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  1. 1
    Steam Next Fest kicks off with free game demos▼Steam Next Fest begins🦋bluesky3.2K46 min ago

    Valve's Steam Next Fest has begun, giving players free access to hundreds of playable demos from upcoming games across the storefront. The event runs for a limited period and highlights indie titles ahead of their release, with developers promoting their demos and players sharing recommendations and impressions online.

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    Australia fast bowler Megan Schutt has been handed a two-match ban after breaching medication regulations. The news is drawing wide coverage in cricket media, alongside other developing stories: a US entrepreneur is reportedly eyeing the purchase of a Big Bash League team, and West Indies figures are framing the upcoming India tour as a key test of the side's ODI standing.

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    Turning 88x31 web buttons into a printed book with ImageMagick●Making a 88x31 button book using ImageMagickYhnCultureBooks1711 h ago

    A developer has documented how they compiled a collection of 88x31 pixel buttons—the tiny badges that once proliferated across personal websites—into a physical book, using the ImageMagick command-line tool to process and arrange the images for print. The write-up is drawing attention among web nostalgia enthusiasts and fans of old-school personal homepage culture.

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    Developer questions six months spent building unwanted product●Did I just spent 6 months building a product that no one wantsYhnHealthPandemics144 min ago

    A builder is asking publicly whether they spent six months creating a product that nobody wants, and the question is drawing attention and engagement. The post captures a common fear among indie developers and founders: investing months of work only to find no market demand. Readers are responding to the familiar dilemma of when to persist and when to abandon a project.

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    New blog platform posts near-perfect PageSpeed score▼Show HN: I built a Markdown and raw HTML blog platform scoring 99 on PageSpeedYhnEnvironmentClimate295 min ago

    A developer has launched a blogging platform built around Markdown and raw HTML publishing, claiming a PageSpeed score of 99. The tool is pitched at writers who want fast, lightweight sites without heavy frameworks, letting users write in Markdown while retaining full control through raw HTML output.

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    Indie dev earned $15K a year despite $560K in game sales▼Two Steam games made $560K but the co-creator took home $15K/yearYhnCultureGaming85 d ago

    A co-creator of two Steam games that generated roughly $560,000 across 135,000 sales says he only took home about $15,000 a year, still driving a 2012 Mazda. High refund rates, particularly from Chinese players, Steam's 30% commission, and publisher cuts consumed most of the revenue. The story has reignited debate about how little indie developers actually earn from seemingly successful games.

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    RimWorld 1.7 ditches Unity for Ludeon's in-house Waylith engine▼RimWorld 1.7 moves from Unity to Ludeon's in-house Waylith engineYhnCultureFilm1014 d ago

    Rudeon Studios, the developer behind the colony sim RimWorld, has announced update 1.7, which migrates the game from Unity to a new proprietary engine called Waylith. The move, detailed on the studio's blog, marks a significant technical overhaul for the long-running title and has drawn attention from developers and players discussing the risks and benefits of moving off licensed engines.

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    Hand-Drawn Indie Platformer Noir Launches on Steam●Hey, Noir is an Indie hand-drawn 2D platformer. I'm exited to announce that the game is out on Steam ! 🎉 https:// store.MmastodonSciencePhysics39 h ago

    Indie developer boeufmusque has released Noir, a hand-drawn 2D platformer, on Steam. The developer describes it as a challenging game with original graphics and is inviting players to try it and share feedback. The launch is being promoted within indie game development communities, where creators often announce releases and seek early players and word of mouth.

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    Developer ships first Bevy game to Android beta●I didn’t expect Android development with Bevy to be this easy 👀 There’s still a lot of work to do, but my first Bevy gamMmastodonTechnologySoftware91 d ago

    An indie developer says building an Android game with the Bevy game engine was easier than expected, and has released the first game into closed beta on the Google Play Store. They credit the Bevy team's tooling and a community template by developer Nikl for smoothing mobile setup, while noting significant work remains before a full release.

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    Skylight weather app expands to iPad with 10-day outlook●Skylight runs on iPad too. The outlook screen uses the extra room to lay out all 10 days, with the warmest, coolest andMmastodonEnvironmentWeather33 d ago

    Indie weather app Skylight now runs on iPad, using the larger display to show a full 10-day forecast at once, highlighting the warmest, coolest and wettest days at the top. The app remains free on the App Store, and the developer is promoting the iPad version to weather and iOS enthusiasts.

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    Indie developer releases free corporate horror game●My CORPORATE HORROR GAME 'Secrets to SUCCESS' is available FOR FREE on the Patreon. URL: https://www. patreon.com/CatTriMmastodonCultureGaming12 d ago

    Indie developer CatTrigger has released 'Secrets to SUCCESS', a corporate-themed horror game, for free on Patreon. The announcement is circulating among indie gaming communities, with the developer promoting the title as an accessible horror experience themed around office life and corporate culture.

