Must-Play Indie Games in 2025
Blockbuster sequels raise questions about what counts as an “indie” game in 2025
Hades 2 and Hollow Knight: Silksong are often described as indie games, based on a straightforward definition: they are self-published by development teams that are not connected to a larger publisher.
At the same time, both titles are sequels to widely successful games. That status makes them unusual within the indie label, because their built-in audiences and established track records position them more like major releases than typical small, first-time projects.
The contrast highlights a recurring issue in entertainment markets: labels such as “indie” can describe ownership and publishing structure, while audiences often use the same term to describe scale, visibility, and commercial expectations.
In 2025, that distinction matters because it shapes how games are marketed, covered, and compared. When major sequels are grouped alongside smaller independent projects, it can blur the line between independently owned development and the practical realities of competing for attention in a crowded release calendar.
