E3 was chock-full of exciting new announcements, including some that look promising for speedrunners. Last week, we took a look at 8 AAA releases from various showcases. This time we’re showing some love to the little guy and going over 8 Indie titles announced/shown at E3 that should, hopefully, become great speedgames.

In no particular order, here are our top eight upcoming Indie video game titles for speedrunners:

## Tunic

**Developed by Andrew Shouldice**

**Published by Finji**

**Release Date: TBD**

**[Official Site](http://www.tunicgame.com/)**

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/0wzxrdzr.jpg)Why you should care:

Tunic is a gorgeous action-adventure game in a similar vein to classic Legend of Zelda games. Tunic also appears to have what looks to be a fairly in-depth combat system, managing a stamina bar and fending off multiple enemies with whatever loot you’ve found on your journey. The world doesn’t appear to be entirely open, but it is quite large and so routing out the open worlds and the dungeons contained within should be interesting.

Also, the fox is very cute.

If you want to check out some of the dungeon crawling, you can find 15 minutes of gameplay [here.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYMVIIZ6lRU)

## Severed Steel

**Developed by Greylock Studio**

**Published by Digerati**

**Summer 2021**

**[Official Site](https://www.digerati.games/game/71-severed-steel)**

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/qrz28lz0.jpg)Why you should care:

An arcadey stunt FPS inspired by games like Titanfall 2, Hotline Miami, and F.E.A.R where you play as a one-armed female protagonist named Steel kicking ass and taking names. This fast-paced adrenaline rush already has a solid community speedrunning the demo, and the developer listens to feedback in the [Discord](https://discord.gg/duFTaEH) every day. This one is for sure going to be a hit on release because it already is even just as a demo.

If you’re interested in checking it out, you can find the [Bullet Ballet trailer here](https://youtu.be/9mZWJvnyzHM) and a [speedrun of all the Arcade levels from SN Mortar here](https://youtu.be/EpzChkW3rug). Also, a few days ago, I sat down with Mattwla of Greylock Studio to discuss some of the behind-the-scenes thoughts behind the mechanics, which you can read about in [my article discussing the game.](https://www.speedrun.com/news/807-2021-6-21-coming-soon-severed-steel-an-fps-for-speedrunners)

## Neko Ghost, Jump!

**Burgos Games**

**Coming Soon**

**[Official Site](https://nekoghostjump.com/)**

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/1pzmdwzk.jpg)Why you should care:

In this challenging platformer, you play as Nekoman switching between a 2D or 3D perspective as well as swapping between physical and ghost forms to complete puzzles, find hidden areas, and even clear levels faster. Each of the 40 levels has an in-game leaderboard where times will be posted, which shows there was definitely some thought from the developers regarding speedrunning this title.

If you’re interested in checking out what might be one of the cutest speedgames in existence, you can check out the announcement trailer [here.](https://youtu.be/iie62igOhCU)

## SkateBIRD

**Glass Bottom Games**

**August 12th, 2021**

**[Official Site](https://skate.birb.rocks/)**

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/2yzr5mn4.jpg)Why you should care:

Okay so picture Tony Hawk's Pro Skater… but you play as a little bird. Do I really need to say anything else? SkateBIRD does appear to have a story mode, meaning yes, you *can* speedrun the game with the little bird trying his best. I will say, I’ve never run a skateboarding game myself, but if there’s any time to start,  I think it might be now

If you want to check out some gameplay of the lil birb doing his thing, you can check out the [official trailer here](https://youtu.be/S7dPN6TI-X8)

## Gloomwood

**Developed by Dillon Rogers & David Szymanski**

**Published by New Blood Interactive**

**Coming Soon**

**[Official Site](https://newblood.games/games)**

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/v5ngokeq.jpg)Why you should care:

If you’re not familiar with the titles that come out of New Blood Interactive, I highly recommend that you get to know them. Dave Oshry, CEO of New Blood, said “we love speedrunners and often use them to record our trailer gameplay footage”.

David Szymanski, one of the developers working on Gloomwood, previously worked on DUSK - which to this day holds a solid amount of active speedrunners. Now, this game seems to be more focused stealth horror than pure unadulterated chaos and violence - but I’m sure speedrunners will find a way to go fast. Gloomwood is still definitely recognizable as similar to DUSK, and it’s entirely possible that some of the [movement tech](https://www.speedrun.com/dusk/guide/pbtsr) might be transferable.

