Summer Game Fest 2025 is in full swing, and we’ve seen a mixed bag of game reveals, world premiere trailers, and release date announcements so far. As exciting as all those new announcements and reveals are, there is something special about taking a break from all the bluster and getting just a little cozy. Since 2020, we’ve been fortunate to have the Wholesome Direct for just that.
For the fifth anniversary of the Wholesome Direct, the team of 4 people behind the showcase celebrated artistically driven, inclusive, sensitive, and emotionally resonant games — including a few from the team’s very own publishing label, Wholesome Games Presents. Let’s take a look at everything revealed during this year’s showcase:
World premieres and exclusive trailers
Gourdlets Together
2024’s most adorable sandbox city builder game is getting a sweet new sequel, and you can play it with friends! Gourdlets Together, developed by Aunty Games and published Future Friends Games, will allow you to design your own adorable, colorful island full of veggie folk while hanging out and chatting with friends. Level up your fishing skills, then spend those earnings on buildings, items, upgrades, and more to build your little island home. You can even visit your friends’ islands and vibe together.
Gourdlets Together is expected to launch on Steam.
Heidi’s Legacy: Mountains Calling
The mountains are calling, and Heidi must go in this exploration and management game with strong narrative content inspired by the classic children's novels by Johanna Spyri. Heidi’s Legacy is developed by Humble Reeds, a two-person French studio that previously released the cozy frog farming sim, Kamaeru.
Heidi’s Legacy: Mountains Calling is expected to launch on Steam.
Milano’s Odd Job Collection
Originally developed by Westone and only available for the PlayStation 1 in Japan, Milano’s Odd Job Collection is finally coming to Western markets for the very first time, thanks to Implicit Conversions and XSEED Games. The title features an 11-year-old girl named Milano who takes up a collection of wacky part-time jobs during her summer break. Delivering pizzas, baking cakes, milking flying cows — a girl’s got to do what a girl’s got to do if she wants to have some spending money over the summer.
Milano’s Odd Job Collection is coming to PC via Steam, GOG, and the Microsoft Store, as well as Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation 4 and 5.
On-Together
Bottom-of-your-screen (not-so) idle games have become a popular sub-genre in the wholesome games sector in the last year with titles like Tiny Pasture, Rusty’s Retirement, and Desktop Cat Cafe keeping us plenty distrac—erm, entertained, in our downtime. On-Together, developed by GigaPuff and published Future Friends Games, adds a unique multiplayer element to this cozy productivity game that lives at the bottom of your screen. Meet with friends and focus together for work and study sessions, or take a break to shoot some hoops. If you’re feeling competitive, join in for a fishing tournament during downtime.
On-Together is coming to Steam.
A Tiny Wander
Developed by Doukutsu Penguin Club, A Tiny Wander is a cozy nighttime adventure game where players explore Hotarumi Valley as a traveller named “Buu.” Pitch a tent, build a bonfire, and grab a lantern before exploring and solving the mysteries of the valley. Interact with the locals, go fishing, or just kickback and enjoy your campsite when A Tiny Wander launches on Steam, iOS, and Android.
A Week in the Life of Asocial Giraffe
Giraffe has some exciting things on his to-do list in Quail Button’s debut indie, A Week in the Life of Asocial Giraffe. There’s just one problem. Giraffe doesn’t want to talk to anybody. Experience a week in Giraffe’s life through this point-and-click stealth adventure and keep the social interactions to a minimum lest Giraffe’s head explodes. Head explosions seem considerably less cozy.
A week in the Life of Asocial Giraffe is coming to PC and Nintendo Switch.
Anxiety Puppy
From anti-social giraffes to anxiety riddled puppies. That’s the wholesome game showcase we know and love. This 2D Interactive narrative game focuses on anxiety, personified as a little puppy. Explore the story and learn to coexist with the easily unsettled little pup, then give it a hug when Anxiety Puppy launches on Steam.
Big Hops
Frogs are still in for 2025, and Big Hops is a froggy action-platformer where you explore using your tongue, veggies, and the power of parkour. Big Hops, developed by Luckshot Games, is coming to Steam.
Capy Castaway
A whimsical, narrative-driven adventure about a small capybara and their crow companion with Spirited Away meets Untitled Goose Game vibes? Bring it on. Sniff, dig, and explore a vibrant world when Capy Castaway from Kitten Cup Studio and Big Blue Sky Games come to Steam.