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    Adventure Game Studio 3.6.2.22 released●Adventure Game Studio: version 3.6.2.22 released https:// playingtux.com/en/articles/202 6/10/ags-v36222-released/ # LinMmastodonCultureGaming71 d ago

    Adventure Game Studio, the free engine used to build point-and-click adventure games, has received a new update, version 3.6.2.22. The release is being noted in Linux gaming circles as a maintenance update for the long-running tool, which developers use to create retro-style adventure games across platforms. The news was shared among Linux and open-source gaming enthusiasts.

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    Sammy delighted by West Indies T20 progress●Sammy elated with West Indies T20 progress Jamaica Observer https://www. jamaicaobserver.com/2026/10/19 /sammy-elated-weMmastodonSportSports24 d ago

    West Indies coach Darren Sammy says he is elated with the team's progress in Twenty20 cricket, according to the Jamaica Observer. The former World Cup-winning captain's upbeat assessment has drawn attention among cricket fans in Jamaica and across the Caribbean, who are watching how the regional side develops ahead of upcoming T20 commitments.

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    AI tools hit indie game developers hardest, developer argues●I think a big reason there's a large gap in # gamedev reaction to # AI is because so far it mostly penalizes small/indieMmastodonTechnologyAI54 d ago

    A game developer writing online argues that the games industry's divided response to AI comes down to studio size: large studios are protected by copyrighted intellectual property and legal teams, while small and indie studios depend on original high concepts that are far easier for others to replicate quickly using AI tools. The observation has drawn agreement in game development circles, where concerns about AI-enabled copying of indie ideas are a growing talking point.

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    Indie RPG Frax launches alpha and seeks player feedback●Fellow Fediverse gamers, Frax would love to have your feedback on our game! Frax is a semi idle isometric pixelart RPG wMmastodonCultureGaming11 d ago

    An indie development team has released the alpha of Frax, a semi-idle isometric pixel-art RPG, and is asking gamers for feedback. The developers describe it as a nostalgic take on the Game Boy fantasy era, but with online play. They are sharing the announcement in the Fediverse gaming community and encouraging people to boost it for visibility.

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    Wave of Needle In A Haystack clones sparks code theft claims●Endless pile of Needle In Haystack games begins to emerge, as viral hit imitator's devs claim their code was nicked by aMmastodonCultureGaming14 d ago

    A viral hit indie game is spawning a flood of imitators, and one copycat's developers are now accusing another clone of stealing their source code, allegedly built with the help of generative AI. The dispute is drawing attention to how quickly cheap clones of trending games appear and how hard it is to police copied code.

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    Sammy pleased with Windies' T20I progress●Sammy pleased with Windies’ T20I progress Jamaica Gleaner http:// jamaica-gleaner.com/article/sp orts/20261019/sammy-pleMmastodonSportSports24 d ago

    West Indies coach Daren Sammy says he is pleased with the team's progress in T20 international cricket, according to the Jamaica Gleaner. The comments point to growing confidence in the squad's development in the shortest format as the Windies continue building toward future tournaments.

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    Neofeud 2 cyberpunk adventure launches with a discount▼Takes elbow grease and spitting skills to hack it as a Siliconth who can't afford new cyberarms, in Neofeud 2 - on saleMmastodonCultureArt521 h ago

    Indie developer Silver Spook Games is promoting Neofeud 2, a cyberpunk adventure game now on sale. The game follows a Siliconth, a character too poor to afford new cyberarms, and highlights themes of inequality in a dystopian future. It is available on Steam and Itch.io.

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    Five-time IndyCar champion Alex Palou set the fastest time in an Indy NXT test on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, driving the development series car for the first time. The session gave teams a read on the current car around the circuit, and the Spaniard's immediate pace drew attention from fans and commentators alike.

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    Indie developer promotes handcrafted game ahead of Steam Next Fest●In the face of the slop tsunami for the upcoming # steam next fest why not support an up and coming # developer who # haMmastodonTechnologyMobile24 d ago

    Ahead of the upcoming Steam Next Fest, an independent developer is encouraging players to skip the flood of low-effort AI-generated releases and support a small studio instead. The game, Ninja Cat: Remewstered, was built entirely by hand, including a custom engine, graphics and music, with versions available for Pico-8, Android and MonoGame.

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    Steam Pricing Analyst Baffled by Silksong's $20 Price▼Steam Pricing Analyst Found Hollow Knight: Silksong's $20 Price Annoying: 'I was a bit like, oh god, please price it higMmastodonCultureGaming21 d ago

    A Steam pricing analyst says Hollow Knight: Silksong's $20 price tag was professionally frustrating, admitting the initial reaction was 'oh god, please price it higher.' Team Cherry priced the long-awaited sequel far below what many analysts expected for a major indie release. The comment highlights how the game's unusually low price disrupted pricing models and set a difficult benchmark for other developers.

