Best cozy games coming out in 2025
Whether you want to start life over on a run-down farm or you want a new challenge to absorb all of your spare time, there’s never a shortage of cozy games ready and waiting to distract you from reality. 2025 is set to be a big year for the genre, with a myriad of announced titles set to release.
Although games like Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing served to propel the cozy gaming genre to a huge number of new players, the genre has been around for far longer. Some would pinpoint the birth of cozy games with Little Computer People, released for multiple platforms in 1985. We’ve come a long way since then, but cozy games are still a firm favorite for many.
Many cozy titles are set to release this year, make their way to new platforms, or leave early access behind. As something of a cozy gamer myself, here are 15 that I’m looking forward to getting into.
Kitori Academy
Image via Cubenary
Although there is no set release date for Kitori Academy yet, and the Kickstarter page still suggests that the game should have been fully released in 2023, all signs point to this magical cozy game being released at some point in 2025. Of course, that’s not set in stone, but the gorgeous art style and promising concept of the game are hard not to be hopeful about.
In Kitori Academ y , you take on the role of a wizard apprentice who attends the academy alongside their pet cat. If you’ve ever wanted to head off to Hogwarts, this will definitely appeal to you. Not only can you train in the arts of potion brewing and spellcasting with an aim to tackle the curse that threatens the land, but you can also grow vegetables and build relationships with those around you.
Discounty
Image via Crinkle Cut Games
Discounty is what would happen if Jojamart were in charge of Stardew Valley. Rather than trying to save the town from a money-hungry conglomerate, Discounty will give you control over the local town store and hand you the power to pour contamination into the water stream. Or, you could take the other, more honorable route, but that’s been done before, right?
There are plenty of townsfolk to make friends with in Blomkest – or turn into enemies if you disturb the peace of the quiet town by growing your business too rapidly. You get to pick your stock, set the prices, and make trade deals to thrive one way or another. Essentially, you get to become Pierre, and that’s weirdly appealing.
We Harvest Shadows
Image via David Wehle
Admittedly, We Harve s t Shadow s can only be described as ‘cozy’ if you ignore the large number of horror elements at play, but there are some who find relaxation in creepy surroundings. The game takes inspiration from the terrifying folklore surrounding the Appalachian mountains. You know the ones — “if you hear someone calling your name, no, you didn’t”.
But that’s just one side of We Harvest Shadows . The cozy elements come in the form of farming, fixing up your house, looking after your animals, and getting to know those who live in the area surrounding the farm. There’s a huge focus on slow-burn storytelling, rather than throwing you in at the deep end with pure horror and jump scares, so you can take your time enjoying the cozy before giving yourself nightmares.
Fields of Mistria
Screenshot by Destructoid
Fields of Mistria is technically already available to play and has been since it entered Early Access in August 2024. There’s already so much to do, including over 40 hours of gameplay and endless customization, never mind all of the friends you can make along the way. However, it is set to leave early access behind at some point during 2025, fully packed with features that currently aren’t implemented.
According to the roadmap, more levels are set to be added to the Mines, new NPCs are due to arrive, and many new items are likely to arrive, too. I’m very much a fan of Fields of Mistria , and those who have played it already have fallen in love with the world and the people in it. It’s easy to lose hours while playing, and it’s worth diving in whenever you’re ready.
Solarpunk
Image via Rokaplay
If you’re looking for a cozy game with space to drag your friends along for the ride, Solarpunk might be it, although it’s perfect if you want to do some solo gaming as well. It is a survival game with an emphasis on rebuilding and thriving on futuristic floating islands, although there’s a huge amount of cottagecore goodness to be found even in the technologically advanced setting.
While the game will center around building up a farmstead using farming, crafting, and gathering skills and harnessing natural energy to power it all, there’s also an exploration element to Solarpunk. Eventually, you’ll be able to build a private airship, facilitating travel to islands further afield so that you can gather resources and materials or make new friends along the way.
Witchbrook
Image via Chucklefish
2025 might be the year of magic-based cozy games, with Witchbrook being the second on this list based in the more fantastical realm. With instantly familiar graphics and an emphasis on friendship building, Witchbrook has all of the elements that point to success and is definitely worth keeping an eye on as we get closer to release day.
Once again, you enroll at a College of Witchcraft to learn everything there is to know about magic, but that’s not all there is to Witchbrook . You’ll be able to cook, grow plants, forage, and even soar through the skies on a broom. Eventually, you move on to postgraduate studies and take on deliveries for the locals, allowing you to build friendships or romantic relationships with those both inside and outside of the college walls.
While Waiting
Image via Optillusion
Sometimes, it can be hard to sit back and watch the world around you without any input, but While Waiting is a cozy game that aims to challenge the control freak in all of us, no matter how big or small that part of us may be. The game even comes with a warning that it might get boring at times, but that’s not necessarily the case.
While the aim of Just Waiting is overwhelmingly simple – just wait – there is no shortage of things to do or experience while you do. I mean, yes, you might technically be waiting for a bus or for the rain to stop, and nothing you do will make that waiting time go any quicker, but there’s still a lot to interact with in each scene and many puzzles to figure out to complete objectives.
