PAX Aus Reveals Its 2026 Indie Showcase Winners

It is that time of year, PAX Aus is on the horizon and the 2026 Indie Showcase winners have been announced.

12 games, six digital and six tabletop games, are set to be featured during the annual event held in October.

The Indie Showcase has become an integral part of PAX Aus, with it being the centerpiece of the indie game section that is PAX Rising.

Every year it seems there is a great variety within the winners and this year is no different, ranging from restoring old video game cartridges and solving murders alongside a police dog to Roman ducks, cyberpunk card battles and a very uncomfortable flat-warming party.

The 12 winning teams will receive their own space at PAX Aus 2026, giving attendees the opportunity to play the games and speak directly with the people making them.

This year’s Indie Showcase is sponsored by Superloop, which will provide upgraded showcase pods with additional space and larger artwork for the selected developers.

“Gamers are some of the most connected and performance-conscious internet users in the country. They expect speed and low latency, and that's exactly the network Superloop has invested in delivering,” Superloop CEO Paul Tyler said.

“The developers behind these games are taking big swings that push technology, creativity and connectivity further every day. They're builders, innovators and challengers by nature.

“Supporting the Indie Showcase is about backing the next generation of creators and showing up for a community that shares that same ambition to challenge what's possible.”

Digital Showcase

Cozy Game Restoration — Parasol Corp

Cozy Game Restoration is a relaxing simulator where players restore forgotten video game cartridges. Players tear away packing tape, remove old stickers and clean away grime to transform dusty cartridges back into collectibles, with no pressure or failure involved.

Key Fairy — Owl Machine

Key Fairy is a hand-drawn, pacifist, folkloric bullet-hell where players grapple and dance around monsters to collect their shattered stars. Players will navigate twisting paths, meet strange characters, uncover ancient magic and avoid forgotten gods.

Finch & Archie — Octarine Arts

Finch & Archie is an episodic co-op noir murder mystery set during the Great Depression. Players take control of detective Jack Finch and his police dog Archie, using deduction and Archie's sense of smell to find evidence, interrogate suspects and catch the culprit.

The Last Exterminator — Ironworks Games

The Last Exterminator is a 90s-inspired action shooter filled with over-the-top action, corny humour and explosive set-pieces. Ironworks Games has developed its own custom engine to give the game an authentic retro look and feel while remaining accessible to modern players.

Mission Delta — Polarity Games

Mission Delta is a co-op action roguelike shooter where players fight their way up the Delta Corp skyscraper as one of the corporation's escaped experiments. Players battle mutants and corporate atrocities floor by floor, fusing weapons and stacking upgrades as they attempt to bring the operation down.

For Polarity Games, being selected for this year's Indie Showcase comes after previously applying in 2024.

“We first applied for the Indie Showcase back in 2024, when Mission Delta was still a little too early in development,” Aiden from Polarity Games said.

“We didn’t make the cut then, but after giving the game some more time to cook, we decided to give it another shot this year and were thrilled to find out that we’d been selected!

“It’s been a long-time dream of mine to showcase a game of my own at PAX and we can’t wait to present Mission Delta in person for the first time this October.”

A Real Life Party — Silakka

A Real Life Party is a comedy game where players control Anton as he waits for his friend Henry to arrive at his own flat-warming party, leaving Anton alone with Henry's unusual roommates. Using first-person grid-based movement and visuals made from photos and videos, players interact with the house and its characters as Anton becomes increasingly desperate for Henry to arrive.

Tabletop Showcase

Thrive — Avant-Card Games

Thrive is a card game where players control animals trying to survive in the wild, secretly choosing where to forage and how much energy to spend. Games take around 15 minutes, with the player who collects the most valuable resources declared the winner.

Aqueducks — Corkscrew Games

Aqueducks is a Roman and duck-themed deck-builder where players are tasked with establishing a new city for the Roman Eggpublic. Players develop a riverside village into a larger city through trade, military strength, urban development or monuments, building a 3D tableau as their city grows.

Deathbed — Devil Juice

Deathbed is a symmetrical hand-management card game where players attempt to hold the most influence when the old King dies. Each player begins with an identical hand and secretly selects cards each round, with matching cards clashing and being discarded while players balance using powerful cards against keeping their value for the end of the game.

Drago's Dreamland — Emily Dallwitz

Drago's Dreamland sees players take control of rainbow pixies as they leave home, collect 20 wisdom points and attempt to return. Players hear stories, trade items and interact with mythical characters, with different styles of play available for children, including fast, drama and quiz variations.

The game has been launched by artist, teacher and mum Emily Dallwitz after 30 years of development.

Caught in the Rain — The Ravensridge Emporium

Caught in the Rain is a solo or GM-less TTRPG centred around solving mysteries across different genres. Players take on the role of an investigator, working through scenes and discovering clues while managing the increasing dangers and threats that emerge.

Wireburn — Wireburnthegame

Wireburn is a fast-paced cyberpunk card game for one to six players where players deploy data packets across three docks, match numbers, hijack colours and overload stacks to damage opponents. Emptying your hand triggers the Final Firewall, with the player needing to survive one final rotation around the table untouched to win.

A Showcase Worth Checking Out

This is one of my favourite parts of the Indie Showcase, it highlights some true diamonds, some games you will have never even thought of and they are ready to be your next favourite indie game.

All 12 Indie Showcase winners will be playable at PAX Aus 2026, with their developers also on hand throughout the weekend.

PAX Aus 2026 runs from October 9–11 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.