1 December 2025

Best Stardew Valley-Like Games to Watch Out For in 2026

By newsgame

Stardew Valley has already gone down as one of the best indie games in history, having spawned countless clones and homages in the years following its 2016 launch. Even better is its quasi-live-service model, which has involved creator Eric Barone releasing a number of updates, many of which introduce substantial new features like multiplayer to the Stardew Valley base game. Shockingly, these have all been free, which has helped the game retain its popularity over such a long period.

Even though Stardew Valley is getting another update soon, it seems like Barone is slowing down, pivoting his focus instead to Haunted Chocolatier. Haunted Chocolatier, however, is still rather mysterious, much to the chagrin of many Stardew fans. Thankfully, the Stardew-like genre is only continuing to expand, and 2026 will play host to plenty of strong, unique life sims that might scratch that particular cozy itch. Whether you’re looking for a magic-infused life sim, romance-fueled adventure, or straightforward spiritual successor to Eric Barone’s seminal cozy game, 2026 has you covered.

Witchbrook

Witchbrook release date: TBD 2026 (delayed from a late 2025 launch)
Witchbrook confirmed platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S

Magical and charmingly absurd, Witchbrook is one of the most alluring cozy games I’ve seen in quite some time. Set in a slow coastal town, this game follows a player-created character as they begin their studies at Witchbrook Academy, a Hogwarts-like institution for up-and-coming witches and wizards. Like Stardew Valley, Witchbrook will feature in-game seasonal events, social-simulation elements, and a wealth of customization options.

Witchbrook is being developed and published by Chucklefish, the company that originally published Stardew Valley.

Players can attend classes, rise through the ranks against their fellow students, romance NPCs, sell artisan goods at shops, and much more. Notably, Witchbrook will feature cooperative multiplayer for up to four players, drawing further parallels to Stardew, which got four-player co-op a few years post-launch. Since Witchbrook is being developed with multiplayer in mind from the outset, perhaps its co-op systems will be even more dynamic, fleshed-out, and feature-complete than Stardew‘s, which would be a treat indeed. Who knows, maybe Witchbrook will even be a good stopgap ahead of Hogwarts Legacy 2.

Released: 2025
ESRB: Teen // Suggestive Themes
Multiplayer: Online Co-Op

My Time at Evershine

My Time at Evershine release date: Spring 2026
My Time at Evershine confirmed platforms: PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, and PC

My Time at Evershine looks far more ambitious than its predecessors in the My Time series. Adopting a more high-fidelity, anime-influenced aesthetic, Evershine puts players in the shoes of a newly appointed mayor of a town at the far reaches of the Free Cities, which are being threatened by the ever-expanding Duvros Empire. This growing city is meant to help buttress the Free Cities’ defensive position as a whole, and the player-character is tasked with assisting toward this end.

It’s an unusually complex and mature story by cozy game standards, but My Time at Evershine is still a good old-fashioned life sim at its core. Players can recruit settlers to their city, commission numerous town improvements and customizations, and improve across a number of progression vectors. Much like Stardew, My Time at Evershine will feature action-RPG elements, with combat encounters being common. If Evershine is anything like the other My Time games, audiences can likely expect its combat sandbox to wipe the floor with Stardew‘s.

It would appear that My Time at Evershine will be even more focused on romance than many other cozy life sims; perhaps the higher-stakes story will lead to more complex romantic relationships.

Systems

Developer(s): Pathea Games
Publisher(s): Pathea Games

Fields of Mistria

Fields of Mistria release date: TBD 2026
Fields of Mistria confirmed platforms: PC

Fields of Mistria has been in early access for a while now, attracting rave reviews on Steam, where it currently sits at an astounding 98% Overwhelmingly Positive rating. It’s immediately recognizable as Stardew-inspired, with nostalgic pixel art, small-town community, and homesteading mechanics all at the forefront. However, Fields of Mistria is considerably more explicit with its mysticism, with a very clear, overarching theme of magic and whimsy. For those who enjoy the fantasy aspects of Stardew Valley, Fields of Mistria may be a particularly suitable fix.

Mistria‘s stunning art style, which looks like a mix between Stardew Valley and 90s anime, is probably what will attract many players from the jump, but the game’s more than just a pretty face. Indeed, there’s a bevy of content pertaining to progression, collectibles, side quests, exploration, and romance, even in this early access stage. Fields of Mistria is off to a great start, and could be a more than worthy Stardew alternative when it launches into alpha next year.