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    Neofeud 1 and 2 discounted on Steam●Neofeud 1 & 2 are both on sale on # Steam ! An ex-robo-marine & a rebel hacker rise up against CEO-King trillionaires inMmastodonCultureArt21 h ago

    Both entries in the indie cyberpunk adventure series Neofeud are on sale on Steam. The games follow an ex-robo-marine and a rebel hacker battling trillionaire CEO-kings in a decaying galactic empire. The announcement comes from developer Silverspook Games, which is also promoting the sequel through its own storefront.

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    Developer Launches FlickerTalk, a No-Account Private Messenger for Android●Hi, I'm Ioan, the developer of FlickerTalk, a private messenger for Android. No account and no phone number: you add somMmastodonTechnologySoftware11 d ago

    Developer Ioan Beilic has introduced FlickerTalk, a private messaging app for Android that requires no account or phone number. Users add contacts by scanning a QR code or sharing a link, and chat history stays on the device rather than on company servers. The app supports texts, files, voice messages, and voice and video calls.

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    Neofeud praised for gritty cyberpunk art and lore▼"(Neofeud) is all about the grungy digital sidewalk art, the exhaustively detailed ideas, the cyberpunk lore... so goodMmastodonCultureArt51 d ago

    The indie adventure game Neofeud is drawing fresh attention, with a reviewer quoted praising its "grungy digital sidewalk art," exhaustively detailed ideas and cyberpunk lore, calling it "so good in all its expressive, soul-soaked junkiness." The quote points to the Steam page for Neofeud 2, the upcoming sequel from Silver Spook Games, suggesting interest is building around the follow-up to the cult cyberpunk title.

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    Four Years of Decker: A Retrospective▼Four Years with DeckerYhn512 d ago

    The developer behind Decker, a free multimedia authoring tool inspired by HyperCard, has published a retrospective marking four years of the project. The post reflects on the software's evolution, its community, and lessons learned building a creative computing platform. Readers on Hacker News are engaging with the milestone, sharing appreciation for the niche project.

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    Builders Trade Free Promotion in Weekly Startup Thread●Free exposure Wednesday, Drop your project below. # BuildInPublic # Startups # IndieHackersMmastodonBusinessStartups21 d ago

    A recurring call inviting entrepreneurs and indie developers to share their projects for free exposure is circulating among startup communities. Participants drop links to their products in the replies, hoping to gain visibility, early users, and feedback without spending on marketing. It reflects the broader build-in-public trend, where founders openly share work in progress to grow an audience.

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    Moonlighter Studio Digital Sun Is Hiring an Environment Artist▼Moonlighter Developer Digital Sun Is Hiring an Environment Artist✉newsEnvironment1 d ago

    Digital Sun, the Spanish studio behind the action-RPG Moonlighter, has opened a job listing for an environment artist. The posting signals the team is building its art pipeline for future projects, though the studio has not said what game the new hire would work on. Fans of the indie hit are keeping an eye on the developer's next move.

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    Players praise The Gated Citadel demo in Next Fest▼I explored 'The Gated Citadel' by Pontacatat! I genuinely was amazed at the sheer creativity. A tad on the longer side,MmastodonCultureGaming22 d ago

    The Gated Citadel, an indie game by developer Pontacatat, is drawing attention during the Steam Next Fest, where a free demo lets players explore its temple setting. Early players are praising the game's creativity and exploration, though some note it runs a bit long, saying they enjoyed every minute of the experience.

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    New Hand-Drawn Post-Apocalyptic Deckbuilder Inspired by Japanese Art▼Making Hand-Drawn Post-Apocalyptic Deckbuilder Based on Japanese Art✉newsCultureArt2 d ago

    A new indie game is in development: a deckbuilder set in a post-apocalyptic world, with all art drawn by hand in a style based on traditional Japanese art. The project is being shared with players and game art communities, drawing attention for its unusual combination of ruined-future themes with classic Japanese visual influences, a distinctive look that sets it apart from other games in the card-battler genre.

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    Indie sci-fi adventure Neofeud 2 launches on Steam●An ex-robo-marine and a rebel hacker struggle against CEO-King trillionaires & an empire on its last legs, in Neofeud 2,MmastodonCultureArt82 d ago

    The indie developer behind Neofeud has released a sequel, Neofeud 2, a sci-fi adventure game in which an ex-robo-marine and a rebel hacker fight against trillionaire CEO-kings and a crumbling empire. The game is available on Steam and blends cyberpunk storytelling with retro adventure and visual novel elements.

