Miyuki Aizawa

Gamescom 2026 kicks off on August 26, and as always, that means one thing: for the next few days, my Steam wishlist is going to be in serious danger.

This year’s edition is shaping up to be absolutely massive. More than 1,600 exhibitors from 67 countries, 233,000 square meters of exhibition space, and an even bigger indie area.

Gamescom 2026: Half-Life 3 and the indie games I'm really looking forward to

Am I going to follow every single Gamescom 2026 announcement?
No.

And that’s exactly why this article won’t be a list of everything appearing in Cologne.

What interests me most are the best indie games of 2026, games with Japanese or anime-inspired aesthetics, upcoming cyberpunk titles, retrofuturism, and of course those little cozy gems that somehow end up stealing 40 hours of my life.

Basically, the standard Miyuki filter.

What Am I Looking for at Gamescom 2026?

Big releases are fun, but what I love most about events like this is the moment when something completely unknown suddenly appears between two huge-budget trailers.

Small studio.
Weird idea.
Great art style.

And suddenly:
“Wait... WHAT IS THIS?!”

Gamescom is perfect for discoveries like that, especially since this year’s indie area has been expanded.

So during Gamescom 2026, I’ll mainly be hunting for games with a strong identity of their own. I don’t need another giant open world with 150 markers on the map (im looking at you, Crimson Desert).

Give me something weird.
Or cute.
Preferably weird and cute at the same time.

Indie Games 2026: This Might Be Where Things Get Really Interesting

One of the titles that has already seriously caught my attention is STRANGER THAN HEAVEN from RGG Studio.

It is a fifty-year story following Makoto Daito across five different cities and eras of Japan, from 1915 all the way to Shinjuku in 1965.

On top of that, there is a brutal combat system, melee weapons, and an absolutely wild combination of crime drama with... becoming a showman and creating music from sounds collected throughout the game world.

Does it sound strange? Yes. Does it sound like something I want to see at Gamescom? Absolutely.

I’m also watching the entire Indie Arena Booth very closely. This is exactly where I expect to find games that almost nobody is talking about today, only for them to suddenly start appearing everywhere a few months from now.

And that’s exactly why I love indie games.

Big studios usually try to create something that millions of people will enjoy.

Indie developers sometimes make a game for five people.
And then it turns out I’m one of those five.

Cyberpunk and Retrofuturism, So Basically I’m Home

Alright.

You knew this section had to be here.

If I see neon, a dirty city, robots, implants, CRT screens, retrofuturism or any kind of interface that looks like a terminal found in the basement of a corporation from the year 2087...

...I’m at least clicking on the trailer.

Gamescom is one of my favorite places to look for games like this, because smaller studios often experiment with cyberpunk far more boldly than the biggest brands do.

Of course, Cyberpunk 2077 will still be present at Gamescom. CD PROJEKT RED will be there, and Night City will once again appear as part of hardware presentations.

But I’m much more interested in one question:

What will be the next Cyberpunk I haven’t heard about yet?

I want to find that tiny game hidden somewhere between hundreds of booths, one that shows me a neon city, some weird mechanic, and instantly makes me hit “Add to Wishlist.”

That’s usually how my problems begin.

Cozy Games, AKA Emergency Brain Recovery

On the opposite end of my gaming spectrum, we obviously have cozy games.

Because after an entire day of shooting, zombies, cyberpunk corporations, and saving the world, sometimes you just need to...

plant a flower.

One of the games that caught my attention the most is Animula Nook.

It’s a cozy life sim set in a miniature world. Your character gets shrunk down, and everyday objects turn into giant pieces of the environment. You can build tiny houses, create gardens, collect items, and decorate your own space.

A new beta version will be shown at Gamescom 2026 with improved graphics, animations, additional outfits, and new furniture.

Sounds like a potential evening destroyer.
Excellent.

Another title on my radar is Hexplorando, a calm puzzle-building game based on hexagonal tiles. You recreate real-world locations and recognizable landmarks from different parts of the world.

This is exactly the kind of game I can imagine playing with YouTube on my second monitor, something nice to drink beside me, and absolutely no awareness that it’s already 2 AM.

Okay Valve. Where Is My Half-Life 3?

I can’t write an article about Gamescom 2026 without putting on my special hat labeled:

HOPIUM.

Valve turned 30 on August 24.
THIRTY.

The company was founded on August 24, 1996, and over those three decades we got Half-Life, Counter-Strike, Portal, Left 4 Dead, Steam, Steam Deck, and a whole bunch of things that had a massive impact on PC gaming.

You know what we still haven’t gotten?
Half-Life 3.

And yes.
I know exactly how this sounds.

Gamescom 2026 currently gives me absolutely no concrete reason to claim that Half-Life 3 will be shown.

This is pure hopium.
Premium quality.
Laboratory-grade.

But Valve just turned 30, Gamescom is happening, the company is investing heavily in hardware again, and I’m supposed to believe I’m NOT going to think about Half-Life 3?

No chance.

If GabeN appears anywhere on screen, my copium levels will immediately reach critical status.

And even if Valve actually does show something, please don’t let it be Half-Life 3 exclusive to Steam Machine.

Don’t do this to me.

Gamescom 2026 Is Only Just Beginning

And that’s exactly why I love writing articles like this before the event starts.

In a few days, my wishlist might be twice as long.
Maybe a tiny indie game I’ve never heard of will appear.
Maybe we’ll get a completely unexpected announcement.
Maybe some cyberpunk project will completely steal my heart.

Or maybe...
Half-Life 3.

Alright.
I’ll stop.
For now.

Gamescom 2026 runs from August 26 to August 30, so I’ll be watching the upcoming Gamescom premieres, announcements, and gameplay reveals very closely.

And once the dust settles, I’ll definitely come back to this list and see how many of my picks actually delivered.

And, of course, how many new games “accidentally” ended up on my wishlist.

Opening Night Live Gamescom 2026

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Gamescom 2026: Half-Life 3 and the indie games I'm really looking forward to