Frosty Games Fest 2026: Everything Announced (Including Games You Can Play Right Now!)
Game trailer and announcement season (Summer Game Fest) is upon us again, but for those of us in the Southern Hemisphere, there is nothing ‘Summer’ about this Games Fest. The wonderful team at Frosty Games Fest have once again put together an amazing showcase for 2026, showing off the best upcoming, new, or freshly announced games that Australia and Aoteoroa, New Zealand have to offer. I’ve been checking some of them out already thanks to Steam demos that are available right now, check the descriptions below for links to where you can do the same! And for those without demos, you can still head to those pages and wishlist the games you’re keen on (and with this list, there are sure to be many).
Janet DeMornay is a Slumlord (and a witch)
This “escape room horror-comedy” is about the extremely real and accurate terrors of being a renter in the current housing market, making it perhaps the most relatable game on this list. The game has been in development for a few years, but has now finally released its first demo – which you can now access on its Steam page.
Cow Chess
Described as a ‘real time artillery brawler for up to 6 players’, Cow Chess looks like it’s set to be chaotic as hell. I have many questions about what it has to do with cows or chess (nothing, I think?) but that somehow makes it fit in with the vibes of this game even more. You can find out more about what the game is about on its Steam page.
Cooking For MA!
Not enough games (not zero, but not enough) are about using cooking skills to save the world, but Cooking for MA! is here to help change that. This just announced game allows you to use cooking to rescue your grandmother from the spirit world, and is already looking super charming. You can find out more about the game and wishlist it on its Steam page.
Fishing Echoes
This is no ordinary fishing game – this one requires not only knowledge of the fish you’re seeking, but also an understanding of the elements. There’s a world in danger, a mystery afoot, and a lot of strategy to be learned. If that intrigues you, you can visit the game’s Steam page to check out the demo right now!
Bashful Adoration
I was actually lucky enough to meet the team and play some of Bashful Adoration at PAX Australia last year – and it is just as magical as it looks. It’s a 3D platformer about four witches who all have the same crush, and along with being bright and colourful, features some tricky platforming sections (as rhythm sections, among other things). You too can now experience the demo on Steam to try it out for yourself!
Atlanta TD
Who doesn’t love a game about the Gods of Olympus? This roguelite tower defence game from Tin Man Games is coming to early access in December this year, but it seems like we’ll be able to get a true taste of it in August – keep an eye on its Steam page for more information as it comes!
Straycloud
The Steam page for Straycloud calls the soundtrack ‘haunting’, but the music in this trailer immediately soothed me, so I’m curious to see how the full game feels when it releases. Straycloud is action adventure game about channelling magical energy to restore your home, and this trailer sure does raise a lot of questions – I’m keen to learn more in the coming months.
Verbal Void
As someone who is neurodiverse, the themes of this game are very interesting to me. Described as a ‘conversation beat ’em up’, Verbal Void is about exploring neurodiversity by literally giving your characters traits that reflect specific conditions like ADHD, Autism and Anxiety to change their perspectives on the world. If done correctly, this game has the potential to do something extremely cool – so I’m going to be keeping a close eye on it. You can learn more about it on its Steam page.
Bravest Coconut
Bravesst Coconut is about an adorable cat who also finds herself pursuing the path of being an adventurer – and after having played through the demo, I already want more. This game feels like a classic adventure with puzzles and a world filled with interesting characters, and I’m already on board. If you want to try it out for yourself, you can play the demo now on the game’s Steam page.
Freeline
This trailer immediately shows a cat doing sicker tricks than I could ever imagine, and honestly what more do you need? You can find out a little more about the game on its Steam page, and wishlist if the promise of sick tricks is alluring enough.
Slayblade
It’s like Beyblades, but even more violent? (These ones would definitely be banned from school). The Steam page says if you die in the game you die in real life, which is concerning, but if you want to test those odds, you can try out the demo now.
Cloudlings
Okay this was a massive vibe shift from the previous game, but adorable nonetheless. Cloudlings is still in the early stages of development, but you can visit the game’s Steam page to keep up with new updates for now!
TOYA
TOYA was another game I got hands-on with at PAX Aus last year, and it honestly almost had me entering a flow state in the middle of the convention floor. It’s a game about moving a tiny square along a path to a goal and may seem simple, but soon shows itself as something that’ll require a little more planning and puzzle solving to get through as the square grows. This one cannot come out soon enough, but until then, you can wishlist the game on Steam.
