Real Janitors Built This Retro Garbage-Themed JRPG, and It Finally Has a Release Date
Pixel-perfect nostalgia is back: a SNES-styled indie gem drops next month, blending 16-bit charm with modern bite.
Every so often an indie pops up that makes me stop scrolling and mutter: well, that rules. Kingdoms of the Dump is exactly that kind of oddball — a trash-themed, SNES-style JRPG dreamed up by two actual janitors — and it finally has a date.
When and where
Roach Games (they are both the developer and the publisher) announced on October 18 that Kingdoms of the Dump lands on Steam November 18, 2025. It will launch on PC, Mac, and Linux. This one has been percolating since 2016, which, in indie-RPG years, feels about right. The studio addressed fans as Dumplings, confirmed the date, and, yes, asked everyone to wishlist it. You should.
"Made with love, by those who sweep your floors."
What it is
A straight-up love letter to old-school JRPGs, set in a fantasy world built from junk. You play as Dustin Binsley, and the quest is classic: save the Lands of Fill and rescue the trashpicked King. The aesthetic is all tin shacks, stacked tires, and mountains of refuse, but the vibe is way more charming than grim.
How it plays
- Turn-based, grid-based combat with timed hits
- No random encounters
- Platforming elements: jumping and elevation matter
- Swap party members to use character-specific abilities
- An expansive world map to poke around, from tin homes to towers of tires and a whole lot of junk
Also worth repeating because it is the hook: this is an SNES-style JRPG literally created by two working janitors. It is the best kind of weird specificity, and the game looks better for it.
Kingdoms of the Dump hits Steam on November 18, 2025 for PC, Mac, and Linux. If this sounds like your flavor of nostalgic chaos, toss it on your wishlist and get ready to roll through the rubbish.