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BEING & BECOMING REVEALS 2026 RELEASE WINDOW & NEW STEAM PLAYTEST OUT NOW

The collective dream calls to you! Publisher CRITICAL REFLEX (Mouthwashing, No, I’m not a human) and developer Ichthys have released a new open playtest on Steam today for the atmospheric, pixel-art metroidvania Being and Becoming, alongside the reveal that the game will officially launch this year! Play through the game’s intro, explore multiple locations, learn to use several types of weapons and abilities, meet different NPCs, and fight two epic bosses plus a wide variety of enemies.

You are a would-be martyr, rescued from a watery grave and plunged into the Collective Dream: defy the prophecy of The Word, defeat the corrupted, gain new weapons and abilities from those who came before, and save the Dream by breaking the other dreamers free of The Word’s tyranny. Don’t let beauty dull your vigilance: the deeper you descend, the more treacherous the world becomes.

Key Features

  • Discover Echoes of the Past: Follow in the footsteps of the divers who came before you and take what they no longer need. Find new weapons and abilities to help you explore the Collective Dream.
  • Expand Your Arsenal: Assemble an array of weapons wielded by noble spirits ensnared within the torment of The Word. Weave intricate combinations of attacks to annihilate your foes.
  • Explore an Interconnected World: Venture across a vast, interconnected world which unfolds with unique visual style and mechanics.
  • Gorgeous Pixel-Art Aesthetic: From picturesque to grotesque, each location has its own ambience and feel, decorated with detailed handcrafted backdrops. Each boss has a distinctive personality, emphasized not only by the story, but with dozens of unique animations and environmental interactions.
  • Fully Voiced-Over Characters & Atmospheric OST: A diverse cast of charming and terrifying voice-acted characters and bosses. The soundtrack is filled with dynamic and atmospheric tracks that are both shaped by and directly shape gameplay.

Play the Being and Becoming playtest now on Steam and wishlist the game today! To dive deeper into all things CRITICAL REFLEX, visit www.criticalreflex.com, and follow along on X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube!

About Ichthys

Ichthys began as a single man’s dream and grew into a collective dream encompassing a team of talented people with a shared goal in mind: to live by the rule of cool and tell meaningful stories. Working diligently for The Word, this team of dreamers put their heart and souls (literally) into creating visually stunning games that awaken spirits.

About CRITICAL REFLEX

CRITICAL REFLEX is an indie game publisher obsessed with genre-blending, rule-breaking, brain-melting games. We help devs polish the weird, sharpen the wild, and launch their projects loud. Known for titles like Buckshot Roulette, Lunacid, Mouthwashing and No, I’m not a Human, we champion the unforgettable experiences. Genre is a prison and we ate the warden.

About CR Channel

CR Channel is the CRITICAL REFLEX publishing label focusing exclusively on indie horror. Join the Discord here

Walking Simulator Finding Polka gets Steam page and new trailer

Lidlocks is excited to share the Steam page of “Finding Polka”, a heartfelt walking simulator about a young girl’s journey to find her beloved dog. 
 

Friendy has a peaceful life alongside her beloved dog, Jazz. One day, she spots a dog in town that looks just like her childhood dog, Polka. Before she even realises it, Friendy and Jazz begin running after this piece of her past.

Game Features

  • Produced with the theme ‘fun in every step’ to create a magical journey with every step
  • A vast world created with lines of ballpoint pen, inviting players to encounter friends and reveal secrets
  • Explore from city to forest to ocean! Look closely and you’ll find everything from unique objects, fishing platforms and even rhythm games
  • Quirky yet endearing characters – a giraffe with an extra long neck waits patiently for.. something, a cat that’s always hungry and a star that keeps getting buried. Help them out and they may also help you in return!
  • Unspoken understanding – this game has no words or sentences. You’ll be able to feel and communicate with the characters through facial expressions, small gestures and sound effects

Game Information

Title: Finding Polka

Genre: Walking simulator

Number of Players: 1

Platform: Steam

Release Date: Q3 2026

Developer/Publisher: Lidlocks Inc

Languages: English, Simplified Chinese and more!

Trailer

Steam

YouTube

X

About Lidlocks
 

“Lidlocks” is the name of the torture device used to immobilize the eyes, featured in the film “A Clockwork Orange.” We chose this name with the hope of creating content that “makes it impossible to look away.” We are currently developing “Finding Polka,” a dog-finding walking simulator, with support from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry’s Sofu Acceleration Program.

Dystopian job simulator LOW VALUE JOB now available on Steam

#LOWVALUEJOB, a #dystopian job #simulation game centered on endlessly repeating a single, simple task: sorting mechanical parts scattered across a desk made by developer #YAYOIKAIHATSU is now available on #Steam.