Canvas City
Jet Set Radio vibes, anyone? Only this time, with turn-based strategy elements. When gentle crime/rebellion looks this cool, how can you not condone it? There’s no release date announced yet, but you can find out more on the game’s Steam page.
HYPER PRIMATE
HYPER is right – this game is intense. It’s fast-paced parkour, but also you’re a monkey, and you have a gun. Well, many different kinds of guns. If you’re into games that go quick, and you have the ability to lock in, this may be the game for you. It’s coming out on July 17, but there’s a demo available on Steam right now, and I was not ready for just how fast it goes.
L8R SK8R
L8R SK8R also goes fast, but in a way that feels way less chaotic – but maybe that was just my lack of skill when trying out the demo. This one also allows you to do sick tricks on a skateboard, combining 3D platforming and collectathon mechanics with an element of speedrunning. I’m all about this game, and will have to play the demo on Steam over and over again until the game’s full release.
Acting Out
Acting Out is about making movies with your friends – so you have to be ready to put on your best performance. You’re given a script, some poses for your character to hit, and away you go – chaos ensues. It’s pure, silly fun that encourages you to put your pride aside, and while it’s coming soon to Early Access, you can play the demo on Steam right now.
Shape Sender Deluxe
Physics puzzles are made even better when you have a fun mascot character to guide you through them. Shape Sender Deluxe is about getting shapes into pipes using boxes and springs and other contraptions, and though it may seem simple it can get deceptively tough. Try out the demo on Steam now so that you too can meet Sendy, and (if you’re me) also learn just how bad you are at physics puzzles.
n00b's guide
n00b’s guide is a just announced walking sim that shows a 30-year old revisiting the Youtube videos they made as a pre-teen. I’m super intrigued by this one, but also judging by the trailer, as someone close to the represented demographic, maybe it’ll hit a little too close to home? Can’t wait to find out. Visit the game’s Steam page to learn more.
Mingle
Mingle is a game about shape matching, and is simultaneously extremely low-stress and also very high stress. Don’t care about your score? It’s a chill matching game. Care about getting all the stars (like me, apparently)? Suddenly it’s a race against time. You can find out if Mingle is your thing, and which approach will be the one you take, in the Steam demo that’s available now.
DWARRF: A Pinball Roguelike
DWARRF is sort of a fever dream mash-up of pinball and bubble shooters with a pirate theme and some roguelike elements thrown in for fun. It’s a unique take on a collection of genres, and though it won’t be out until August 21, you can find out whether or not it’s your particular brand of chaos right now by playing the Steam demo.
A Pocket Full of Slagford
As a lover of point and click adventures, the announcement of this one greatly excites me. We don’t have much info to go on other than the fun, almost claymation vibes shown here in the trailer, but it looks to be a offering some kind of mystery and is already making self-deprecating jokes mere seconds into the trailer, so I’m already on board. Check out the game’s Steam page for a little more info on this comedic puzzle adgame.
The Troll & the Witch's House
Yes! More point-and-click adventures! There’s even less info to go on in this trailer, but the main character looks straight out of a Nickelodeon show, so I’m already in. There’s a little more to learn about the mystery at the heart of this one on its Steam page, but I will be watching closely for more information in the coming months.
Edwin Earstwhile: Medical Examiner
A MURDER MYSTERY. Investigating crimes using a medical examination techniques to aid in your attempts to catch the killer? This is every procedural show I’ve ever enjoyed on network television, and I’m thrilled every time a game incorporates any of these elements. The game’s Steam page also lists the Ace Attorney series as one of its inspirations, so I’m already excited.
Trading Card Inspector
This game offers the gameplay vibes of something like Papers, Please with slightly less of the oppressive, depressing atmosphere. Only slightly, though – there does seem to be a mystery behind the truth of what’s really going on with the corporation at the heart of this game, so time will tell. You can try out the demo now on Steam to find out whether or not you have the potential to lose hours to this in the same way I fear I do. Or, if you already know, the game is… already out now?!
