The INDIE Live Expo Winter 2025 broadcast aired live on November 29, delivering another massive celebration of independent games.
Streamed simultaneously in English, Japanese, Chinese, and Korean, the three-hour showcase presented over 100 indie titles through rapid-fire trailers, exclusive reveals, publisher spotlights, and the prestigious INDIE Live Expo Awards.
Event Structure and New Collaborations
A familiar yet refreshed format
The show followed its proven three-part structure: INDIE Waves featured four rounds of quick trailers covering dozens of upcoming games; INDIE Spotlight focused on deeper looks at selected titles and publisher presentations; and the finale hosted the 2025 awards ceremony.
Partnerships and special segments
This edition introduced a collaboration with Japan’s BitSummit and a “holo Indie” corner featuring hololive VTubers Ririka Ichijo and Ayunda Risu presenting indie recommendations, adding fresh energy to the long-running showcase.
Major World Premieres and Announcements
Standout new reveals
Several titles made their global debut, including Avemary Rocket – Captain Patchwork (a 2D adventure from room6 and Studio Pixel set for 2026), the philosophical opera adventure All Adrift (2027), and four Spring 2026 titles from Kodansha Creators' Lab: 1999TOKOYO Building, Children's Garden, Wabisabi SushiDerby, and 4DEAD.
Significant updates for existing projects
Core Keeper confirmed a January 28, 2026 launch on Nintendo Switch 2 with eight-player co-op, SacriFire announced a January 2026 playtest, TSURUGIHIME revealed Early Access plans for 2026, and Flotsam will finally exit Early Access with its 1.0 release on December 4, 2025.
INDIE Live Expo Awards 2025 Winners
The ceremony honored the best indie games released or updated in 2025 under the theme “Creativity Unbound.”
- Grand Prize (Game of the Year): Sultan's Game (2P Games)
- Excellence Awards: BALL x PIT, 文字遊戯 (Word Game), Escape From Duckov, The NOexistenceN of you AND me, Demonic Mahjong, Promise Mascot Agency, No, I'm not a Human, and Öoo
Notable recommenders included industry veterans Shuhei Yoshida and Brandon Sheffield.
Accompanying Steam Sale and Future Plans
A week-long Steam sale running until December 6, 2025 offers discounts on many showcased titles.
The next INDIE Live Expo is already confirmed for 2026, continuing the biannual tradition.
Editor's Comments
Now in its tenth major event since 2020, INDIE Live Expo has solidified its position as the most consistent and globally accessible indie showcase outside major publisher events.
The decision to crown the politically charged Sultan's Game as Grand Prize winner marks a bold statement about creative freedom in indie spaces.
Combined with growing partnerships (BitSummit, hololive, Kodansha Creators’ Lab), the showcase continues to expand its reach across Asia and beyond while maintaining its core mission of pure indie discovery.
Expect the Spring 2026 edition to build on this momentum, especially with the Nintendo Switch 2 launch window opening new opportunities for featured developers.
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