Apple kicks off Indie Games Week with seven new iPhone and iPad titles

Apple has launched Indie Games Week on the App Store, featuring seven independent games arriving on iPhone and iPad, including Sifu, Vampire Crawlers and No Man’s Sky. The initiative will run throughout the week, with daily editorial features and curated collections highlighting games developed by independent studios.

The campaign brings together titles spanning action, strategy, survival and simulation, with six games already available for download and No Man’s Sky scheduled to make its mobile debut on October 28.

Apple is using the event to increase the visibility of indie developers across its digital storefront, with dedicated App Store features introducing players to individual games and their creators.

The company said the initiative will extend beyond the seven featured releases, with additional editorial collections covering independent games already available on the App Store. Mac users will also be able to explore a separate selection of indie titles through a dedicated App Store guide.

Sifu and Vampire Crawlers among featured mobile releases

One of the featured titles is Sifu, the third-person martial arts action game developed by Sloclap and published by Kepler Interactive. Originally released on other gaming platforms, Sifu follows a young martial artist seeking revenge through combat encounters that emphasize timing, defensive techniques and combinations of attacks.

For its iPhone and iPad release, the game has been adapted with touch controls, a revised camera system and full controller support. The changes are intended to accommodate the game’s combat mechanics on mobile devices.

Apple is also highlighting Vampire Crawlers, a spin-off of Vampire Survivors developed by poncle and Nosebleed Interactive. Unlike the survival gameplay associated with Vampire Survivors, the new title uses a card-based combat system built around tactical deck construction and dungeon exploration.

Players assemble combinations of cards, collect relics and develop strategies while progressing through encounters with enemies. The game retains elements of the original franchise’s gothic setting while introducing a different combat structure.

Both titles are part of Apple’s effort to feature games originally associated with PC and console audiences alongside projects designed around shorter or more flexible gameplay sessions.

No Man’s Sky set for October 28 mobile launch

Another major title included in Indie Games Week is No Man’s Sky, which will launch on iPhone and iPad on October 28. Developed by Hello Games, the space exploration and survival game is making its mobile debut approximately a decade after its original release.

The mobile version will include every major content expansion released to date, including the latest Cosmos update, which introduces the ability for players to command their own space stations.

No Man’s Sky features a procedurally generated universe in which players can explore planets, gather resources, trade, engage in combat and build structures.

Its arrival on iPhone and iPad adds another established PC and console title to Apple’s mobile gaming catalog.

The October 28 release date also places the game’s launch after the official Indie Games Week promotional period, although Apple is featuring it as part of the campaign and making it available for pre-order.

Four additional indie games join the App Store lineup

The remaining featured games cover several genres, from city exploration to kingdom management and survival strategy.

Little Kitty, Big City, developed by Double Dagger Studio, follows a cat exploring an open-world urban environment. Players navigate the city, interact with other animals and complete activities while exploring their surroundings.

9 Kings, from Sad Socket and Playdigious, combines kingdom-building mechanics with card-based strategy. Players assemble armies, develop their kingdoms and attempt to defeat competing rulers through tactical decisions.

Another featured release is Dome Keeper, developed by Bippinbits and published by Raw Fury. The game combines resource mining with defensive combat, requiring players to explore underground areas for materials while protecting a dome against waves of alien enemies.

Yes, Your Grace 2: Snowfall, from Brave At Night and Noodlecake Studios, focuses on narrative decision-making and kingdom management.

Players take on the role of a ruler responsible for managing resources, responding to requests and making political and personal decisions that affect the kingdom’s future.

All four titles are available on the App Store and will receive promotional placement during Indie Games Week.

Apple expands editorial promotion for indie developers

The initiative centers on Apple’s App Store editorial system, which uses featured stories, collections and product recommendations to introduce users to apps and games. Throughout the week, the company will publish daily features covering selected independent games, while curated collections will direct users toward additional titles in its existing catalog.

Apple’s head of App Store Worldwide, Carson Oliver, said the campaign is intended to recognize independent developers and the different approaches they bring to game design.

The company is also providing a separate guide to indie games available on Mac, extending the campaign beyond iPhone and iPad.

The promotional event comes as mobile platforms continue to serve as additional distribution channels for independent games initially developed for PC and consoles.

The featured lineup reflects that overlap, with established titles such as Sifu and No Man’s Sky appearing alongside games built around card mechanics, resource management and smaller-scale exploration.

For developers, App Store editorial placement provides an opportunity to reach users browsing the storefront, although Apple has not disclosed any expected download figures or commercial targets associated with Indie Games Week.

Apple has also not announced whether Indie Games Week will become a recurring annual event.

The campaign is currently available to App Store users worldwide, with the seven featured titles accessible for download or pre-order on supported iPhone and iPad devices.