There’s something special brewing in the indie gaming scene right now, and Untrusted: Hackers at Large is shaping up to be one of those projects that gets people talking. Scheduled for release on 2026-01-29, evolvedlabs has been quietly building something that blends RPG depth with strategic gameplay in ways that feel genuinely refreshing. While the game is still in its Coming Soon phase, the anticipation surrounding it tells us something important—there’s genuine hunger for what this team is creating.
Let’s be honest: indie developers often bring the most innovative ideas to the table, and evolvedlabs seems intent on proving that point. What we’re learning about Untrusted: Hackers at Large suggests a game that doesn’t just play it safe with established formulas. Instead, it’s exploring the intersection of role-playing mechanics and strategic gameplay through a lens that feels distinctly its own. The very premise—hacking culture as a narrative and mechanical foundation—opens up storytelling possibilities that mainstream AAA titles rarely venture into.
What makes this particularly interesting is how evolvedlabs is positioning the game across Linux and PC (Microsoft Windows). This dual-platform approach signals something important: the developers aren’t gatekeeping their vision. They’re ensuring accessibility for the communities that have historically embraced innovative indie titles. It’s a choice that respects the player base while expanding reach naturally.
The hybrid nature of Untrusted: Hackers at Large is worth examining more closely. By combining RPG and Strategy genres, evolvedlabs is creating a framework where character development and tactical decision-making work in concert rather than competition. Consider what this could mean mechanically:
- Strategic gameplay that requires understanding systems and their vulnerabilities
- Character progression tied to skill acquisition and hacking expertise
- Decision-making that carries weight through both narrative and gameplay consequences
- World-building that reflects the reality of interconnected digital and physical spaces
- Party dynamics that shift based on trust, capability, and ideological alignment
The title itself—Untrusted—carries multiple meanings worth sitting with. In programming, “untrusted” code refers to external inputs that can’t be verified. In hacking narratives, it speaks to the constant tension between security and access. As a thematic anchor for an RPG-Strategy hybrid, it suggests a game where trust becomes a currency, where alliances are fragile, and where information warfare matters as much as tactical combat.
The most compelling indie games of recent years have succeeded because they understood one thing: a strong thematic foundation can drive both narrative and gameplay in ways that feel cohesive rather than compartmentalized.
Right now, at 0.0/10 on the rating scale, we’re in that interesting space where no one’s played it yet—there are no scores, no meta-reviews, no discourse shaping expectations. That’s actually liberating. We’re operating in pure anticipation, based on what evolvedlabs has shown and what the gaming community senses about the project’s potential.
The timing of a 2026 release is worth considering too. By the time Untrusted: Hackers at Large arrives, the gaming landscape will have evolved. We’ll have seen how narratives around digital security, AI, and information systems have shifted in mainstream consciousness. evolvedlabs isn’t just making a game; they’re potentially positioned to say something relevant about the world we’re heading into.
What conversations might this game spark? Consider the potential:
- Representation in hacker narratives — How do games portray the hacking community beyond Hollywood tropes?
- Ethics in strategy gameplay — What moral questions emerge when players control information systems and social engineering?
- Indie development resilience — How smaller teams compete creatively when AAA studios dominate marketing budgets
- Cross-platform indie gaming — The role of Linux and PC support in sustaining diverse player communities
- Genre hybridization — How RPG and Strategy elements can reinforce thematic coherence
The strategic component suggests evolvedlabs isn’t interested in simple hack-and-slash gameplay. They’re building systems—complex, interlocking systems where your decisions ripple through the game world. That’s the kind of depth that separates memorable experiences from forgettable ones. It’s what made games like Divinity: Original Sin 2 so compelling for players who wanted strategy with soul.
From a design perspective, RPG-Strategy hybrids face a real challenge: balancing character-driven narrative with systems-driven gameplay. Too much character focus and the strategy feels like window dressing. Too much strategy and characters become abstractions. evolvedlabs clearly understands this tension exists, and their willingness to tackle it suggests they’ve thought deeply about how to integrate these elements meaningfully.
The indie scene thrives on creative risk-taking, and Untrusted: Hackers at Large feels like a genuine risk—not reckless, but thoughtful. It’s choosing accessibility (multi-platform), choosing thematic depth (the hacking premise), and choosing mechanical complexity (RPG-Strategy blend). As we count down to that January 29th, 2026 launch, the question isn’t really “will this game be good?” It’s “what will this game teach us about what’s possible when a talented team takes creative risks seriously?”
That’s why we’re watching. That’s why this matters.