PUTRID/SHARP
Aside from its striking aesthetic, not much was revealed in this trailer – but its Steam page suggests it uses ‘nonogram puzzle inspired combat’, which realistically sounds like the best kind of combat? This looks like it’s gonna be one of those gross (affectionate) and weird titles that sticks in your brain. Keen to learn more.
Penguin Colony
The game describes itself as ‘cosmic horror, through the eyes of a penguin’ – but it’s clearly so much more than that. The penguin experiences flashes of two rival human expeditions who have arrived in Antarctica, bringing extra eeriness to the already isolating Antarctic wilderness. There’s a demo available on Steam now for those interested – it seems like it’s going to be an unsettling one for sure, but perhaps in the best possible way.
Apothecurse
Apothecurse is about making potions and using them to solve environmental puzzles, as well as engaging in weird and wonderful battles. This is another one I got hands on with at PAX Aus as part of the CODE showcase and loved – and now you can experience the demo too, that’s just been added on Steam.
Apathema
Apathema is a “grunge fantasy turn-based RPG” with retro aesthetics and some resource management mechanics thrown into the mix. Definitely one for the fans of old school CRPGs. A new demo for the game is available now, and can be played on Steam.
Management in Space
You can see in the trailer – it’s all there in the name. It’s a game about managing a space station (out of necessity) as the galaxy falls apart around you. The game will be coming soon to Early Access, but you can check out a demo now on Steam.
Attack of the Astrals
Attack of the Astrals is a “turn-based strategy roguelike where every battle is a tactical puzzle”. Basically you move your characters to attack, so each step requires careful planning. The game will be out later this year, but a Steam demo is available now for those who like the look of the new characters announced in this trailer – or those who are just looking for some good tactical turn-based fun.
BLIGHTEN
The creepy voices in this trailer really give me all the unsettling information I need to know that this is going to be one for the horror fans. It’s described on Steam as a “first person survival horror game with grim retro style graphics”, and grim seems right. I’m not sure I have the stomach for it, but I am weak and most horror fans are strong – so I’m sure it’ll be a hit. You can test your mettle by joining the playtest on Steam if you’re interested.
Radio Decay
And with this announcement, we’re well into the horror block of our showcase. There was too much spider in this trailer for this co-op horror game to be something I’m investigating too hard, but I do love the fact that it seems to feature a random limb dispenser that gives out limbs that can then be attached to your character. You’ve gotta look for the bright moments in creepy situations like these. You can find out more about the game on Steam, and wishlist if you’re interested.
Echo Zero
A base builder with procedurally generated elements, and a whole lot of creepy aliens? Seems like a fun time! I’m a fan of the cartoonish animation style of this one, even though it also included a spider. I’ll forgive it just this once. I also got a chance to have a sneaky look at this one at PAX Aus when it had a different name, and it seems like the game has already come a long way since then – if you are also keen to watch its progress, check out its’ Steam page.
KUU
We love a mysterious pyramid. KUU is an “atmospheric moonbase management game” about “navigating the emotional sanity of a fragile sisterhood”. These are all buzzwords for me, and I have a million questions that I can’t wait to have answered. The game’s Steam page only answers some of them.
Night Shift: 1999
As someone who has lived in or around Sydney my whole life, the idea of a game set in Kings Cross is exciting in its own right. But 1999 Kings Cross, and also you’re a vampire? This visual novel has all the ingredients to pique my interest, and thankfully, it’s set to release later this year. If you want a taste of what it has to offer (like the inclusion of almost-very-real ‘St. Fincent’s Hospital’) then you can check out a demo on Steam right now.
Hawker
‘Hawker’ like a person who sells things, not like the bird – this game is a ‘roguelite ARPG/shop-keeper hybrid’ with a whole lot of classic indie roguelike combat. There’s no demo yet, but this trailer showed off a whole lot of new gameplay, and you can find out more about the game and follow its progress on Steam.
Akashic Slingshot
In many ways, this game is simple – save the world using only a slingshot. As the game’s Steam page says, progression is tied to “player skill” – you can die from only one hit, but so can most of your enemies. What I learned from playing the demo is that this means you’re in for a lot of trial and error, a lot of learning from your mistakes, and a lot of tough battles requiring a whole lot of patience – but it sure is rewarding when a plan works out. The game will release on December 3rd, but you can try it out on Steam now.