All gaming intel: chrisjonesgaming.net 🎮 Level up your feed!

#gaming #gamingnews

Indie thriller game Radiolight is now Steam Deck verified

#IcebergInteractive and #KrystofKnesl have announced that #TheFirewatch and #StrangerThings-inspired #indie thriller #Radiolight is now #SteamDeck verified

All gaming intel: chrisjonesgaming.net 📷 Level up your feed!

#gamingnews #gaming

Strategos Launches January 20th

#Strategos, a #realtime tactics #wargame focused on simulating warfare across nearly a thousand years of the ancient world, will officially launch January 20th on #Steam

All gaming intel: chrisjonesgaming.net 🎮 Level up your feed!

#MicroProse #gaming #gamingnews

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Backyard Baseball ’01 releasing on Steam & mobile devices July 8th

CHICAGO – June 30, 2025 – Following the chart-topping success of the relaunch of Backyard Baseball ’97, Playground Productions will launch Backyard Baseball ‘01 on July 8th on Steam and mobile devices. As part of the announcement, 28 of the original 31 MLB Pros are returning to the game including Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire, and Cal Ripken, Jr.  Mega Cat Studios, which developed the other Backyard games relaunched over the past year with Playground Productions, will develop ’01 as well.

Similar to the remastered ’97 game, the 2001 relaunch will include the classic gameplay for touch and modern PC controls. Backyard Baseball ‘01 will include official MLB marks, including usage of individual team logos, names and likeness.

“We’re honored to partner with MLB to bring this iconic game to modern gaming devices for the first time. Backyard Baseball ‘01 was a game-changer in many ways—introducing some of the sport’s biggest legends into the Backyard universe,” said Lindsay Barnett, CEO, Playground Productions. “We can’t wait for fans to relive the joy of building their dream team with both our beloved original characters and baseball’s greatest pros from that unforgettable era.”

“Backyard Baseball stands out with a special place in so many fans’ memories thanks to its endearing qualities and features that were especially rare for a video game of its time. We are really excited to play a small part in authenticating this revitalization with MLB marks and look forward to the full circle moment where those who played this beloved game as children can bring it to a new generation in their families and friends,” said Jamie Leece, MLB’s Senior Vice President, Gaming & Virtual Reality.

The news comes on the heels of Playground Productions’ announcement in mid-June that Backyard Baseball ’97 is now available on Nintendo Switch and PS5. In October, Playground relaunched Backyard Baseball ’97, which quickly became a global top selling sports game on Steam, and in November, the company re-launched “Backyard Soccer ’98 on Steam.”  In March, Baseball ’97 launched on mobile in iOS and Android as the #1 game in sports, family and kids games on the iOS app store for paid games.

Contact: 

For Playground Productions and Interview Requests:

Brandon Shaw 

Brandon@BShawCommunications.com

For Review Requests:

Frank DiPersio

PR Manager, Mega Cat Studios

Frank@megacatstudios.com

Step into Tales of The Shire: A Lord of the Rings Game in Wholesome Direct Showcase

At the Wholesome Direct digital showcase today, Wētā Workshop welcomed viewers home to The Shire in a brand-new trailer for the Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings™ Game featuring charming gameplay, serene surroundings, and in true Hobbit fashion – plenty of food.

The new trailer gives glimpses of life in Bywater, meeting new friends and familiar faces. Decorate your own Hobbit hole, exactly as you like, and enjoy the simple pleasures of life in The Shire. Bask in colourful seasonal changes as you stock up your pantry by fishing, gardening, foraging and trading ingredients for shared meals with friends. Your fellow Hobbits don’t need an excuse for a party, they’re just waiting for your invitation….when you’re ready, of course!

You can check out the full trailer here.  Additional assets can be downloaded here.

In addition, those eager to jump in can wishlist the game now on PC via Steam, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S!

From the creative studio Wētā Workshop, live the cosy life of a Hobbit in the wonderfully serene landscape of The Shire. Discover, decorate, and share in this peaceful corner of Middle-earth. Launching on July 29, 2025, for PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S, the game will be available digitally and physically worldwide. Pre-orders for the $39.99 Retail Edition and iam8bit Exclusive Edition are available now for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 5 at talesoftheshire.iam8bit.com.

For all the latest updates on the game, follow Tales of the Shire on X, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. 

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds ™ Warps into Stores this September

Burbank, Calif. – June 6, 2025 – Today, during the Summer Game Fest 2025 livestream, SEGA® announced Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds will release on September 25, 2025, and is available for pre-order now for PlayStation®5 (PS5®), PlayStation®4 (PS4®), Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC starting at £64.99.

