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The Best of 2025

In the previous issue, we dug deep for the hidden gems you might have missed. This time, we’re looking at the ones you (probably) didn’t.

But this isn’t just a copy-paste of the year's best-sellers.

This is a collection of the games that defined 2025 for us. From the long-awaited sequels that actually delivered, to the indie darlings that punched way above their weight class, these are the titles that dominated the conversation and set new standards for their genres.

These aren't just the games everyone played; they’re the ones everyone should play.

This year, we added 164 Showcase games to Waypoint.

Below is our curated selection of what 2025 delivered.

The Tacticians: Puzzles & Logic

Games where the world itself is a puzzle to be untangled.

The Adrenaline Rush: Action & Mastery

Games defined by rhythm, reflexes, and the joy of movement.

The Dreamers: Atmosphere & Emotion

Games that prioritize mood, narrative weight, and emotional resonance.

The Wildcards: Genre-Benders & Subversions

Games that subvert expectations and embrace the bizarre.

That’s a wrap on 2025.

It was a year defined by creative risks and massive payoffs, and looking at the list above, the medium is in a pretty incredible place.

2026 is officially here, and the release calendar is already looking formidable. So, our next email will be some upcoming games we’ve got our eyes on for 2026.

Then it’s back to normal programming.

See you on the other side.

Happy gaming!

The Indieformer Team

Thanks for reading — and if you ever want to chat games, marketing, or the weirdness of the indie grind, we’re always lurking on Threads, BlueSky and X. Come say hi.

We’ve also put together a few free guides to help indie devs get their projects in front of the right people. You can view them anytime: Steam Marketing Guide, Press Kit Guide.

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