Indie Studio Expands Portfolio With Multiple PC Game Announcements
BORDEAUX, France — April 17, 2026 — French indie developer Shiro Games announced a slate of new titles and updates during this week’s Galaxies Gaming Showcase, highlighting its growing role in the global PC gaming market.
The presentation included the reveal of Northgard: Battlegrounds, the launch of a public playtest for Frostrail, and confirmed Early Access release dates for both Farever and SpaceCraft. The announcements reflect the continued momentum of mid-sized independent studios, a segment that has gained increasing visibility among U.S. players through platforms like Steam.
Northgard: Battlegrounds Introduces Strategy and Auto-Battler Hybrid
A New Entry in the Northgard Franchise
Shiro Games revealed Northgard: Battlegrounds, a new spin-off set in its Viking-themed strategy universe. The game is being developed in partnership with Funday Games, known for Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor.
Scheduled for release on PC via Steam in 2026 under the Shiro Unlimited label, the title blends city-building strategy with auto-battler mechanics—a genre combination that has gained traction among strategy gamers in recent years.
Players will manage settlements while engaging in asynchronous battles, offering a mix of long-term planning and fast-paced combat.
Frostrail Playtest Launches With Survival Co-Op Gameplay
Post-Apocalyptic FPS Emphasizes Team-Based Survival
Shiro also announced the first public playtest for Frostrail, a cooperative survival first-person shooter developed by FakeFish, the studio behind Barotrauma.
Available now via Steam, the playtest includes a tutorial and the first two playable regions. Players take control of a steam-powered train traveling through a frozen, post-apocalyptic landscape—a setting that echoes popular survival themes familiar to U.S. audiences from games and TV series centered on harsh environmental collapse.
Gameplay focuses on scavenging, crafting, and combat against undead enemies known as Revenants, while maintaining the train as a mobile base of operations. The full game is expected to launch in 2026.
Farever Sets Early Access Date for May 6
Open-World Fantasy RPG Targets Multiplayer Audience
Farever, an online multiplayer action RPG, is set to enter Early Access on May 6, 2026. The game takes place in the expansive fantasy world of Siagarta, where players can explore solo or with others.
The title features customizable characters, multiple starting classes, and a wide range of weapons and abilities. Players can explore dungeons, uncover hidden areas, and take on scalable challenges—an approach that aligns with the ongoing popularity of open-world RPGs among North American gamers.
SpaceCraft Early Access Launch Scheduled for May 20
Space Sandbox Focuses on Exploration and Industry Building
Following its earlier reveal, SpaceCraft will launch in Early Access on May 20, 2026. The multiplayer sandbox game places players in an uncharted galaxy where they must establish a new foothold for humanity.
Core gameplay includes designing customizable spacecraft, mining resources from planets and asteroid belts, and building automated production systems. Players can also develop large-scale industrial operations and form corporations—gameplay elements that mirror real-world economic systems and appeal to fans of simulation-heavy titles.
Growing Global Presence of Shiro Games and Partners
Shiro Games, headquartered in Bordeaux, has spent more than a decade developing and publishing indie titles, including the original Northgard. Its publishing arm, Shiro Unlimited, focuses on supporting projects that align with its creative vision while allowing partner studios to maintain independence.
Partner studio Funday Games, based in Denmark, has built a reputation for expanding established indie franchises, while Finland-based FakeFish has grown steadily since the success of Barotrauma, which has sold millions of copies since its 2019 release.
Conclusion
The announcements from Shiro Games at the Galaxies Gaming Showcase underscore the continued growth of the indie gaming sector, particularly in the PC market. With multiple titles spanning strategy, survival, RPG, and simulation genres, the studio and its partners are positioning themselves to reach a broad international audience. As these games move through testing and Early Access phases, player feedback will likely shape their development ahead of full releases.
Infuriatingly humble organizer. Entrepreneur. Zombie guru. Professional creator. Future teen idol.
