Wholesome Direct 2026: 13 upcoming cute and thoughtful games not to miss
Let it be known, the era of the farming sim is nowhere near its end.
Kate Hunter
co-host of indie video game podcast No Small Games
Emily Merritt
co-host of indie video game podcast No Small Games
Whether or not you consider yourself a “cozy gamer”, the Wholesome Direct is the summer showcase to watch if you’re looking for thoughtful games with a lot of heart, that also tend to deemphasize combat in their gameplay. This year’s direct was filled with new, interesting takes on classic cozy game genres like puzzle-solving, decorating, and management. There were also quite a few games that seem to defy categorization and promise to bring narratives and vibes that are all their own. We’ve curated 13 of our highlights from the showcase, but if you’d like to see the whole list of games covered in the show, you can watch the direct on YouTube.
1. Wild Chorus
Developed by: Habitat Games
Published by: Habitat Games
Steam Store Page
“A hand-illustrated musical exploration game where you charm Sound Sprites and protect them from Silence.” Visually and musically, this game reminds me of some of my favorite animated shows, like Bee & Puppycat and The Midnight Gospel. I get so hyped for anything music focused, and the steam description promises no musical ability required!
– Kate
2. Tinkernest
Developed by: afterwalk
Published by: afterwalk
Steam Store Page
As expected, this year’s Wholesome Direct featured quite a few cute crafting and town-builder titles. Out of all of them, Tinkernest in particular captured my attention for its cozy 3D pixel art style. At first it struck me as feeling visually reminiscent of A Short Hike, until I learned that one of the developers is in fact the artist behind Spilled! The trailer itself, watching adorable little critters crafting and arranging their village, feels like getting wrapped in a warm blanket. Tinkernest may just become a new rainy day favorite of mine.
– Emily
3. Petal Runner
Developed by: Nano Park Studios
Published by: iam8bit Presents
Steam Store Page
I’ve been highly anticipating Petal Runner for a while now, and I was so stoked to see it in this year’s Wholesome Direct! If the charming pixel art and limited color palette of soft pinks and purples didn’t sell you on it, you get to ride around on a bike with your cat companion, delivering goods and getting to know the town! iam8bit is a stellar curator, so I have a really great feeling about how good this game is going to be.
– Kate
4. Book Nook
Developed by: Malapata Studio
Published by: Malapata Studio
Steam Store Page
The way I screamed when I saw that Malapata Studio is announcing its new follow-up to Camper Van: Make it Home, let me tell you. Book Nook looks like everything I never knew I wanted in a DIY and crafting-inspired cozy game. In it, you assemble the pieces of one of those little bookshop dioramas that (if you’re anything like me) you see across social media all the time. I’ve contemplated purchasing one of those kits so many times, but always held back because of the likelihood of making a mess or losing pieces. Little did I know I was actually holding out for Book Nook to make my DIY dreams come true… but digitally.
– Emily
5. Momento
Developed by: Fat Alien Cat, Nomo Studio
Published by: Silver Lining Interactive
Steam Store Page
For those who have been wanting to scratch that Unpacking itch, Momento has just shadow dropped on steam during the Wholesome Direct! If you want to play it on consoles, you’ll have to wait until June 30th! I played the demo for this a while back, but I’ve been anticipating it for what feels like years. I’ll come for the satisfying feel of decorating and stay for a hopefully intriguing and impactful story.
– Kate
6. In The Drift
Developed by: Daniel Fineberg and friends
Published by: Daniel Fineberg and friends
Steam Store Page
Everything I needed to know in order to be so on board for In The Drift is in the first sentence of the Steam description. It calls itself “a narrative game about fixing the internet in space.” As a Y2K girly and a lifelong sci-fi fan, I think this trailer helped me discover that zero-G internet technician is actually my dream job. The art looks beautiful and melancholy, and I can just tell that the story is going to hit me right in the feels, probably in ways I won’t even expect.
