Microsoft and Xbox just launched 41 new indie game demos you can play right now — check out everything new and upcoming from ID@Xbox

News
By published

Over 40 new Xbox indie game demos are now available thanks to the ID@Xbox Indie Selects Demo Fest.

The official key art for 2026's ID@Xbox Indie Selects Demo Fest.
The official key art for 2026's ID@Xbox Indie Selects Demo Fest. It's live from now until the end of June, and features over 40 indie game demos you can play now. (Image credit: ID@Xbox)

While big-name AAA titles often dominate the spotlight in the gaming industry, some of the best games around are indies — smaller-scale titles from independent studios made with tighter, less grandiose ambitions. These are considered by many to be the lifeblood of the business, as their limited scope and lack of oversight from publishers looking to maximize profit allow developers to explore creative ideas with less risk.

Microsoft and Xbox have long supported the indie game scene with ID@Xbox, a program that helps independent studios get access to Xbox development kits and elevates the visibility of their projects with marketing assistance.

One way it's done so in the past is by hosting a special Indie Selects Demo Fest, and now it's holding another one for the duration of June. Microsoft announced the news on Thursday in a new Xbox Wire blog post, revealing that there's now a huge collection of indie game demos you can try out from now until the end of the month.

Latest Videos From

There are demos available across Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Xbox on PC, so you can check them out no matter which Xbox platform you're on. Something important to note is that these demos are work-in-progress looks at upcoming titles, so there's not a complete and polished version of them you can go buy if you have fun with these playtests. Definitely make sure to watch for a release date from the demos of the games you like, though!

Microsoft's ID@Xbox program supports indie developers with resources and marketing help, with the Indie Selects Demo Fest being one of its biggest events. (Image credit: Xbox Game Studios)

Microsoft says there are "more than 30 standout game demos ready to play," which is honestly underselling the spread; there's a whopping 41 available while the Indie Selects Demo Fest is live, all of which I've listed below (with links to their store pages):

All in all, there's a ton of stuff here to dip your toes in and try out, so I recommend you do so while it's available. Just don't forget that the demos go offline when June ends — if I were you, I'd start playing them ASAP.

Will you check out the Xbox indie demos available during the Indie Selects Demo Fest? Let me know in the comments, and in our poll.

Click to join us on r/WindowsCentral

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

TOPICS
Brendan Lowry
Brendan Lowry
Contributor, Gaming

Brendan Lowry is a Windows Central writer and Oakland University graduate with a burning passion for video games, of which he's been an avid fan since childhood. He's been writing for Team WC since the summer of 2017, and you'll find him doing news, editorials, reviews, and general coverage on everything gaming, Xbox, and Windows PC. His favorite game of all time is probably NieR: Automata, though Elden Ring, Fallout: New Vegas, and Team Fortress 2 are in the running, too. When he's not writing or gaming, there's a good chance he's either watching an interesting new movie or TV show or actually going outside for once. Follow him on X (Twitter).

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.