Physical pre-orders for Nintendo Switch™, Nintendo Switch™- OLED Model, and Nintendo Switch™ Lite are available now starting at £54.99 with digital pre-orders coming soon. The Nintendo Switch 2 system version will be coming at a later date and will be available starting at £64.99. There will be a paid upgrade path available for owners of the Nintendo Switch version. Keep an eye out for more details soon!

To celebrate, SEGA shared a new trailer showcasing the high-octane action players can expect this fall:

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds features a huge roster of everyone’s favorite characters from the Sonic universe, which will continue to grow after launch with the addition of familiar faces from other SEGA franchises including Joker and Kasuga Ichiban, and even guest characters like Hatsune Miku and more. These characters will be available to all players for free through a series of game updates.

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Digital Deluxe Edition expands the roster even further with playable characters from the hit Netflix series, Sonic Prime and a Season Pass that brings guest characters, vehicles, and tracks from other iconic entertainment franchises such as Minecraft to race alongside Sonic and friends.

Fans who pre-order the Digital Standard or Deluxe editions of Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds will receive an additional character – Sonic the Werehog from Sonic Unleashed™ – along with a special vehicle and decal! Look forward to more details soon! ​

Please see below for more information on each offering:

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds – Physical Standard Edition

  • Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch- OLED Model, and Nintendo Switch Lite – £54.99
  • PlayStation®5 (PS5®), PlayStation®4 (PS4®), Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC – £64.99
    • Nintendo Switch 2 version available at a later date
  • *PRE-ORDER BONUS – Sonic Unleashed Sonic the Werehog character + vehicle + decal

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds – Digital Standard Edition

  • Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch- OLED Model, and Nintendo Switch Lite – £54.99 PlayStation®5 (PS5®), PlayStation®4 (PS4®), Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC – £64.99
    • Nintendo Switch 2 version available at a later date
  • *PRE-ORDER BONUS – Sonic Unleashed Sonic the Werehog character + vehicle + decal

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds – Digital Deluxe Edition

  • Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch- OLED Model, and Nintendo Switch Lite – £69.99
  • PlayStation®5 (PS5®), PlayStation®4 (PS4®), Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC – £79.99
    • Nintendo Switch 2 version available at a later date
  • Season Pass
  • Play the game three days early (September 22, 2025)
    • Early Access not available for Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch- OLED Model, Nintendo Switch Lite, and Nintendo Switch 2
  • Sonic Prime Playable Characters
    • Knuckles the Dread
    • Rusty Rose
    • Tails Nine
  • *PRE-ORDER BONUS – Sonic Unleashed Sonic the Werehog character + vehicle + decal

Race across land, sea, air, time, and space in Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds! Warp through Travel Rings into new dimensions where something new awaits around every twist and turn. Speed to victory solo or as a team in a variety of offline and online modes and compete against players from around the world. Build the ultimate machine to match your racing style, unlock gadgets to gain the upper hand, and unleash power-up items for the win!

Key Features:

  • Ready, Set, Warp!
    • Introducing Travel Rings, a new gameplay mechanic that transports the iconic characters from the Sonic and SEGA universes into new dimensions, making every race feel unique. Players can use unpredictability to their advantage with Travel Rings and change the landscape of each race!
  • Race Across Space and Time
    • With the largest roster of any Sonic Racing game, players will be able to choose from 23 characters and race across 24 main tracks and use Travel Rings to transport to 15 different CrossWorlds.
  • Level Up Races with Gadgets
    • Prior to the race, players will be able to equip and combine Gadgets that give different perks to shake up the race for more unique ways to play. Choose from over 70 gadgets to increase vehicle and power-up performance.
  • Utilize a Deep Customization System
    • Players can mix and match vehicle parts, powers, and abilities to create a customized racing experience suited to their gameplay style.
  • Extreme Gear is Back!
    • Having first appeared in Sonic Riders™, the long-time fan favorite Extreme Gear flying hoverboards, are back for some extreme fun in Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds.

To pre-order Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds today, please visit the official Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds website or check with your preferred retailer for pre-order availability.

To stay current on Sonic the Hedgehog news, follow Sonic on X, Instagram, and TikTok, like him on Facebook, and subscribe to the Twitch channel and the YouTube channel. ​ For even more game-specific details and updates, follow the Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds X account. Also, don’t forget to visit the SEGA e-shop at shop.sega.com to purchase products for the SEGA fan in your life.EN PEGI: https://youtu.be/evUV88SFKAk

About SEGA of America, Inc.