If Gloomwood sounds like it might be your jam, check out the intro to the game in this [5-minute gameplay reveal.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfIg98cUH4c)

## Lifeslide

**Dreamteck**

**2021**

**[Official Site](https://lifeslide.io/)**

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/qrz288z0.jpg)Why you should care:

The most impressive thing about [Lifeslide](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGJtDsSP7t8) might be it's absolutely astonishing visuals. Lifeslide for most players is meant to be a rather zen experience, soaking everything in and just chilling out - but speedrunners aren’t about that are we? Amazingly, there’s a fair bit of movement tech in this game you can use to clear it faster. This includes tricks to angle yourself faster by purposefully touching the ground briefly, and also flying as low as possible for as long as possible because of the speed boost given to you — but of course you risk crashing.

A couple days ago, our very own Alice Pow wrote an [article going more in depth on the speedrunning experience of Lifeslide](https://www.speedrun.com/news/810-2021-6-22-lifeslide-speedrunning-as-a-paper-plane) — having received an early access key from Dreamteck and talked to speedrunner [SpeedyDeep](https://www.speedrun.com/user/SpeedyDeep) who was challenged by the devs to do a speedrun and was able to [complete the game in just a little over an hour.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOcFE-RRdL8)

## Warcry: Challenges

**Dream Powered Games**

**2021**

**[Official Site](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1608470/Warcry_Challenges/)**

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/1pzmdozk.jpg)Why you should care:

That’s right, it’s another movement FPS. What can I say? They make for good speedruns. Dream Powered Games describes this game as a “Skill based Time Trial Fast FPS”, which essentially means that it's a collection of levels rather than a true “campaign.” To get an idea of what the game feels like, the first line of the Steam description is “What if doom guy had a drunk one night stand with Super Meatboy?”

Thanks, Dream Powered Games, that’s an image in my head now.

All jokes aside, this game looks like an absolute blast to run through, and outright states some of its movement tech right on its Steam page. This is definitely a title to keep an eye on going forward. If you want to check out some gameplay, you can check out the [gameplay trailer here.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHh0gdauRwg)

## Fallen Aces

**Developed by Trey Powell & Jason Bond**

**Published by New Blood Interactive**

**Coming Soon**

**[Official Site](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1411910/Fallen_Aces/)**

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/0dz4jkz6.jpg)Why you should care:

Another game published by New Blood, because *damn* do they publish some good games for speedrunning. Fallen Aces is a crime noir FPS with a truly unique comic book-inspired visual style that my eyes can get used to. Checking out the combat in the [E3 Trailer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBw-CTdfCdU), it looks incredibly satisfying and I for one am eager to dig right into some fight routing.

There’s no release date for Fallen Aces beyond SOON™ on the games Steam page, but if it needs some more time in the oven to come out just right - I’m okay with that.

## That’s a wrap!

Well, with that, we’ve finished our coverage of E3 2021. Especially considering the global circumstances of the past year, I think it’s safe to say we have a lot to look forward to from the gaming industry in the coming months.

If you missed our other articles surrounding E3, we covered [8 AAA titles for speedrunners](https://www.speedrun.com/news/800-2021-6-18-e3-2021-top-8-aaa-titles-for-speedrunners), and we went in-depth behind-the-scenes on [Severed Steel](https://www.speedrun.com/news/807-2021-6-21-coming-soon-severed-steel-an-fps-for-speedrunners) as well as [Lifeslide.](https://www.speedrun.com/news/810-2021-6-22-lifeslide-speedrunning-as-a-paper-plane)

E3 2021 introduced us to many intriguing new games. Today, we're taking a look at eight Indie titles that look promising for speedruns.

E3 2021: 8 Indie Titles for Speedrunners

The well-attended video game conference E3 2021 took a digital form this past weekend, with big showcases featuring top developers and publishers like Bethesda, Nintendo, and Gearbox.

If you were feeling overwhelmed during the four-day event, you’re not alone. There were plenty of amazing opportunities to get first looks, teasers, and new details about the games we expect to play through the end of 2021 and well into 2022.

We watched the event with one question in mind: what hot new speedgames can we look forward to?