Hello Kitty Island Adventure
Image via Sunblink
I know that Hello Kitty Island Adventure was first released in 2023, but thanks to the exclusive availability on only the Apple Arcade, many people have never had the chance to play. Now, it’s coming to both Nintendo Switch and PC through Steam, opening up the Sanrio world to a whole new influx of players.
With all of the most well-loved Sanrio characters (including Gudetama, a fact that makes my heart sing), Hello Kitty Island Adventure has won a long list of rewards for gameplay and design. There are 80 quests to complete, many friends to make, crafting and gathering to be done, and all of it in Sanrio’s telltale kawaii style.
Ritual of Raven
Image via Spellgarden Games
Ritual of Raven isn’t the first cozy game from Spellgarden Games, but it is their first foray into the world of farming sims. You might be familiar with its previous cozy gem, Sticky Business , and the now familiar art style has been transformed into a lively, story-based life sim that revolves around growing herbs in a magical world while accompanied by your trusty raven.
Not only can you cultivate your herb garden with the power of magic, but you can also truly personalize your space with decorations. A few friendly neighbors are waiting to form friendships with you, and you can even learn how to control the phases of the moon in your own self-interest. Ritual of Raven has been on my radar since it was announced in August 2024, and I can’t wait to dive in and play.
Outbound
Image via Square Glade Games
In Outbound , you’re in control of a camper van with a huge map to explore, materials to be scavenged, and endless customization options as you turn the camper van into your own ideal home on wheels. You can play both solo or with up to four friends, and there’s no right or wrong, making Outbound truly cozy in every sense of the word.
You’ll need to adapt your play style depending on how far you venture, with everything from expansive fields to treacherous mountains to explore, but your trusty camper van can go everywhere with you. You can also establish a base camp by building around the camper van, growing plants, and learning to cook the ingredients you cultivate.
Crimson Hollow
Image via Sheeba Studios
And just like that, another magic-based cozy game is waiting to be tried. Cr imson Hollow will allow you to try your hand at skills like mining, blacksmithing, herbalism, alchemy, and fishing because what would a cozy game be if there was no fishing? It’s almost a basic requirement at this point. Almost.
Outside of your own farming and gathering tasks, there are also quests to complete and townsfolk to meet, befriend, or become romantically entangled with. Building relationships will uncover new secrets or perks, and you’ll also be able to customize not only your character but also your home. With a cute cartoon art style and an intriguing story waiting to be told, Crimson Hollow is worth keeping on your radar.
Date Everything
Image via Team17
Date Everythin g is proof that there’s a fine line between just-plain-weird and weirdly-cozy. Dating sims aren’t exactly a new thing, but Date Everything takes, well, everything, to the extreme. Rather than meeting and picking up regular people, Date Everything puts you in a house and offers you the chance to date everything from the lamps to the dishwasher. How many times can I say “date everything” in one paragraph?
The concept is bizarre, but there’s a lot of appeal there. While I can’t say I’ve ever thought about the potential personified appearance of my TV cabinet, I’m intrigued to see what it could look like if given the chance to become something more than it currently is. There are 100 characters waiting to be pulled from the furniture and appliances; the whole pun-filled experience is fully voice-acted by a large number of recognizable voices, featuring three endings per character. That’s a lot to get absorbed in.
Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game
Image via Private Division
There’s something infinitely appealing about life in Hobbiton, The Shire, Middle Earth. It’s picturesque, quiet, laid back, and outside of the appearance of Gandalf and Pippin and Merry’s insistence on causing chaos, there’s very little drama. That sounds relaxing, peaceful, and, dare I say it, ultimately cozy.
In Tales of the Sh ire , you can immerse yourself in Hobbit life. Farming, fishing, foraging, and, of course, the most important task for any Hobbit, cooking. No Hobbit hole is complete without a well-stocked pantry, and second breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Stock up on potatoes, and explore the village of Bywater to create connections with your fellow Hobbits, which is greatly helped by sharing meals.
Loftia
Image via Cloud Games
Lofti a is a cross between a life sim and a small-scale MMO. You have your own floating island that can be customized and used to farm, forage, and craft your way to a brighter future. You can then join players nearby to form neighborhoods, using ethical energy to power your creations in this sustainable new world.
Through the use of hydroponics, trellis farming, repurposing trash into usable furniture, and scavenging from abandoned factories, you can create a utopia while uncovering hidden stories to play through and locations to explore. There’s also the ability to adopt companions, including capybaras, turtles, and even some as-yet unrevealed endangered creatures. As if that’s not enough, you can dress them in adorable outfits, instantly making Loftia worth your time.
inZOI
Screenshot by Destructoid
It’s been hard to avoid hearing about inZOI over the last few months, especially for those heavily into The Sim s and other similar titles. inZOI takes the proven life sim concept and throws it into the 21st century with almost photo-realistic graphics and endless customization possibilities powered by what KRAFTON has promised to be ethical generative AI.
There have been countless videos of early gameplay released through YouTubers such as MadMorph , and KRAFTON also released the character studio demo for a few weeks toward the end of 2024, allowing players a glimpse of what’s to come. And what’s to come looks incredibly impressive. With ultimate control over everything from the weather to the type of wild creatures you can encounter and the possibility to upload photos of your own items to import and use in the game, there’s no end of new things to try when inZOI eventually gets a full release on March 28.
The post Best cozy games coming out in 2025 appeared first on Destructoid .
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