By Ney Castro | VP of Gaming Strategy & Community Growth, PHȲND

PAX East was a love letter to indie games — and a Reality Check for the Industry 

Every year at PAX East, you can feel where the industry is heading — not by looking at the biggest booths, but by watching where the lines form. 

Yes, Dune had a towering presence, and Elden Ring showed off Nightreign. But the real momentum came from elsewhere — from games you hadn’t heard of a week ago, made by teams you hadn’t followed yet. The hype wasn’t in the billboards or big spend. The excitement was on the floor. 

It came from games like Goblintown: Really Hard Driving Game, one of the most visually inventive setups at the show — a converted van surrounded by couches, live announcers, and a full crowd. It came from studios like Devolver, whose games Botsu and Mycopunk had players buzzing. And it came from upstarts bringing fresh spins on familiar genres — a soccer game blending Overwatch with Rocket League, and rhythmic auto-battlers turning simple mechanics into addicting loops.  

These weren’t games built to dominate algorithms. They were built to be played, shared, and remembered. 

The Indie Scene Isn’t the Underdog Anymore — It’s the Center of Gravity 

PAX East has always supported independent devs, but this year it felt like the floor belonged to them. While the big publishers had the banners, the indies had the buzz. Players came to engage, not just spectate — asking questions, taking screenshots, and lining up to try what felt new. 

Even student dev teams from universities were getting attention — sometimes drawing more interest than polished AAA titles. The next generation isn’t just watching; they’re building, showcasing, and showing up. 

And in an industry where major titles are now delayed into 2026, players are hungry for what’s available now — not just what’s “coming soon.” 

It’s Not Just What’s Played — It’s How 

The games drawing the most attention had common traits: 

• Easy to start 

• Visually bold 

• Sessions that fit into a busy life 

• No long tutorials or triple-layer onboarding 

That’s not just good game design — that’s the blueprint for a new kind of gaming behavior. People don’t have time to be onboarded into 200-hour epics every week. They want to play. 

This is also where platforms like PHȲND come in — smart TV-first, no-download, no-subscription access that makes it easy for players to jump into something new and fun without any friction. 

You don’t need a massive marketing budget or a boxed release to matter anymore. And with premium game prices creeping past $70, with $80+ titles already rumored, players are actively looking for alternatives that don’t compromise on quality — or accessibility. 

The Competition Isn’t Just for Dollars — It’s for Time 

Yes, tools are better. AI, Unity, Unreal — it’s never been easier to start building. But finishing a game — and more importantly, getting people to care about it — is where the real battle lies. 

Most players are already juggling a stack of games they love: FFXIV, Hearthstone, Apex, some mobile game they can’t quit. Breaking into that rotation is no small feat — especially when your studio is two people and a dream. 

And yet, those are the studios we saw drawing lines. Because discovery still works when it’s real. When it’s a live demo, a wild booth, a dev who looks you in the eye and says, “Wanna try it?” 

That’s what PAX East delivered. And it’s why this event still matters. 

Gaming Isn’t One Thing Anymore — And That’s the Point 

If you walk the PAX floor expecting just video games, you’re missing half the story. 

This is a community built around play — in all forms: 

• Trading card games with competitive crowds 

• Board games that felt like passion projects 

• Cosplay that was equal parts performance and pride 

• Retro cartridge games selling out next to new digital demos 

• Merch tables, vinyl soundtracks, enamel pins 

This isn’t niche anymore — it’s culture. A diverse, growing, layered ecosystem where players don’t just want to consume. They want to belong. 

For Us, the Mission’s Clear 

PHȲND isn’t here to be the next Steam, or a console competitor. We’re building something different — a smart TV-native platform that matches the shape of how people actually play today. 

Turn on your TV. 
Grab a controller. 
Jump into something fresh — no consoles, no downloads, just play.  

We’re here to bring visibility to games that deserve it, and access to players who didn’t know they were gamers yet. 

Join the PHȲND waitlist here for updates on our progress and early access. Reach out here to learn more about partnering with us.