In no particular order, here are our top eight upcoming AAA video game titles for speedrunners:

## Elden Ring  

**Developed by: FromSoftware**

**Published by: BANDAI NAMCO**

**Expected release date: January 21, 2022**

**[Official Site](https://www.bandainamcoent.com/agecheck?redirect_uri=%2Flanding%2Feldenring)**

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/v5e175e0.jpg)Elden Ring is the newest Souls-like installment in development by the legendary FromSoftware in partnership with George R. R. Martin. Previous games created by FromSoft include Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, Bloodborne, and the Dark Souls series. Souls games seem to consistently provide fantastic speedruns with beautifully brutal combat and a host of entertaining glitches and skips.

While we don’t know exactly what to expect from Elden Ring, it’s almost certain that speedrunners will be diving right into it on release. Check out the [Elden Ring Gamplay Reveal here.](https://youtu.be/E3Huy2cdih0)

## Dying Light 2

**Techland**

**Expected release date: December 7, 2021**

**[Official Site](https://dl2.dyinglightgame.com/)**

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/qoeoxjeg.jpg)Parkour in an open world filled with zombies you can smash, stomp, shoot, zap, or otherwise dispatch how you please — need I say more? Doesn’t matter, I’m going anyway. Dying Light 2 appears to be very much in the spirit of the first game, just amped up to 11. Although open world games *tend* to have less sequence breaks, I think we can expect a fluid speedrun with deep movement mechanics and optimal routing choices around DL2’s non-linear story options

Who knows, maybe this open world adventure will get some wild glitches or exploits. Either way, I’m sure this game will make for a unique speedrun. You can check out Dying Light 2’s [Game Overview from E3 here.](https://youtu.be/RooY1pmvDA4)

## Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD

**Nintendo**

**Expected release date: July 16, 2021**

**[Official Site](https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/the-legend-of-zelda-skyward-sword-hd-switch/)**

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/d3ek95nx.jpg)As discussed in a previous article, [speedrunning ports (or more accurately in this case, remakes) of a game can be a unique experience](https://www.speedrun.com/news/774-2021-6-3-days-gone-speedrunning-a-game-port). The standard edition of the game, which came out in 2011, is uniquely broken with a glitch called Back in Time that chops a hefty 4 hours from the run. I’m no Zelda runner, but if I was, the first thought in my head would be, “Will this work in Skyward Sword HD?”

Of course, we won't know the answer until next month but regardless of what it is, Zelda games are always a hit with runners in the Zelda community to some degree. You can check out [Skyward Sword HD’s trailer here.](https://youtu.be/DfnItaAI6PI)

## Metroid Dread

**Developed by: Mercury Steam/Nintendo Entertainment Planning & Development**

**Published by: Nintendo**

**Expected release date: October 8, 2021**

**[Official Site](https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/metroid-dread-switch/)**

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/3xz0j1el.jpg)Metroid speedrunning has been around for decades, and for good reason. The Metroid games runs don’t typically boast giant skips, but rather optimal pathing and the frequent use of smaller glitches and exploits across the run — which really hits a sweet spot for a lot of runners. Not too broken, and not too rigid either. Considering this is the first mainline Metroid game in a *very* long time, this is gonna be a big one.

While Metroid Dread isn’t a remake like Skyward Sword HD, it *is* a new installment in a series that speedrunners have been playing for over two decades. Will we see some transferable skills? Repeat top runners, or maybe fresh blood taking the top spots? Only time will tell. You can check out the [Metroid Dread Announcement Trailer here.](https://youtu.be/8NjCICl7dDo)

## The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2

**Nintendo**

**Expected release date: 2022**

**[Official Site](https://www.nintendo.com/whatsnew/detail/2021/a-new-look-at-the-sequel-to-the-legend-of-zelda-breath-of-the-wild/)**

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/9kzwmjnq.jpg)So first things first, *technically* this isn’t the game's real title. Considering Nintendo won’t tell anyone what the actual title is, “Breath of The Wild 2” (BOTW2) is the best we’ve got. People will speedrun this because it's a new release in the Zelda series, but there are other reasons to believe this mysterious entry will make for a great speedgame. Nintendo has used the same tools to create BOTW2 as they did with the first BOTW game, the same process they used for Ocarina of Time (OOT) and Majora’s Mask (MM). It just so happens that OOT and MM shared quite a lot of the same glitches and exploits, so I think we can expect a similar result from the two BOTW games. And let’s be real, who doesn’t love watching [Link fly through the air like a majestic Loftwing](https://youtu.be/Ext6yE0d394).