Clawsome
Clawsome gives you control of a claw machine where you can collect quirky prizes, meet new characters, and solve clever challenges, all while chilling and building dioramas. It's cute, it's cozy, and it's 3D puzzle arcade fun heading to Steam.
Dosa Divas
Outerloop Games invites you to battle an evil fast food empire in a narrative, turn-based RPG that gets just a little spicy about two sisters and their spirit mech cooking up delicious meals coming to Steam, Switch, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X.
Gemporium
Merge Conflict Studio’s upcoming Gemporium is all about inheriting a gem shop and prospecting license from your grandmole — and the debt to go with it. Build your business, appease the loan shark, and become the ultimate gem sales mole on Steam.
KuloNiku: Bowl Up
Ever wanted to run your own cozy noodle restaurant inspired by Cooking Mama games? KuloNiku: Bowl Up from Gambir Studio is your chance to enjoy tactile cooking mechanics, colorful, stylized art, and a lighthearted story coming to PC.
Let’s Build a Dungeon
Easily one of my most anticipated upcoming indie games, Let’s Build a Dungeon is the sophomore project from Springloaded, the team behind Let’s Build a Zoo. The ambitious project lets players become the game studio, managing development schedules and advertising campaigns along with press relationships while simultaneously building the MMORPG of your dreams. Let’s Build a Dungeon is coming to Steam, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
Lynked: Banner of the Spark
Developed by FuzzyBot and published by Dreamhaven, Lynked Banner of the Spark is a colorful action RPG featuring waves of enemies that can be played solo or in co-op. After taking on the action and adventure, players return home to use the parts collected while adventuring to craft a thriving town and grow stronger to head out and do it again. Lynked: Banner of the Spark is coming to Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X.
Mazey Village
Slappy Inc.‘s Mazey Village is a wholesome adventure with players rebuilding a small town after a tornado scatters homes, villagers, and their belongings by recovering everything from the mazes in which they’ve been scattered. Coming to PC via Steam.
Mecha
Developed by Shishi studios, Mecha is a cute-puzzle platformer where players become Coni, an engineer in a wheelchair on a quest to fix her robots. The game is headed to Steam.
Muri: Wildwoods
Cleaning sims are getting a makeover in Muri: Wildwoods, a wholesome adventure where you play as a little mouse named Muri armed with a trusty water gun. Explore, platform, and solve puzzles while clearing the world of the dreaded corruption to save the local critters and restore nature. Muri: Wildwoods is coming to Steam this year.
Outside the Blocks
Outside the Blocks from Michal Kubas is a wholesome model-builder that lets you unleash your creativity to design your own dioramas, complete with tools for shaping terrain, assembling modular houses, and adding decorations to your hearts content.
Sheepherds!
Developed by Ultima Disco and published by Yahaha, Shepherds! is a cozy couch or online co-op party game about guiding colorful flocks through beautiful landscapes. Bark, run, and discover magical places with your friends or win treats by taking on challenges. Sheepherds! is coming to Steam and a demo is available now.
Shiba Sweet
Become a novice chef and inherit a dessert shop from your retiring grandma in Maowoo’s Shiba Sweet. Bake desserts and sell them in adorable little bento boxes for cash to upgrade your kitchen, decorate your shop, and unlock new recipes to create the best bakery ever.
Story of Seasons : Grand Bazaar
Times are hard even in cozy games, and now its up to you turn things around for Zephyr Town’s once-famous bazaar. Raise animals and crops, craft tasty treats, and sell your wares at your stall to help the town thrive once more. Coming to Steam and Nintendo Switch.
Tales of the Shire
A brand new Wholesome Direct exclusive trailer for Tales of the Shire: A Lord of the Rings Game shows off the cozy life sim centered around Hobbit life set right in the heart of Middle-earth. Fish, garden, and decorate your hobbit hole when Tales of the Shire launches on Steam, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X on July 29.
Town to City
Developed by Galaxy Grove and published by Kwalee, Town to City is a voxel art city builder where players can freely place houses, shops, amenities and decorations in an attempt to encourage new families to move in to your quaint little city. Coming to Steam.
Townbox
VideoDojo Games’ Townbox is a single player sandbox town builder that focuses on creativity and self expression. Start off with a teeny-tiny island and build up a bustling town when Townbox comes to Steam.
Wholesome Games Presents
Fishbowl
Developed by imissmyfriends.studio and published by Wholesome Games Presents, Fishbowl is an emotional slice-of-life story told over the course of a month. Follow Alo as she moves to a new city, experiences grief, and discovers herself by staying in touch with loved ones through video calls. Fishbowl features gameplay mechanics that include sorting puzzles and arcade matching games, alongside a branching narrative.