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    Game developers highlight free open-source tools for hobby projects●There is # foss or # opensource software or tool for just about every game development need I have come across in my hobMmastodonTechnologySoftware11 d ago

    A game development hobbyist says free and open-source software exists for nearly every game development need encountered so far, adding that these tools are straightforward and easy to get started with, and offer meaningful alternatives to big commercial packages. The comment reflects a wider push in indie and hobbyist circles toward open-source engines, art tools and asset pipelines over paid software subscriptions.

  32. 32
    Teoaria, a browser-based turn-based game, launches▼Teoaria a Browser turn based game i was realeasing if you like to check it out there is more info about it at https:// vMmastodonCultureGaming01 d ago

    A developer has released Teoaria, a browser-based turn-based game, and is inviting players to try it out. The game is described as a turn-based RPG with minimal tech and music elements, and further details are available on its official site. Early response appears limited so far, with the announcement spreading mainly through gaming and indie game communities.

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    Indie creature collector Beanlings Wildlands seeks early testers●Indie Developer Spotlight: Beanlings Wildlands! 🐾⚔️ 'Catch wild Beanlings, battle in fair leagues.' The team behind BeanMmastodonCultureGaming24 d ago

    The team behind Beanlings Wildlands, a pixel art creature collector, has opened a free browser prototype of the game. The project lets players catch wild Beanlings and battle in leagues, and the developers are looking for early testers to try it out and give feedback as development continues.

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    Indie developers hesitant to show game demos over AI copying fears▼https://www. wacoca.com/games/1486827/ インディゲーム開発者、体験版や予告動画の公開をためらう。理由は「AIですぐに模倣ゲームが作られる」から | Gadget Gate # # GAMING # AiMmastodonCultureGaming13 d ago

    Indie game developers are increasingly reluctant to release playable demos or teaser trailers, saying generative AI can now produce imitation games almost immediately after a concept becomes public. The concern, highlighted in a report by Gadget Gate, is that small studios without legal resources could see their ideas copied before their full game ships, changing how developers promote upcoming titles.

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    Behind-the-scenes look at indie game Creatures Like Us●A little behind the scenes for Creatures Like Us! # indiegame # lgbt # gaming # furry # punkMmastodonCultureGaming33 d ago

    Developer Circle A Studios has shared a behind-the-scenes update on its in-development indie game Creatures Like Us. The game is being pitched around themes of identity, with the studio tagging it as an indie, LGBT, furry and punk project within the gaming community. Few details are given beyond the teaser itself, but it signals ongoing development work.

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    Indie developer says Atari VCS sales helped cover family expenses●And if anyone is curious, I actually made quite a few sales on the Atari VCS. I don't know if either game really "brokeMmastodonCultureGaming01 d ago

    A game developer says their titles sold in decent numbers on the Atari VCS, the niche microconsole relaunched in recent years. They admit it is hard to know whether either game broke even, since they never tallied the thousands of hours spent on development, but say the occasional payments from sales helped with family expenses now and then.

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    Indie game Noir tested live by Ratel Studio and Indie Force●Thanks to Ratel Studio and Indie Force for testing Noir live! https://www. twitch.tv/videos/2906107789 If you're young dMmastodonCultureArt01 d ago

    The developer of the indie game Noir thanked Ratel Studio and Indie Force for playtesting the game live on stream, and encouraged young developers, solo devs, and indie game streamers to check out the Indie Force initiative. The item highlights how live testing and streaming communities are being used to give small indie projects visibility and feedback.

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    MECCHA LIAR launches on Steam for $3.59●MECCHA LIAR - New on Steam! Steam: https:// store.steampowered.com/app/508 1300 $3.59 # gaming # games # steamMmastodonCultureGaming02 d ago

    The indie game MECCHA LIAR is now available on Steam, priced at $3.59. The release is being promoted through short microtrailers shared with gaming audiences, highlighting its low price point and availability on the storefront. Details about the game's developer, genre and reception remain limited so far.

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    Indie devs hesitant to share demos fearing AI clones▼インディゲーム開発者、体験版や予告動画の公開をためらう。理由は「AIですぐに模倣ゲームが作られる」から | Gadget Gate https://www. playing-games.com/1120085/ # AirPods # AnMmastodonTechnologyMobile23 d ago

    Indie game developers are reportedly holding back from releasing playable demos and trailer videos, citing concerns that generative AI tools could be used to quickly produce imitation versions of their games. The concern highlights growing unease among small studios that early exposure of their ideas may allow others, or AI itself, to replicate and ship similar games faster than the original creators can.

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    Indie Dev Adds Startup Fundraising Mission to GTA San Andreas Using AI●Indie Dev Adds Startup Fundraising Mission to GTA San Andreas with AI𝕏xSE992 d ago

    An indie developer has created a mod for GTA: San Andreas that adds a new mission about startup fundraising, using AI tools to build it. Players can experience pitching to investors inside the classic game world. The project is drawing attention online, with people debating how AI is changing game modding and what it means for fan-made content.