Allogloom
A “mysterious and macabre point-and-click adventure game”. The art style already sucked me in, and the gameplay locked it up. This looks creepy as hell in the best possible way, and I am absolutely running to check out the Steam demo available now (even though as we have now just learned, the game will release on September 26th – so there isn’t long to wait!).
Lone Pine
Ahh, this is absolutely a game for me. A game with a female protagonists about searching for and attempting to photograph cryptids? Perfection. There’s a demo available now on Steam, which you should all absolutely check out.
Toil&Trubble
I am always ready for more games about witches. The trailer suggests cozy vibes, and I’m already a big fan of a game with a deeply anxious, easily-distracted female protagonist. Same girl, same. There also seems to be a ‘cuddle’ interaction possible with in-game animals, according to the Steam page, so… the news is all good.
Ghost Writer
This little ghostie friend is supposed to be a desktop focus companion, but I fear it would lead me to do anything but focus. Their job is to feed you little writing prompts, which is a novel and fun idea, but I don’t know how I feel about giving information to a being that has a humanoid face but no limb separation. This trailer has truly made me think, and if it has done the same for you, check out more on the game’s Steam page.
UnQuolllified
Yes. Crime-solving quoll. A cast of Australian animals, at least one of whom presumably committed a crime. I have zero notes. You can wishlist the game on Steam now.
Cozy Game Restoration
A game about cleaning and restoring old games and consoles. Incredible. I am going to lose hours of my life to this, just as I have done to Powerwash Simulator before it. I fear I may get lost in the Steam demo for too many hours before the game releases on September 24.
Rusthaven
Okay, you’ve restored enough Cozy Games – now it’s time to reboot the whole world. From Chaos Theory Games, known for creating games for impact, this is sure to be a good lesson in how we can be kinder to the world. A game about recycling and upcycling? I’m here for it. You can find out more about the game on Steam.
The Isle of Lost Bees
I’m a sucker for an idle game, especially one filled with so many adorable little critters. We need bees to keep the world alive, and if I can pretend to be helping to make that happen by raising an army of tiny digital ones, then that is how it shall be*. You can check out a demo and try out raising your own digital army of bees on Steam right now.
*(This is my preferred course of action, I’m quite afraid of real bees, despite recognising their importance to various ecosystems).
Sludgineers
Genuinely could not be more thrilled that there’s an idle/incremental game section to this showcase. Sludgineers seems to feature fewer bugs (not the coding kind, the creature kind), but depending on the context, sludge can be equally problematic and/or important – so it’s good to have options for where to dedicate your idle game time. You can also try out a Steam demo of Sludgineers right now to experience some of that satisfying cleaning goodness – this trailer presents almost an idle version of the previously mentioned Powerwash Simulator, which is in itself a revelation.
Doomsday Diner
Ah yes, we’ve all had to fight off intruders while also trying to BBQ sausages for all our non-criminal customers, right? I am ready to take on this responsibility and manage a restaurant under these ridiculous conditions. Thankfully, there’s a Steam demo available for this one too, so we can all give the job a try.
Sting & Swing
More bees! Also under my control! Only, these bees are at leisure – which is also, obviously, important. I never thought I’d see a bee playing golf, but it turns out I’m happy I can. There’s a Steam demo available now for those who would also like to see what it’s like to experience life as a bee on their day off from keeping us all alive.
Box Knight
This one describes itself as a “weird roguelike brawler”, and I like the sense of self-awareness. Also exciting to see that this game has couch co-op! Box Knight has a vaguely concerning look in his eye as he takes on those enemies, and I fear he may in fact be unstoppable. There’s no demo for this one yet, but you can check it out and wishlist if interested on Steam.
Wild N Chill
The presence of that golden retriever made this an immediate yes. Then it got on the back of a motorbike, and the yes got even stronger. If this game lies to me with its name, and is not in fact chill, and something happens to that golden retriever, I will absolutely riot. You can find out more about this gorgeous-looking game on its Steam page now.
That's the end!
ANZ are truly pumping out some exciting games, and this is just the tip of the iceberg. I can’t wait to jump into more of these demos, and see how some of these first reveal games develop over the coming months!
Disclaimer: Jess has previously worked in game development, and has been in games media for more than a decade, so may have past or present personal friendships or working relationships with team members working on some of the games listed above, as well as members of the Frosty Games Fest team. She has not, however, worked on any of the games listed personally.