Fishbowl will launch on Steam and PlayStation 5.
Is This Seat Taken?
Developed by Poti Poti Studio and published by Wholesome Games Presents, Is This Seat Taken? is a delightful puzzle game featuring groups of uniquely shaped people with lists of pet peeves that you must acquiesce to as you try to seat them in various scenarios. From popcorn lovers who don’t want to sit next to kids in theaters, to rhombuses that don’t want to dance too close to the speaker at a club, Is This Seat Taken? is silly and relatable while also being an engaging puzzler.
Is This Seat Taken will launch on PC via Steam, iOS, Android, and Nintendo Switch in August.
MakeRoom
Anybody who dabbles in game development or is familiar with itch.io has probably come across Kenney’s asset packs at some point in time or another. The adorable world-building pieces are fantastic for those just getting their feet wet in game development. Now, even those of us with no game development skills can play with Kenney’s super adorable assets in MakeRoom, published by Wholesome Games Presents. Create your own dioramas and furniture pieces,or fulfill design requests for everything from cozy cat rooms to dark, moody hideaways for a vampire.
MakeRoom is set to launch on PC via Steam on August 7.
Release dates and demos
Discounty
Developed by Crinkle Cut Games and published by PQube, Discounty invites you to take over and manage a supermarket of your very own in the town of Blomkest. Organize, decorate, and make friends with the locals. Watch your business grow (so long as you’re not trying to sell the locals frozen french fries.) and heal the community in this cozy life sim coming to PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG, as well as Xbox Series X, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Nintendo Switch on August 21. A demo is available now.
Everdeep Aurora
Sometimes you’re just a kitten named Shell using a big ole drill to search for your mother. And if that is you, you’re likely playing the demo for Everdeep Aurora, a combat-free 2D adventure about said kitten.
You can get your paws on Everdeep Aurora’s demo during Steam Next Fest, or wishlist the game before it launches on Steam and Nintendo Switch on July 10.
Hotel Galactic
If running a supermarket isn’t your vibe, developer Ancient Forge’s Hotel Galactic may be what you’re looking for instead. Build and decorate the tourist getaway of your dreams in this nostalgic redemption story when it launches on Steam on July 24. A console release is planned for the game’s 1.0 launch at a later date.
ISLANDERS: New Shores
Developed by The Station and published by Coatsink, ISLANDERS: New Shores is a gorgeous city builder with a unique minimalist style and more than 50 unique levels. Islanders shakes up the wholesome city builder genre by leaning into a more competitive gameplay loop for those who want to rack up impressive high scores. Of course, you can also just casually hang out in the sandbox if that’s what you’d prefer.
ISLANDERS: New Shores is coming to Steam, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation 5 on July 10. A demo is available now on Steam.
Monument Valley 3
The latest installment of the Monument Valley series sets sail in a unique puzzle world where players will need to guide a young apprentice named Noor through shifting architecture and rising tides in her quest to restore the fading light. Perspective, gravity, and ancient structures combine to challenge what you think you see in this imaginative and award-winning puzzle game.
Monument Valley 3 is set to launch on PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch on July 22. A demo is available now on Steam.
The Berlin Apartment
Developed by btf GmbH and published by ByteRockers’ Games, the Berlin Apartment is a touching collection of short stories told by a handyman who has been tasked with refurbishing an old apartment in Berlin, Germany. As he works on the apartment, various relics from the past add to the narrative of the apartment’s previous inhabitants over a century. Each new relic uncovers a new story for the handyman to tell his daughter, with all the stories taking place in the apartment but each featuring its own genre, protagonists, and atmosphere.
The Berlin Apartment is coming to PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X in November.
Collector’s Cove
Developed by VoodooDuck, Collector’s Cove is a cozy farming game that takes place on an adorable little boat ferried by an even more adorable animal companion. Visit various islands with diverse climates and uncover fabled crops and fish while customizing your boat and companion on your journey. This is a relaxing take on the farming sim adventure, as there are no pressures or time limits to contend with.
Collector’s Cove is expected to launch on PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store. A demo is available now.
Danchi Days
With a delightfully retro flair, Danchi Days is a charming retro-inspired adventure where a young girl named Hoshino reconnects with her quirky neighbors in an effort to revive a long-forgotten summer festival. Danchi Days is coming to Steam, and a demo is available now.
