The next big indie game publisher is taking some exciting swings
The lineup from Kinetic Publishing, an indie label by the developers of Phasmophobia, includes Sam Barlow’s next game.
The lineup from Kinetic Publishing, an indie label by the developers of Phasmophobia, includes Sam Barlow’s next game.
Aug 12, 2026, 7:30 PM UTC
Jay Peters is a senior reporter covering technology, gaming, and more. He joined The Verge in 2019 after nearly two years at Techmeme.
Kinetic Publishing, a new indie publisher from the development team behind the co-op horror game Phasmophobia, just hosted its first games showcase, and it includes five ambitious new titles set to release in 2027 and 2028.
Perhaps the most significant announcement from Kinetic’s show is that it’s publishing the next game from Telling Lies and Immortality creator Sam Barlow, titled Precognition. (Barlow previously revealed the game as “Project C.”) Like other Barlow titles, Precognition will feature FMV-sequences and nonlinear storytelling. Here’s the setup:
Players take on the role of Diana, a woman who discovers she can receive visions of the future after an experimental implant is embedded into her brain.
Players will be tasked with exploring these visions of the future, focusing on specific moments and committing them to Diana’s memory in the present day. Prescience comes with consequences, however, and as soon as Diana commits a detail to memory, the very future ahead of her changes.
Barlow and his studio, Half Mermaid Productions, are collaborating with film director Brandon Cronenberg (Infinity Pool, Possessor) on the game. It’s set to launch in spring 2028 on the Nintendo Switch 2, PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X / S.
Image: Kinetic Publishing
The rest of the lineup shown off on Wednesday includes a mix of games across a few different genres. They’re all set to launch on Nintendo Switch 2, PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X / S.
- Contact Protocol, from Cold Zephyr Games, is a “starship job simulator” where you play as a security officer that has to vet approaching starships. It’s scheduled to launch in spring 2027.
- Crescent County, from Electric Saint, is a “cosy-with-bite slice-of-life game” where you build relationships on a magical island and use your Star Wars speeder-like “motorbroom” to make deliveries and race other characters. It’s planned for a summer 2027 release.
- Shellbound, from Fake Lobster, is a Metroidvania that takes place on a giant, living snail. It’s set to launch in summer 2028.
- Aether Wizard Life, from Vonder Games, is another cozy game, this one focused on being a wizard. Keep an eye out for it in autumn 2028.
Kinetic announced its publishing arm back in January. It’s part of something of a trend of successful indie developers, like Palworld’s Pocketpair and Slay the Princess’ Black Tabby Games, that are using their financial success to help other game makers launch their own titles.
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- Jay Peters
Reporting from The Verge contributed to this story.
