Xbox Gets Free Taster Of New 2026 Strategy Game

Xbox users can now download a free demo for a strategy game coming later this week.

As we await new Xbox releases coming later this year, like Gears of War: E-Day and Fable, the demo section on the store is a good source of freebies to check out.

This new upcoming strategy game from Ant Workshop and Wales Interactive may prove itself to be an indie hit when it launches later this week.

Into the Slimy Mines is a roguelike tower defence game with a card-driven twist, where you need to build you deck, dig out tunnels, and then deploy defences against the onslaught of "the swarm".

You have to rescue your crew from a series of unique mining locations, with each depth providing you with new challenges and increasing difficulty.

After choosing from one of three factions (Anvil, Warhammer, or Pickaxe), you can pick and customise your drill rig to match your play style and map out the hazards in each location.

As you excavate new tunnels while inching closer towards your missing crewmates, you'll drag new dig cards to help you achieve your goal.

While collecting your crew, you'll also need to keep an eye on your surroundings to ensure your survival.

This can mean using drills to unearth ore for piles of cash, lures to distract enemy swarms, and generators to keep the whole rig up and running as you venture deeper into the planet.

Meanwhile, you can also upgrade your kit using the same cards together, for example, combining two Level 1 Cannons gives you a Level 2 Cannon, and so on.

If you'd like to try it out, a new free demo for the game is now available to pick up on Xbox. It's also available on PC, PS5, and Nintendo Switch.

Into the Slimy Mines will release on 29 May 2026, coming to Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, PC, and Nintendo Switch on this date.

Wales Interactive

Into The Slimy Mines Is Another UK Games Fund Success

Into the Slimy Mines was funded by the UK Games Fund, a non-profit organisation that was established to help the UK games scene through funding for new projects in the early stages of development.

"Our aim is to boost the UK’s games business and talent ecosystem. We want our funding to create jobs, promote diverse new teams, enhance skills and increase the amount of new game IPs in the UK. In short, we’re working to support the UK’s early-stage games development community," reads a description on the website.

"We’ve learned from previous projects that we can have a positive impact by providing this type of support. The logic behind our approach is that by increasing the volume of creative teams and talent that have real-world experience in developing their own titles under their belt, the greater the chance of one of those teams and titles becoming a significant success.

"The breakthrough may not come from the original project we support, but every project has positive learning impacts that are taken through into business and or personal career development.

"We also think that it’s important for the UK games development sector to have its own funding delivery body, to capitalise on any opportunities that emerge in the future. We’re not a trade body or membership organisation. We are highly supportive of all of the work of Ukie and Tiga and are working with them closely on funding for indie games development."

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