Gecko Gods
Embrace the lizard-y side of life and experience a puzzle platformer in an old archipelago as a little gecko on an adventure. Gecko Gods features ancient puzzles, cliffs to climb, and bugs to eat as you explore and experience a lost island civilization that time has forgotten at your own pace.
Gecko Gods is coming to PC, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation 5 with a demo available now.
Haunted Paws
A little bit cozy, a little bit spooky, a lotta bit lighthearted charm. Haunted Paws is the story of two brave pups harnessing the power of teamwork to explore a haunted mansion. It's cozy, it's co-op, and it's horror — but it's never too overwhelming. Put on your bravest collar and try out the demo for Haunted Paws on Steam now.
Leaf Blower Co.
I love a good blue-collar job simulator, and Leaf Blower Co. from Lift Games and Forklift Interactive is definitely looking to scratch that itch. Clear away leaves with your leaf blower across a variety of locales, uncover easter eggs, and complete optional objectives. Unlike other blue-collar sims that always have you toiling away in the sunshine, Leaf Blower Co. adds some unique challenges with varied weather. Rain, shine, or blizzard be damned. There are leaves that need blown. A demo for Leaf Blower Co. is out now on Steam.
Letters to Arralla
Not all turnips commit tax evasion or rob banks. Sometimes they deliver mail in wholesome exploratory RPGs. Developed by Little Pink Clouds, Letters to Arralla has you playing as a little turnip delivering packages and letters around a small fictional island where a pictogram is the address. A Steam demo is available now.
Llamalandia
Paramo Games has dropped a cozy adventure game where you build your own llama sanctuary. Raise baby llamas, meet other adorable animals, and—you know what? I’m sold. A demo for Llamalandia is available now on Steam.
Mafate
Developed by Blue Ramen, Mafate is the story of a mailman living his best mail-delivering life in a remote valley in the Indian Ocean who must take breathtaking photographs with Luna, a young Creole girl who was transformed into a camera. Deliver mail, take photos, and possess animals with Luna’s spirit to discover hidden areas, new abilities, and solve puzzles. A demo for Mafate is available now on Steam.
One Move Away
It wasn’t that long ago that cozy game fans went up over Unpacking. But while we were all unpacking what was tucked in the boxes, not many of us gave much thought to how they got to the different apartments and homes. One Move Away wants to tell the story of three unique characters through a first-person puzzle experience where you pack your belongings to embark on new chapters in life. Stories are told through the items taken or left behind.
One Move Away is coming to Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X. A demo is available now.
Puni the Florist
Developed by Earthquack Games, Puni the Florist is a cozy flower shop simulation game where players become Puni, an office worker-turned-florist who just so happens to have a weird little talking flower growing on her head. A Steam demo for Puni the Florist is available now.
The Great Coffee Caper
An adorable RPG set in a cozy autumnal forest with a little owl named Detective Hootsworth? It doesn’t get much more wholesome than that. Help Detective Hootsworth by following trails, taking on Clue Battles, and questioning the townsfolk as in a playful and comedic experience where you try to figure out who stole all the town’s coffee beans. A Steam demo for The Great Coffee Caper is available now.
Game updates and Kickstarters
Little Kitty, Big City
Developed by Double Dagger Studio, the wholesome adventure of a lost kitten in the big city trying to get back home is getting a content update this summer. Players can look forward to new characters, new hats, a brand-new cat customization feature, and a whole new area of the neighborhood with new stories to explore. Little Kitty, Big City is available on Steam, Xbox consoles, PlayStation consoles, and the Nintendo Switch.
Luma Island
Feel Free Games announced a major update for Luma Island: Pirates, set to launch on June 20. Players can look forward to new Lumas, outfits, a new profession, and a new pirate cove filled with all sorts of new mini-games, temples, traps, and treasures. New gameplay modes, including Cozy, Adventure, and Hero modes, will also be added to improve Luma Island’s approachability and accessibility to more players.
Winter Burrow
Pine Creek Games and Noodlecake have announced new platforms for the upcoming woodland survival game Winter Burrow. The storybook survival game centers around a little mouse trying to explore, gather resources, and survive the winter in a cozy little burrow while meeting locals and knitting sweaters. Developer Pine Creek Games has highlighted several changes to the game ahead of its impending release on Steam and Xbox consoles, including a rework of the main character’s design and a new logo. Winter Burrow is also slated to launch day one on Xbox Game Pass. During the Wholesome Direct, the team announced Winter Burrow is now also coming to Nintendo Switch.
