line Media and Humble Games announced they are working on a sequel. Never Alone 2 will play out in 3D and will once again follow Nuna and her arctic fox as they go on an adventure to save their community. Its developers are working with Iñupiat author Nasugraq Rainey Hopson and the Cook Inlet Tribal Council to represent Alaskan Native culture in the game accurately.
Darkest Dungeon 2 is getting a new game mode called Kingdoms
Red Hook Studios was one of the driving forces behind The Triple-i Initiative, and it showed up at this showcase with the announcement of a new Darkest Dungeon 2 mode called Kingdoms. In this mode, players are fighting to protect an entire Kingdom while fending off three new enemy factions and acquiring resources to upgrade their heroes and a network of Inns that also serve as safe havens. In a press release, Creative Director Chris Bourassa says the purpose of this mode is to “blend some of the permanence and roster management of the original Darkest Dungeon with the traversal and combat of Darkest Dungeon 2,” in a press release. The Kingdoms mode will come to Darkest Dungeons 2 as part of a free update later in 2024.
33 Immortals is getting a Closed Beta next month
Thunder Lotus impressed at the Xbox Games Showcase and its extended follow-up with 33 Immortals, an action roguelike where groups of 33 players take on missions together. Of course, that means 33 Immortals will rely on online play, and online play needs to be tested. To help prep the servers to the full release, Thunder Lotus will hold a closed beta for 33 Immortals between May 24 and June 2. Players can sign up for the beta on the game’s website and will get an exclusive skin in the final game if they participate. A full release of 33 Immortals is planned for PC and Xbox Series X/S later this year.
Prince of Persia is getting a roguelike from Dead Cells’ Evil Empire
While this was an indie showcase, one AAA IP did show up. Evil Empire, one of the developers that worked on the highly successful action-platformer roguelike Dead Cells, revealed that it is working with Ubisoft to create The Rogue Prince of Persia. As the title suggests, it’s a roguelike take on the franchise created by Jordan Mechner, adding some of Dead Cells’ gameplay flair to a colorful roguelike that emphasizes player movement. I went hands-on with this game and loved what I played. The Rogue Prince of Persia enters Steam early access on May 14.
Everything else
- Risk of Rain 2’s next content update will add a Mercenary skin based on the Prisoner from Dead Cells.
- PlaySide Studios revealed Kill Knight, an isometric shooter where players fend off hordes of eldritch monsters.
- ColePowered Games confirmed that Shadows of Doubt will exit early access and come to PS5 and Xbox Series X/S later this year.
- My Time at Sandrock will get cross-platform multiplayer this summer
- Northplay’s RTS game Dinolords got a new trailer.
- Metamorphosis Games’ Metroidvania Gestalt: Steam & Cinder received a May 21 release date.
- Vampire Survivors will get a Contra Crossover DLC called Operation Guns on May 9 and will come to PS4 and PS5 sometime this summer.
- Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn got a dev diary featuring A44’s composer Eric Hillman.
- Digital Sun Games’ real-time strategy and stronghold-building game Cataclismo got a story-focused trailer. It launches on July 16.
- Death Must Die’s Act II patch was revealed and will be released on April 20.
- Gentlymad Studios debuted gameplay for Endzone 2.
- A Dyscon Sphere Program trailer highlighted the game’s next free content update.
- UnderMine 2 was announced by Thorium.
- Medieval kingdom simulator Norland got a May 16 release date.
- Triband’s Apple Arcade game What the Car? just got a demo on Steam and will launch PC this September.
- Wabisabi Games announced RKGK, a new action-platformer where all the gameplay systems are centered or themed around graffiti.
- Drop Bear Bytes released a launch trailer for Broken Roads.
- Passtech Games showed off the Fall of Avalon chapter for Ravenswatch, which will be added to the game on April 22.
- The Gentlebros revealed the opening animation for Cat Quest 3.
- Ishtar Games and The Arcade Crew revealed the Dwarves of Runenberg DLC for The Last Spell, which launches on April 24.
- Quite OK Games and Future Friends Games released Laysara: Summit Kingdom on PC.
- Dead Mage and Humble Games’ Wizard of Legend 2 got a new trailer highlighting its flashy combat.
- Pathea Games and PM Studios are bringing the school management game Let’s School to Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S this summer.
- Blobfish Games announced the Abyssal Terrors DLC and a free four-player co-op update for Brotato.
- Tchia will come to Nintendo Switch on June 27.
- Street of Rogue 2 got a new gameplay trailer.
- Mohawk Games’ 4X game Old World will get a DLC titled Behind the Throne in late May.
- Pocketpair showed up with a teaser for Palworld’s upcoming Pal Arena mode.
- Mouse, an FPS with a cartoon aesethetic that will launch in 2025, got a gameplay trailer highlighting mechanics like the grappling hook, helicopter, and PowerUp Spinach.
- Stunlock Studios highlighted V Rising’s Castlevania crossover in a new trailer
