Kinetic Publishing Showcase Recap: Five New Indie Titles Revealed, Including Sam Barlow’s Next Game
The publisher emphasized its mission to empower indie creators with the same level of support Knight received when he started his career. The showcased games span diverse genres, from unsettling sci-fi horror to cozy magical farming, all available via Xbox Play Anywhere at no additional cost.
Contact Protocol: Corporate Horror in Space
In Contact Protocol, players take command of the starship Pale Horse. The core gameplay involves intercepting other ships en route to Jupiter, verifying their documents against company records, and assessing their intentions to ensure crew safety. If uncertainty arises, firing a torpedo guarantees survival but dooms the intercepted vessels.
The game ramps up cognitive load, forcing players to make near-impossible decisions under pressure. It is described as stressful yet rewarding. Contact Protocol launches for Xbox Series X|S and PC in Spring 2027.
Crescent County: Magical Farming with Romance
Developed by Electric Saint, Crescent County features a witch-tech open world led by developer Anna Hollinrake. Players ride motorbrooms, deliver packages, and engage in romance within a painterly world that celebrates queerness and witchcraft.
The game flows smoothly between delivery jobs, racing, and romantic storylines. It is set to launch for Xbox Series X|S and PC in Summer 2027.
Shellbound: A Parasitic Metroidvania
From developer Fake Lobster, Shellbound combines classic Metroidvania exploration with a unique twist: the player embodies a literal parasite traveling through a living world set upon a snail’s shell. The game features razor-sharp combat and platforming, allowing players to control enemies and NPCs to unlock new areas.
Shellbound launches for Xbox Series X|S and PC in Summer 2028.
Aether Wizard Life: Rebuilding a Haunted Town
Pitched by Vonder Games, Aether Wizard Life is an ambitious Action-RPG blending combat, platforming, exploration, town-building, farming, and dating. The game features a Ghibli-esque art style and focuses on player customization with a mystery at its heart involving the kidnapping of wizards.
Aether Wizard Life is scheduled to launch for Xbox Series X|S and PC in Autumn 2028.
Precognition: Sam Barlow’s Sci-Fi Thriller
Kinetic Publishing is partnering with Half Mermaid Productions to release Precognition, originally teased as “Project C.” Created by Sam Barlow in collaboration with horror director Brandon Cronenberg, the game is a sci-fi thriller exploring time travel, prescience, and the horrors of meddling with time.
Like Barlow’s previous works (Her Story, Telling Lies, Immortality), Precognition rewards players who dig into the smallest details. The game launches for Xbox Series X|S and PC in Spring 2028.
All five titles will be available on both console and PC via Xbox Play Anywhere, allowing seamless access across platforms without additional cost.
At its first-ever showcase, Kinetic Publishing unveiled five upcoming indie titles for 2027–2028, ranging from sci-fi horror to magical farming. The lineup includes a new project from Sam Barlow, creator of the acclaimed FMV series Her Story and Telling Lies.
The publisher emphasized its mission to empower indie creators with the same level of support Knight received when he started his career. The showcased games span diverse genres, from unsettling sci-fi horror to cozy magical farming, all available via Xbox Play Anywhere at no additional cost.
Contact Protocol: Corporate Horror in Space
In Contact Protocol, players take command of the starship Pale Horse. The core gameplay involves intercepting other ships en route to Jupiter, verifying their documents against company records, and assessing their intentions to ensure crew safety. If uncertainty arises, firing a torpedo guarantees survival but dooms the intercepted vessels.
The game ramps up cognitive load, forcing players to make near-impossible decisions under pressure. It is described as stressful yet rewarding. Contact Protocol launches for Xbox Series X|S and PC in Spring 2027.
Crescent County: Magical Farming with Romance
Developed by Electric Saint, Crescent County features a witch-tech open world led by developer Anna Hollinrake. Players ride motorbrooms, deliver packages, and engage in romance within a painterly world that celebrates queerness and witchcraft.
The game flows smoothly between delivery jobs, racing, and romantic storylines. It is set to launch for Xbox Series X|S and PC in Summer 2027.
Shellbound: A Parasitic Metroidvania
From developer Fake Lobster, Shellbound combines classic Metroidvania exploration with a unique twist: the player embodies a literal parasite traveling through a living world set upon a snail’s shell. The game features razor-sharp combat and platforming, allowing players to control enemies and NPCs to unlock new areas.
Shellbound launches for Xbox Series X|S and PC in Summer 2028.
Aether Wizard Life: Rebuilding a Haunted Town
Pitched by Vonder Games, Aether Wizard Life is an ambitious Action-RPG blending combat, platforming, exploration, town-building, farming, and dating. The game features a Ghibli-esque art style and focuses on player customization with a mystery at its heart involving the kidnapping of wizards.
Aether Wizard Life is scheduled to launch for Xbox Series X|S and PC in Autumn 2028.
Precognition: Sam Barlow’s Sci-Fi Thriller
Kinetic Publishing is partnering with Half Mermaid Productions to release Precognition, originally teased as “Project C.” Created by Sam Barlow in collaboration with horror director Brandon Cronenberg, the game is a sci-fi thriller exploring time travel, prescience, and the horrors of meddling with time.
Like Barlow’s previous works (Her Story, Telling Lies, Immortality), Precognition rewards players who dig into the smallest details. The game launches for Xbox Series X|S and PC in Spring 2028.
All five titles will be available on both console and PC via Xbox Play Anywhere, allowing seamless access across platforms without additional cost.
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