Indie studio Little Legendary has announced that its 2D metroidvania SHADE Protocol will kick off its Kickstarter campaign on June 2, 2026, according to Noisy Pixel. A new trailer dropped alongside the announcement to give prospective backers a look at what's in store.
SHADE Protocol is set in a dying world being consumed by Elythium, a sentient metal that's taken over just about everything. You play as Zura, a prototype Replica with the ability to recompile - a mechanic that sounds like it could shake up the genre's usual traversal and combat loops in some interesting ways.
Cyber-fantasy meets classic metroidvania
The cyber-fantasy aesthetic looks to blend dark sci-fi with fantasy elements, which is a combination that doesn't show up nearly enough in the metroidvania space. Little Legendary appears to be betting that Zura's unique Replica abilities will give SHADE Protocol a distinct identity in an increasingly crowded genre.
Crowdfunding has become a well-worn path for indie metroidvanias, with titles like Hollow Knight and Axiom Verge proving the community will back the right project hard. Whether SHADE Protocol can generate that kind of momentum remains to be seen, but the June 2026 launch window gives the studio time to build awareness before the campaign goes live.
If the concept has your attention, keeping an eye on Little Legendary's channels ahead of next June is worth doing - early Kickstarter promotion typically ramps up in the weeks before launch.