Breath of the Wild 1 was also unique in that it was designed so that you could go to the final boss *whenever you wanted*, a special treat for speedrunners. However, the tradeoff was that you need to fight all of the games bosses at once while *also* being pretty ill-equipped. This made BOTW1 a very entertaining speedrun to watch, and I don’t think I’m alone in hoping BOTW2 will reflect the same. You can check out the [teaser for the “Sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of The Wild” here.](https://youtu.be/Pi-MRZBP91I)

## Halo Infinite

**Developed by: 343 Industries**

**Published by: Xbox Game Studios**

**Expected release date: 2021**

**[Official Site](https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/games/halo-infinite)**

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/oxzd29em.jpg)You *can* check out some a cinematic trailer for the campaign [here](https://youtu.be/wDZ-9B6hX5A), **but** the *real* meat is inside the [multiplayer gameplay trailer](https://youtu.be/4i86Ckj8xKk) where we get a good view at the movement and combat. The movement looks nice and fluid, with a fancy new grappling hook that *better* be in the campaign. The combat also looks nice and chunky, in the best way possible. Everyone loves a chunky shotgun blast. With what appears to be some solid base mechanics, it’s really down to how the campaign is structured for this to be a truly great speedgame — and I’m rooting for 343 to nail this thing out of the park.

## Back 4 Blood

**Developed by: Turtle Rock Studios**

**Published by: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment**

**Expected release date: October 8, 2021**

**[Official Site](https://www.back4blood.com/en-gb)**

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/y1n5jve3.jpg)Back 4 Blood is essentially Left 4 Dead 2 (L4D2) brought into the modern day, even including some of the original dev team. If you don’t already know, L4D2 is a co-op zombie shooter made in the Source engine. Source, of course, brings along with it some fantastic movement in the form of tick perfect bunnyhopping, which makes up the majority of the skill required for L4D2 speedruns. The thing is, Back 4 Blood is being created on Unreal Engine 4, not Source. Chances are pretty high this movement will no longer exist, at least not the way it exists in L4D2 - but Back 4 Blood is also bringing along a host of *new* mechanics so who knows what it’ll look like in the end.

Either way, co-op speedruns are always a blast, and they were more popular than solo runs in L4D2, even if only by a little bit. I think the social aspect of co-op speedrunning  is much more important than any tech, and no matter what that will *definitely* exist here for Back 4 Blood. Who *doesn’t* want to smash in zombie brains while running against a timer with friends? *Definitely* no chance of ruining friendships there.

## Shadow Warrior 3

**Developed by: Flying Wild Hog**

**Published by: Devolver Digital**

**Expected release date: 2021**

**[Official Site](https://shadowwarrior.com/)**

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/l1n7v5n5.jpg)Shadow Warrior started out simply as a DOOM clone back in 1997, one of many other clones around that time. Since then however, it’s been rebooted as a modern series by Flying Wild Hog and they’ve turned it into something truly unique. Shadow Warrior 2 was a fast-paced slash and shooter, and Shadow Warrior 3 seems to be aiming for more of the same with a wider scope and more streamlined mechanics — even stripping out some of the more confusing ones. With a game so naturally fast-paced, it will no doubt be a hit with speedrunners. Check out the second [Shadow Warrior Gameplay Trailer here.](https://youtu.be/NYH5pwuIx58)

## That’s a wrap!

E3 brought us some fantastic titles this year, *especially* considering the global conditions of the past year. Sure, we’ve got to wait a little longer for some titles, but best to let them cook a little longer to ensure a better final product. Also, can we talk about how Nintendo just pulled out **ALL** the stops on their showcase? That showcase was one jawdropper after another, and I’m here for it, honestly.

That’s a wrap on our top 8 picks for AAA games for speedrunners. Coming up next, we’ll be taking a look at our top 8 Indie picks for speedrunners from E3, as well as in-depth looks at two indie titles, including developer interviews — so stay tuned!

E3 loaded up our wishlists with AAA titles full of speedrunning potential, including Elden Ring and Dying Light 2, among others! Here are some highlights expected to be released in 2021 and 2022.

E3 2021: Top 8 AAA titles for speedrunners

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A Difficult Game About Climbing

The leaderboards will open 2 weeks from launch to allow discussion about the categories we want to start out with.