Now that the 2025 Wholesome Direct is done, we know the over 60 cozy games featured during the event. While most are headed to PCs, a few console and mobile titles showed up as well. In addition, eight ended up being shadowdrops during the event, among them the Switch and PC games Instants and Squeakross: Home Squeak Home. Quite a few also ended up being playable for the first time, with an array of demos showing up for them on Steam following the presentation. XSEED and Marvelous also announced they would be localizing Milano’s Odd Job Selections for the first time and releasing it on consoles and PCs.

Here is the full list of every one of the cozy games that came up during the Wholesome Direct 2025.

• All Will Rise - on Kickstarter - PC
• Ambroise Niflette & the Gleaned Bell - on Kickstarter - PC
• Anxiety Puppy - Q4 2025 - PC
• The Berlin Apartment - November 2025 - PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC
• Big Hops - 2025 - PC, Demo on Steam
• Camper Van: Make it Home - Out today - Switch and PC
• Capy Castaway - TBD - PC
• Clawsome - 2025 - PC
• Collector’s Cove - TBD - PC, Demo on Steam
• Crescent County - on Kickstarter - PC and Xbox Series X
• Danchi Days - TBD - PC, Demo on Steam
• Discounty - August 21, 2025 - Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC, Demo on Steam
• Dosa Divas - 2026 - Switch, Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC
• Everdeep Aurora - July 10, 2025 - PC, Demo on Steam
• Fireside Feelings - Out today - PC
• Fishbowl - TBD - PS5 and PC
• Gecko Gods - Fall 2025 - PC, Demo on Steam
• Gemporium - August 2025 - PC
• Gourdlets Together - 2025 - PC
• The Great Coffee Caper - TBD - PC, Demo on Steam
• Guardian of Nature Episode 1 - Out today - PC
• Haunted Paws - Alpha on June 7, 2025 - PC, Demo on Steam
• Heidi’s Legacy: Mountains Calling - 2026 - PC
• Hotel Galactic - July 24, 2025 - PC
• Instants - Out today - Switch and PC
• Is This Seat Taken? - August 2025 - Switch and PC
• Islanders: New Shores - July 10, 2025 - Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC
• KuloNiku: Bowl Up - Q3 2025 - PC
• Leaf Blower Co. - 2025 - PC, Demo on Steam
• Let’s Build a Dungeon - TBD - Xbox Series X and PC
• Letters To Arralla - TBD - Demo out now.
• Little Kitty, Big City - Free Content Update Summer 2025 - Switch, PS4, PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X
• Llamalandia - TBD - PC, Demo on Steam
• Luma Island - June 20, 2025 - PC
• Lynked: Banner of the Spark - Out now - PC
• Mafate - TBD - PC, Demo on Steam
• MakeRoom - August 7, 2025 - PC
• Mazey Village - TBD - PC
• Mecha - TBD - PC
• Milano’s Odd Job Selections - 2025 - Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC
• Muri: Wildwoods - 2025 - PC
• Monument Valley 3 - Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC - July 22, 2025
• Omelet You Cook - Out now - PC
• On-Together - TBD - PC
• One Move Away - 2025 - PC, Demo on Steam
• Out and About - Playtest out today - PC, Consoles in 2026
• Outside the Blocks - TBD - PC
• Pawsta - on Kickstarter - PC
• Puni the Florist - TBD - PC
• Seasonala Cemetary - Out today - PC
• Sheepherds - TBD - PC, Demo on Steam
• Shiba Sweet - TBD - PC
• Squeakross: Home Squeak Home - Out today - Switch and PC
• Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar - August 27, 2025 - Switch and PC
• Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game - July 29, 2025 - 
• Tiny Wander - TBD - PC and mobile
• Town to City - TBD - PC
• Townbox - TBD - PC
• Vending Dokan - Early Access out today - PC 
• Week in the Life of Asocial Giraffe - 2025 - Switch, Switch 2, and PC
• Winter Burrow - 2025 - Switch, PC, and Xbox Series X

The Wholesome Direct 2024 roundup included about the same number of cozy games as the 2025 one.

Camper Van: Make It Home, Fireside Feelings, Instants, Omelet You Cook, Out and About, Seasonala Cemetary, and Squeakross: Home Squeak Home are all available on PCs now, with Instants and Squeakross also available on the Switch. 

The post All the Wholesome Direct 2025 Cozy Games and Shadowdrops appeared first on Siliconera.

During Summer Game Fest 2025, Sega made a number of Sonic Racing CrossWorlds announcements, including a September 25, 2025 release date for most platforms and character cameos with Hatsune Miku and from games like Persona 5, Like a Dragon, and Minecraft. However, the Switch 2 version doesn’t have a release date yet. There was also a new trailer showing off each of these crossover racers in-game. There will also be online cross-platform matchmaking for multiplayer.

You can see the trailer here. Hatsune Miku is confirmed for Sonic Racing CrossWorlds first, then we see Joker from Persona 5, Ichiban Kasuga from Yakuza: Like a Dragon, and finally Steve from Minecraft. 

Here’s the full Summer Game Fest 2025 showcase, in case you missed it:

We already knew about many of the Sonic the Hedgehog series characters who will be in Sonic Racing CrossWorlds. Here’s the list:

• Amy Rose
• Big the Cat
• Blaze the Cat
• Charmy Bee
• Cream and Cheese
• Dr. Eggman
• E-123 Omega
• Espio the Chameleon
• Jet the Hawk
• Knuckles the Echidna
• Metal Sonic
• Rouge the Bat
• Shadow the Hedgehog
• Silver the Hedgehog
• Sonic the Hedgehog
• Sonic the Werehog
• Storm the Albatross
• Tails
• Vector the Crocodile
• Wave the Swallow
• Zavok

We also know the prices.  It will cost $59.99 on the Switch. The Switch 2, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC versions will be $69.99. 