SEGA of America, Inc. is the American arm of Tokyo, Japan-based SEGA CORPORATION, a worldwide leader in interactive entertainment. Established in 1986, SEGA of America publishes innovative experiences for console, PC, mobile and other emerging platforms. SEGA is the first publisher to rank #1 three separate times (2016, 2020, and 2024) in Metacritic’s Game Publisher Rankings. Its globally beloved franchises include Sonic the Hedgehog, Total War™, Like a Dragon, Football Manager™, Virtua Fighter™, and Crazy Taxi™, along with Atlus’ Persona series and the critically acclaimed new IP, Metaphor: ReFantazio™. The company is also expanding its transmedia strategy, with numerous film and TV projects underway across multiple franchises. SEGA of America has offices in Irvine and Burbank, California. Visit www.sega.com.

ⒸSEGA. All rights reserved. SEGA is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. SEGA, the SEGA logo, SONIC THE HEDGEHOG and SONIC RACING CROSSWORLDS are registered trademarks or trademarks of SEGA CORPORATION. All other trademarks, logos and copyrights are property of their respective owners.

Minecraft

© 2025 Mojang AB. TM Microsoft Corporation.

© 2025 Mojang AB. TM Microsoft Corp.

TM & © Mojang AB.

Undying Flower Now Available on Steam

[Indonesia] May 16, 2025 — Undying Flower, the debut title from Indonesian indie studio Calcatz, has been released on Steam. Published by indie.io, this emotionally charged interactive narrative invites players to confront grief, trauma, and buried guilt through the surreal journey of a young woman named Nala. Blending exploratory gameplay with symbolic storytelling, players follow Nala as she’s guided by a mysterious entity known only as The Flower, and must relive the most painful moments of her past in search of peace. Request a Key for Undying Flower

The story begins with an experimental treatment that allows Nala to enter a dreamlike realm where memory and emotion shape reality. In this world, players explore pivotal moments from both Nala’s life and the life of her late grandfather, experiencing two sides of the same tragic memory. Through interactive storytelling, players piece together what happened between them and whether anything can be changed.


At the heart of this experience is the Memory World: a space constructed entirely from Nala’s recollections, shaped by The Flower’s interpretation of her past. Initially a blank void, this world gradually fills with emotionally charged objects known as Memory Fragments. Some float in the space like fleeting impressions, while others are grounded, vividly detailed, and tied to specific moments. These fragments—along with symbolic statues and color-coded emotional cues—create a layered, abstract environment where emotion outweighs realism, and every element carries a story.

While the journey Nala takes is surreal and dreamlike, the regret that drives it stems from something painfully human: a misunderstanding between two people who love each other. Undying Flower explores how something as simple as a single argument—a moment that could happen in any family—can spiral into a lifelong source of guilt. That tension between the ordinary and the otherworldly is what gives the story its emotional weight.

“Undying Flower is a story of ‘What if,’” says Eien Nagi, Game Director at Calcatz. “What if a simple misunderstanding—something as ordinary as an argument—could lead to the biggest regret of your life? Regret is irreversible. But what if you were given a chance to change it… would it really go the way you want? We’re excited to see how players interpret the story, sit with the emotions, and reflect on what it means to forgive.”

Players can experience the surreal and emotional journey today on Steam for USD $9.99, with a limited-time discount where players can save 10%.  Join the conversation and share your reflections with the developers on X/Twitter and their Steam Community.

Assets 
Streaming Trailer 
Marketing Assets

ABOUT CALCATZ

Calcatz began in 2015 in the room of a college student with a belief that “video games are the ultimate form of art.” Now a six-person indie studio based in Indonesia, Calcatz blends local cultural inspiration with global emotional themes to craft interactive experiences with meaning. Undying Flower is their debut release—a passion project years in the making.

Find out more at Calcatz’s official website.  

ABOUT INDIE.IO

indie.io is home to hundreds of the world’s most innovative independent video games and developers. Founded in 2020 by Donovan Duncan and Ben Robinson – industry veterans with a collective 40 years of experience across the video game landscape – our mission is to provide support to independent developers and set the standard for gaming creation, management, and promotion. Our tools and services include marketing, QA, playtesting, partnership deals, and distribution to all major platforms to maximize your visibility, revenue, and engagement to ensure long-term success – with no upfront costs. You may know us from Echoes of the Plum Grove, HumanitZ, the Dark Deity franchise, and Coromon!

We’re powered by a worldwide team of 35 remote employees; a mix of semi-professional esports players, developers, and gaming enthusiasts whose passion and technical know-how fuel the company’s mission. As industry experts, we dedicate ourselves to providing innovative marketing support services and integrations; as players, we want to discover and elevate the creators of exceptional, inspiring, and unexpected games of every genre. Join us on our quest to cultivate a vibrant global community of players and creators alike!

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