The second Thinky Direct livestream has been officially announced. The event will feature over 40 exclusive trailers and announcements for upcoming thinky games, according to the event description. Hosts Rachel and Joe will return to present the showcase, which is scheduled to stream at some point in 2026.

The announcement positions Thinky Direct as a recurring showcase for what the industry now calls "thinky games" — a broad category encompassing puzzle, logic, strategy, and problem-solving titles. The term has gained traction among indie developers and players who appreciate games built around mental challenge rather than combat or reflexes. The first Thinky Direct was held last year, and this second edition confirms the event's role as a dedicated spotlight for the genre.

With over 40 trailers and announcements, the livestream will pack a significant amount of content into a single broadcast. While many game showcases split attention between AAA blockbusters and smaller indie projects, Thinky Direct focuses exclusively on one niche. That means a consistent audience — players looking specifically for the next great brainteaser, programming puzzle, or management sim — will likely find the event worth their time.

Rachel and Joe are the returning hosts. The briefing does not provide specific details about their backgrounds, but their presence suggests continuity with the first Thinky Direct. Hosts for these types of events often guide viewers through developer interviews, gameplay footage, and release date announcements.

The announcement does not specify a concrete date for the 2026 livestream, nor does it list any of the games that will appear. That level of secrecy is common for showcase-style events, which typically want to save the full reveal for the broadcast itself. But the phrase "exclusive trailers" implies that many of the videos will be premieres — not just re-edits of already public content.

For developers making thinky games, the Thinky Direct serves as a distribution channel of sorts. Getting a trailer into the lineup can push a small project in front of tens of thousands of viewers who are already predisposed to like that kind of game. For players, the direct compresses months of discovery into a single viewing session. Instead of scrolling through Steam tags or reading roundups, you get a curated list of promising titles in one place.

The format mirrors other branded directs — Nintendo Direct, Indie World, Devolver Direct — but narrows the focus to one gameplay pillar. That kind of specialization has become more common as game audiences balkanize. A puzzle lover might not care about the latest action RPG, and a strategy fan might skip most of a general showcase. Thinky Direct cuts through that noise by promising only puzzles, logic games, and similar titles.

One open question is whether the over-40 count includes updates for already announced games or brand-new reveals. The language in the briefing says "exclusive trailers and announcements for the most exciting upcoming thinky games." That could include first-look trailers, gameplay deep dives, and release date confirmations. It also leaves room for surprise announcements — new projects from known studios or unexpected genre twists.

Because the event is a livestream, viewers will get real-time reactions. Most showcases now include a chat component, so the community can discuss trailers as they air. That shared experience builds hype and helps smaller games gain word-of-mouth traction immediately after their debut.

The 2026 date means the industry has roughly two years to prepare submissions, a timeline that suggests the organizers intend to make Thinky Direct an annual or biennial event. The first edition may have been a test; the second confirms a pattern. If the genre continues to grow — and both indie and mid-size developers keep producing thinky games — the direct could become a staple on the gaming calendar.

For now, the only concrete details are the number of trailers, the hosts, and the year. That is enough to set expectations: a concentrated burst of thinky announcements that would take weeks to piece together through individual press releases or social media posts. The event promises no filler from other genres, no extended publisher keynote — just 40-plus looks at games that reward patience, logic, and lateral thinking.

Players who missed the first Thinky Direct or want a sense of the event's style can find past coverage on various gaming sites. But the second edition will be its own event, with its own lineup of trailers and likely a few surprises. The hosts, Rachel and Joe, will guide viewers through the mess of announcements, presumably offering context and occasional jokes between clips.

There is no word yet on which platform will carry the livestream. Most events of this type stream on YouTube and Twitch simultaneously, with an archive remaining afterward. Given the indie focus, a presence on Steam's streaming page is also possible.

The overarching takeaway for anyone interested in thinky games: set a reminder for the 2026 livestream. Over 40 exclusive trailers represents a major info dump for the genre. Even a fraction of those games turning out to be good would make for a strong year in puzzle and strategy gaming. And if the first direct was any indication, the second one will only refine the formula.

More details will likely emerge closer to the announcement of a specific date. Until then, the game developers who will appear in the direct are probably already preparing their footage. The audience can wait — and maybe play through some of the titles that came out of the first Thinky Direct while they do.