All Will Rise
A kickstarter campaign is now live for All Will Rise from Speculative Agency. The narrative deck-builder takes players to the courtroom where cards serve as arguments. Manage a team and make your case against godmen, ecoterrorists, conspiracy theorists, and hacker seeresses while finding allies. Build your deck to build your case when All Will Rise comes to PC via Steam, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, and the Xbox Series X.
Ambroise Niflette and the Gleaned Bell
Topotes Studio’s charming 3D investigation game has a title that doesn’t quite roll off the tongue, but it is sure to be a charming narrative inspired by miniatures and stop-motion animation. Converse with villagers, discover secrets, and reveal contradictions to unmask the culprit and recover the missing bell. A Kickstarter campaign for Ambroise Niflette and the Gleaned Bell is live now.
Crescent County
Witchy and techy open-world adventure Crescent County is the witchy mail delivery game of my dreams. Zoom around on your tricked-out motorbroom, race your friends, develop crushes, and explore a solarpunk island with a painterly aesthetic while making deliveries and being a witchy mess. Crescent County, developed by Electric Saint, is coming to PC and Xbox Series X. A Kickstarter is live now.
Pawsta
Cozy cooking with a darling little claymation-style mouse named Rigatoni is the pinnacle of Wholesome gaming. Pawsta debuted as a project born of the Wholesome Game Jam ‘24, and has been the developing love-child of cozy enthusiastic from Cold Sector who all met at on the Wholesome Games Discord. Pawsta’s Kickstarter campaign is in the works, and the game is expected to launch on Steam.
Surprise shadow drops
Camper Van: Make it Home
Developed by Malapata Studio and published by Wings, Camper Van lets you decorate and organize camper vans as you unlock a story of self discovery. Block organization puzzles meet relaxing interior design as you make your camper van feel like home. Available now on PC.
Fireside Feelings
Fireside Feelings is a unique and beautifully illustrated thought sharing experience where players are asked questions by a warming camp fire. Your own answers are then met with the previously recorded answers of other players just like you, sharing memories and telling very human stories of love, loss, and the human condition. Available now on PC.
Instants
Developed by Endflame, Instants is sure to tug on your heartstrings as you assemble chronological puzzles of family photos using scrapbooking tools like stickers, unique papers, and special washi tapes. Instants blends narrative, puzzle, and creativity in a charming and relaxing aesthetic to tell the story of generations. Available now on PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store as well as Nintendo Switch.
Omelet You Cook
SchuBox Games’ Omelet You Cook is a wholesome roguelike — two genres we don’t often see together! — that puts you right in the heart of the cafeteria of a school full of picky students and staff members. Grab ingredients from a conveyer belt and attempt to compose the perfect omelet, earning more money for new ingredients and relics to help stock your pantry. Available now on PC.
Out and About
A much safer way to forage, Yaldi Games’ Out and About is a cozy foraging adventure where you identify and gather wild plants and fungi then cook it up to make tasty recipes, herbal remedies, and help rebuild your community in the wake of a storm. A playtest for Out and About is available now on Steam and Epic Games Store, with plans for a console release in 2026.
Seasonala Cemetery
In this unique experience from the creators of A Mortician’s Tale, Seasonala Cemetery is a meditative experience that happens in real time as players explore a living, breathing cemetery. The game changes dynamically with your own seasons, as do the available NPCs and animals that visit the cemetery. Seasonala Cemetery is completely free and available now on Steam and itch.io.
Squeakross: Home Squeak Home
Developed by Alblune, Squeakross will have you collecting hundreds of decorations and stickers as you solve and transform puzzles to decorate the home of your roden friend. Available now on PC via Steam and itch.io and Nintendo Switch.
The Guardian of Nature
Inlusio Interactive’s The Guardian of Nature is a wholesome puzzle adventure game with a hand-drawn and animated art style where players become the botanist, Henry, as he uses his size-changing ability to explore nature above and below ground while solving solarpunk puzzles. The Guardian of Nature is coming to PC, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox One, and mobile. Episode 1 is available now.
Vending Dokan! Kozy Kiosk
Build and run your own vending machine empire in this idle simulation game with soothing music and a laid back vibe. Manage every detail or just let things flow in the background. Aftabi Games’ Vending Dokan! is the ultimate gaming at your own pace idle management sim available now on Steam.
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