This newsletter shares the good news of the Finnish game industry once a month. The content is intended to be an interesting news roundup both for separate newsletter subscribers and for media representatives interested in games.
In May, the Finnish games industry stood out for its busy release schedule, new content updates, and the international growth of indie games. The news included both expansions for already successful titles, such as updates for The Last Caretaker, Wreckfest 2, and Dice of Kalma, as well as new openings including Goblin’s Die, Wardrum, DEADBUS, and Burglin’ Gnomes. The strong profile was further reinforced by The Last Caretaker being named the best Finnish game of the year 2025, Harry Krueger founding his new studio Cosmic Division, and Angry Birds being inducted into the World Video Game Hall of Fame. Overall, the Finnish games industry comes across as a diverse, ambitious, and internationally compelling field where small teams, well-known creators, and strong game worlds are advancing side by side.
1. New Game Releases and Updates in May 2026
The acclaimed twin-stick shooter Sektori was released for the Nintendo Switch 2. Solo developer Kimmo Lahtinen’s adrenaline-fuelled shooter had previously found success on PC and PlayStation 5 across different game modes.
Dice-driven roguelike Dice of Kalma by Pepperbox Studios has surpassed the milestone of 300,000 downloads. The game has also expanded with two new modes: the more relaxed Daily Mode and the ever-more-challenging Endless Mode.
Nitro Games has signed a licensing agreement with Games Workshop, known for its miniature games. First in line is Boltgun Boom, a shooter for mobile platforms set to launch later this year.
Potion 8 has released an early version of its action-packed co-op RPG Goblin’s Die on Steam. Compared with the previous version, the game introduces two new areas as well as plenty of new equipment, enemies, mutations, and boss encounters.
Wardrum by Mopeful Games which combines turn-based tactics with roguelite-style progression, has been released on Steam. The game blends fantastic battles, dark magical powers, and rhythmic control through the beat of war drums.
Hunting title Virtual Hunter by Korpi Games has gathered as many as 20,000 players to wish list ahead of its late-May launch. The game brings realistic hunting simulation to PlayStation VR2 and Meta Quest VR headsets.
Bonobo Software launched a Kickstarter campaign for its game Taival with a minimum funding goal of just one euro. With this approach, the developers aim to raise support for the game in a fan-driven way. The adventurous RPG gathered more than 10,000 people to their Steam wish list in just 10 days.
Developed by Catland, the satirical Cordcutter is a roguelite action game in which players cut data cables using the anchor of a large ship. At the same time, they must dodge and escape naval forces during a fast-paced chase. The game will be released later on Steam.
Channel37 has released Content Update 4: Below Us update for its game The Last Caretaker. The playable Steam Early Access game continues to expand at regular intervals with new locations, equipment, and missions. The studio has also updated the demo version to reflect the current state of the full game and released an extended showcase video.
Bugbyte has released its simulation game Space Haven after more than 10 years of development. The game simulates the lives of space colonists in the distant future. It is available for PC on Steam.
Gaming Couch is a web-based party game platform that has already hosted more than 200,000 played games. The founding team is currently developing tools that will allow others to create their own 8-player party games for the platform. The platform will also be showcased at Supercell’s Games First event on June 4.
Fennonauts Publishing has announced first-person post-apocalyptic shooter DEADBUS by BrokenPuzzleGames. In the game, every bullet matters and the bus won’t wait. The game will be released on Steam next autumn.
Bugbear Entertainment’s acclaimed demolition racing game Wreckfest 2 has received a major content update. The update expands the game with new cars and a new racing area. It also adds a broader selection of tuning parts and improvements to vehicle physics.
Indie developer Fobri will release its debut game Burglin’ Gnomes on Steam on June 10th following the success of its popular demo. In this chaotic co-op adventure, players become burglars breaking into procedurally generated homes to steal household items and complete tasks assigned by the overlord gnome.
Cozy Age Games has released a public demo for Paperlands on Steam. The game is a cute light puzzle 2D adventure game featuring handcrafted papercraft world, atmospheric environments, and exploration-focused gameplay.
2. The best Finnish game of the year 2025 is robot adventure The Last Caretaker by Channel37
The Finnish Game Awards 2026 once again celebrated an outstanding Finnish games, game developers, and other industry professionals. The award for Best Indie Game of the Year went to End-all Entertainment’s RPG Paradigm Island. The IGDA Volunteer of the Year was Joni Paasikivi. The IGDA Lifetime Achievement Award went to Emma Von Munthe Af Morgenstierne Vantaa. The Jampion of the Year award went to Noora Archer for leading the Spaceship Game Jam game development event. The award for Best Expansion went to Colossal Order’s city-building game Cities: Skylines II. The Newcomer of the Year award went to Kokoon Games. Valtteri “Wanda” Lahti was recognised as Power Player of the Year for lifetime contribution to the games industry. Neogames’ own Business Excellence Award was presented to Supercell’s Clash Royale. Sektori by Kimmo Factor was named Creative Achievement of the Year. In the evening’s main award category, Best Finnish Game of the Year 2025, third place went to Sektori by Kimmo Factor. Second place went to My Winter Car by Amistech Games. The grand prize and title of the Best Finnish Game of the Year 2025 went to Channel37’s robot adventure The Last Caretaker.
3. Former Housemarque Creative Director Harry Krueger has founded the game studio Cosmic Division
The game studio Cosmic Division has launched under the leadership of Harry Krueger, known for several hit games. Krueger spent nearly 15 years at Housemarque and played a key role in creating acclaimed titles such as Returnal, Nex Machina, and Resogun. He was also involved in defining the early direction of the recently announced SAROS. Cosmic Division follows a focused and responsibly ambitious approach to development. The studio operates efficiently and nimbly, emphasizing expertise, rapid iteration, and sustainable growth instead of fast expansion. Its first project is an entirely new original game brand: a single-player title for PC and consoles. The studio has secured seed funding and is actively seeking partners, investors, and exceptionally skilled talent.
4. The Willow Guard RPG has evolved significantly since its launch
In a recent retrospective, game studio MiTale looks back at the background of its RPG Willow Guard, released one year ago. The game has been expanded with various content updates, and with its striking animal themes, it has also grown into comics and other exceptional fan products. The game is developing into a dark fantasy world, expanding on several fronts, including physical products. The year culminated in significant recognition when the game was nominated for Game of the Year at The Finnish Game Awards 2026.
5. Angry Birds was inducted into the World Video Game Hall of Fame
Angry Birds by Rovio is a true landmark in mobile gaming. Rather than remaining a one-hit wonder, Angry Birds has grown into an internationally beloved game series and expanded well beyond games. Recently, Angry Birds was honored with induction into the World Video Game Hall of Fame. It is part of The Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York, and recognizes only a select group of milestones in gaming.
6. Oceanhorn 3: Legend of the Shadow Sea was built with a new game engine
The Unreal team interviewed independent game studio Cornfox & Brothers, which has continued working on its popular Oceanhorn series and progressed to its third instalment. The action-driven RPG series, which began more than 13 years ago, has grown over the years into an increasingly deep gameplay experience. Oceanhorn 3: Legend of the Shadow Sea uses Unreal Engine 5, enabling a small team to build an ambitious action RPG with the same tools used by large AAA studios. The game is available on Apple Arcade.