[From the industry] First ever Indie Fan Fest Showcase puts upcoming hits in the spotlight this September

Indie Fan Fest, a brand new online showcase, will debut on Wednesday, September 24 2025. Organised by rising indie publisher Digital Bandidos and veteran curators The MIX, the event will focus on games that will be featured in Steam Next Fest – a crucial opportunity for developers and publishers around the world.

The first ever Indie Fan Fest will deliver brand new game reveals, exclusive looks at hotly anticipated titles, insights from some of the most creative developers in the industry, and more. Here’s what you need to know:

Date: Wednesday, September 24, 2025
Time: 9am PT / 12pm ET / 6pm CEST
Where: Twitch, YouTube, Steam, IGN, and GameSpot

The showcase is designed to drive wishlists for developers and publishers putting new demos in the October edition of Steam Next Fest, which is vital to raising awareness of their upcoming games. A dedicated Steam event page will highlight all titles featured in Indie Fan Fest, along with other activities to shine the spotlight on these future hits.

A special preview offering a glimpse at some of the featured titles will be released in the coming weeks. Additional Indie Fan Fests are already in the works to support games featured in future Steam Next Fests.

“Discoverability is the greatest challenge indies face in today’s industry, one that Digital Bandidos has been keen to help developers tackle since we first began,” said CEO and co-founder Steve Escalante. “The goal for Indie Fan Fest is to give a boost to titles that are participating in the upcoming Steam Next Fest. It’s a key opportunity for titles to stand out as they push to their launch and we hope this new platform can give them a boost.”

“As a developer myself, I found it challenging to get the support I needed to push through the noise when releasing my game projects,” said The MIX co-founder Justin Woodward. “The Media Indie Exchange (The MIX) was created from grassroots beginnings to shine a spotlight on professional developers who are focusing on their craft and need an additional boost of visibility on the games they put their blood sweat and tears into. Indie Fan Fest is an extension of that vision and we intend to push the line for developers to shine.”