Snuggle up, throw down, and save loads with new festive-favorite virtual stocking stuffers from indie.io

Never content to let you go a single season without a new game, indie.io, known for helping passionate solo developers and tiny teams reach millions on Steam and beyond, is discounting a bunch of its best titles over the Steam Winter Sale to keep you gaming over Christmas.

Whether you're looking to take it easy in front of the fireplace or journey off on one last high-stakes adventure before the second half of the decade comes calling, there's surely something here to help you finally sign off from work and sink into making some lasting memories as the colder nights come crawling in. Let's get cracking.

'Tis the season to thrill

HumanitZ

For less than the entry price of a corny Christmas flick, you can wrap a decaying hand around HumanitZ - a zombie-bashing survival simulator years in the making. Scavenge, craft, and fight your way through an unforgiving world where the dead don't quit and supplies don't magically appear. Better still, it's 35% off right now, which makes this the perfect (slightly un-festive) time to dive in.

SCP Fragmented Minds

Prefer a good old-fashioned sci-fi brain breaker? A couple of bucks gets you SCP Fragmented Minds, a horror FPS set on an otherworld facility now harboring interplanetary horrors beyond human comprehension. Skulk about grotesquely overrun science labs and unrecognisable loading bays, scanning for threats, survivors, and blood-soaked crawlspaces with little to no hope of survival. If sheer atmospheric dread is how you want to see off 2025, at a 25% discount, SCP: Fragmented Minds is one of the cheapest ways to go about scaring yourself silly.

Dark Deity 2

For those of you who can't manage a festive period without pining for the 16-bit cartridge classics you once woke up to, Dark Deity 2, a beautifully crafted turn-based tactics game, will have those childhood memories come flooding back, with a 30% discount for you to enjoy. And don't worry: you won't need to step back in time to enjoy this long-awaited sequel. It's a tale as old as time all about a continent-spanning war of conquest and the unlikely heroes that rise to defend their once peaceful homes. Christmas is never without a fight.

Shrine's Legacy

Shrine's Legacy sticks to the teachings of the 16-bit era, delivering an action-oriented JRPG rife with monsters to slay, puzzles to solve, and a vibrant world to save. Oh, and did we mention it's a couch co-op game? At 25% off, now's your chance to go on one last big adventure with a buddy before the year's out. And with v1.0.8 tightening major mechanics, it's easier than ever to sink into a quest to unite the elements across this fantastical world.

Symphony of War

Symphony of War is a stellar turn-based strategy game destined for your Steam Deck and perfect to stream to a phone or tablet on the couch. If the anime appeal of Dark Deity 2 isn't to your liking, or you simply prefer to command larger forces of fantastical units, Symphony of War is what you're looking for. And with a 40-hour campaign, there's a lot of battles to be fought across Tehnra this Christmas. At 65% off, it's one of the cheapest ways to while away the last few days of the year.

That's five games with five very different themes. Want to see the lot? Check out indie.io's 'Tis the Season to Thrill page to pick your poison this holiday season and enjoy up to 90% off a thrilling new adventure.

'Tis the season to chill

Echoes of the Plum Grove

Looking to unwind? Let Unwound Games take you on a trip to the storybook world of Honeywood. Echoes of the Plum Grove is a picture book community life simulator with a secret: your choices matter, and when you're watching generations play out in this quaint village, things won't always go to plan. Just don't let life get you down. If the situation calls for it, a tougher approach might actually be the right call. For you, at least. The 45% discount certainly will be.

Forgotten Seas

While taking to the high seas and contending with a colossal kraken might not sound serene, Forgotten Seas wears many masks. How you spend your time in this ship-in-a-bottle pirate life simulator is up to you. With plenty of extra holiday flair in its base management portion thanks to the Jolly Update, if celebrating with a bunch of ne'er-do-wells over a bottle of grog and a 45% discount sounds like a good time, Forgotten Seas is worth raising the flag for.

Cat Cafe Manager

Pawing to manage your own kitty cafe for a 70% discount? With an art style you'll see stickered over a cozy gamer's laptop and luggage, Cat Cafe Manager is as soft and fluffy as games get, tasking you with making a pad for tiny paws that doubles as a place for people to meet up, eat grub, and, of course, dote on some feline friends.

Firefly Village

With cows, mineshafts, mushrooms, and a pencil-like art style, the inspiration behind Firefly Village is clear for any millennial to see. Befriend the locals (and marry your fave), fish up a storm, or focus on providing for the town by gardening through short seven-day seasons as sun, showers, and snow come and go. If you're short on time this holiday season, an economical 20% saving on this bite-sized slow-life simulator is the perfect excuse to wind down without accidentally sowing seeds as a rare solo evening comes to a close.

Ready to settle down? Whether you're tilling the land 'til the early hours or crafting a veritable kitty cat paradise, spend some time on the indie.io 'Tis the Season to Chill page to pick up your next seasonal obsession. Shopping for a friend? You're sure to find a cutesy gift for the cuddle bug in your life. Did we mention they're up to 90% off until January 5? Go on, you can squeeze in another.

If your new year's resolution is to finally pitch that game you've been dreaming up for years, reach out to the indie.io team. They help dozens of independent games cross the finish line every year. One email could see your game sit on someone's Christmas wishlist next year. Now wouldn't that just warm your heart?