– Emily
7. Capy Castaway
Developed by: Kitten Cup Studio
Published by: Big Blue Sky Games
Steam Store Page
There’s not much to say about this one other than capybaras are so in right now! The capys in this game are a particular kind of cute that I haven’t seen before. Actually, all of the visuals in this game are giving me a bit of cute aggression and I appreciate how vibrant and clear everything looks. I’m also really into exploration games at the moment, so I’m glad there’s a demo coming soon!
– Kate
8. Dungeon Tourists
Developed by: KMLO
Published by: KMLO
Steam Store Page
It feels like just about every type of gameplay is getting a co-op iteration right now, and yet I still didn’t see this one coming. Dungeon Tourists is a co-op photography rail-shooter in the same vein as Pokemon Snap (and a personal favorite of mine, Penko Park). You’ll traverse a variety of mysterious and exciting locations, riding in mine carts along with your friends, as you take photos of the strange flora and fauna you come across. I’m still working on wrapping my mind around what this looks like as a co-op experience, but I’m very intrigued and excited to find out.
– Emily
9. Deer & Boy
Developed by: Lifeline Studio
Published by: Dear Villagers
Steam Store Page
Beautiful looking, wholesome platformer about a boy and his animal companion? I don’t need any more information than this, I’m so in! Always looking for more platformers that are not mechanically difficult, but emotionally difficult 🙂
Releasing on June 23, we won’t have to wait long for this one!
– Kate
10. Fourleaf Fields
Developed by: BEHEMUTT
Published by: HypeTrain Digital
Steam Store Page
Fourleaf Fields first stuck out to me as a potential new co-op farming sim obsession, with its cute pixel graphics and the promise of not only farming larger-than-life crops, but also becoming a bug rancher. Then I found out that the narrative side of the game has a whole mechanic revolving around village gossip. If there’s one thing about me, it’s that I love when I get to be nosy in a video game (one of the many reasons I adore This Bed We Made). Fourleaf Fields is shaping up to be a Day 1 purchase for me whenever it comes out.
– Emily
11. PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE
Developed by: teaisfortoby
Published by: teaisfortoby
Steam Store Page
This mystery puzzle game has me so curious, especially given the whole strange-entity-communicating-through-a-cassette-player element. Puzzle games that revolve around communication and trying to comprehend people and your environment are usually not my thing, but the art style and approach here seem like a unique and worthwhile experience. I’m excited to uncover what’s going on with this one!
– Kate
12. Loftia
Developed by: Qloud Games
Published by: Qloud Games
Steam Store Page
This spring Loftia’s closed beta period took the cozy gaming world by storm. In addition to sweet, community-oriented co-op experiences, the game offers an extensive character creation flow. Loftia has been lauded in particular for the inclusivity of its character creation options. For everyone who was enthralled by their time in the closed beta or for those who, like me, are holding out for a full release, this year’s Wholesome Direct brings good news! Loftia’s official release is coming very soon, in Fall 2026.
– Emily
13. Fields of Mistria
Developed by: NPC Studio
Published by: NPC Studio
Steam Store Page
Fields of Mistria is one of the rare games that we’ve covered on No Small Games that I simply couldn’t move on from after the episode was done. This cozy farming sim, set in a dreamy fantasy world, hooked me more than Stardew Valley ever did (Stardew heads please don’t come for me). After 60 hours of playtime, I eventually did set it aside, as I patiently wait for the game to leave Early Access. Well, as it turns out I won’t have to wait much longer, because Fields of Mistria launches its 1.0 version on August 5, 2026!
– Emily
About No Small Games
No Small Games is an indie game recap and review podcast brought to you by hosts Kate and Emily! They became friends while streaming on Twitch and bonded over their love of indie video games. In each episode of No Small Games, the two will discuss an indie game they both played independently. They’ll compare their experiences: the good, the bad, their most memorable moments of their playthroughs.
Learn more about the podcast and its hosts on the About page. You can find all our episodes here on the Episodes page, or listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.