Sonic Racing Crossworlds will be on the Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC on September 25, 2025, and it will be on the Switch 2 as well.

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Bandai Namco announced exactly what is different between the Switch and Switch 2 versions of the new Tamagotchi Plaza game coming out later this month. It turns out the one for the new console includes three shops the other doesn’t. This is because all three involve minigames that use the Joy-Con mouse only present on the latest system. There will also be an upgrade pack that adds those three shops to the Switch version if someone eventually gets the new console. 

There are three shops, though one of them is a hybrid of the first two. In the Sushi Shop, you will hold the Joy-Con in mouse mode and press buttons to create the sushi your customers request. The Shuriken Shop involves getting throwing stars and hitting targets with them. However, to throw them you hold the Joy-Con in mouse mode with the sensors pointed up, then swipe your hand across the top after aiming. The Sushi Shuriken Shop combines the two elements, as you make requested sushi, then flip the Joy-Con ever to toss it like a shuriken at the person who wanted it.

Here’s the Tamagotchi Plaza Switch 2 trailer showing the gameplay for those three shops. There is also a picture-in-picture video that shows the Joy-Con controls for each one’s minigame.

Tamagotchi Plaza will come to the Switch and Switch 2 on June 27, 2025, and the Switch 2 version will feature more shops. Both versions work with the Tamagotchi Uni virtual pet, which is available worldwide. 

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Level-5 released the Switch 2 version of Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time, and at the same time confirmed camera adjustments based on player are on the way. There’s a new trailer showing the gameplay changes for the latest release, as well as some screenshots showing the changes to the view after players requested changes.

Ahead of the Switch 2 debut of Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time, Level-5 shared brief videos highlighting the frame rate and graphics updates. This latest video offers a more extensive look at gameplay. It began by showing peeks at how the graphics are improved in this version. Then, it offers examples of the frame rate updates when fighting, gathering, and crafting. The loading times come up after that to show how quickly it is to transition between time periods. 

As for the camera changes in Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time, there will be better angles and greater visibility. The two images shared by Level-5 seem to be taken from Ginormosia. In each, the field of vision is far longer. The patch adding them will show up on all platforms in mid-June 2025.

Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time is available on the Switch, Switch 2, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC worldwide. 

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When the NieR: Automata 2B and A2 bunny girl figures first debuted, there ended up being a large amount of demand, and so Good Smile Company announced a second round of pre-orders for both of them. This applies to the US storefront. They are $332.99 each. 

While this is a second run, the launch window is the same. The A2 will show up first. She’ll launch in Japan in October 2025, then the US in Q1 2026. Back when Good Smile Company revealed the 2B one back in March 2025, it had a December 2025 release estimate for Japan and Q2 2026 for the US. That remains the same for this one. So there’s no penalty for having waiting to commit to one or both of them.

The contents of each shipment will also remain the same. With A2, you get her in a bunny girl swimsuit with glossy finish. Her hair is long, with a black bunny ear headband. She also wears black fabric fishnet tights. 2B also wears a similar swimsuit and bunny ears, though she does also have some sleeves on her arms. She comes with an additional head part, so you can display her with or without her visor. 

Here’s how both the NieR: Automata 2B and A2 bunny girl figures look, as a reminder. 

The NieR Automata 2B figure of the character in a bunny girl outfit will debut in Japan in December 2025 and worldwide by Q2 2026. This second round of pre-orders is open now The game is available on the PS4, Switch, Xbox One, and Windows PC. The anime adaptation is streaming via Crunchyroll. 

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Square Enix announced a new Final Fantasy kuji lottery for Japan to celebrate the 25th anniversary of FFIX, and some of the top possible prizes are a Vivi plush and Final Fantasy IX Chiptune Arrangement Tracks CD soundtrack. It will begin on July 7, 2025 in Japan, and someone will need to pay 770円 (~$5) per try. It is one of multiple kinds of merchandise collections being sold to honor the game’s anniversary.

As is typical with kujis run by companies like Square Enix and Bandai Namco, there are A through F tiers of prices, with the lower tier rewards being the most likely ones to get. There is also a “last one” prize that is awarded to the person who buys the very last ticket. The company didn’t share the exact amounts of each item in this lottery. However, odds are there will only be one of the Vivi plush prize, which is the A-tier item, and of course there is only one “last one” 25th anniversary piece of art of the cast drawn by FFIX character designer Toshiyuki Itahana. 

Here is the full list of FFIX 25th anniversary items available, aside from the Vivi plush and soundtrack CD.

• A: Vivi Plush that stands at almost 20 inches (50cm) tall.
• B: Final Fantasy IX Chiptune Arrangement Tracks CD soundtrack.
• C: Fake leather tissue box cover.
• D: One of four mini plates with character art drawn by Itahana on it. 
• E: One of five different postcard sets that include three postcards and a Mognet envelope.
• F: Rubber keychain with one of 10 characters from the game on it.
• Last One: A canvas of the cast with Itahana art that is F3 size (~10in x 10in)

Square Enix already shared images of each item, which you can see below.

While these aren’t available in physical stores outside Japan, some online storefronts do get and sell them. Aitai Kuji is, and it is selling a random ticket pull for 1,350円 (~$9.40) each and items piecemeal for higher prices.

The Final Fantasy IX 25th anniversary kuji lottery will appear in Japan on July 7, 2025, and FFIX is available on the PlayStation, PS4, Switch, Xbox One, PC, and mobile devices.  

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Hibino Corporation opened pre-orders for the new smart toy replica of the Virtuous Contract sword used by protagonist 2B in NieR: Automata. The smart toy has functions that allow it to light up, it costs 89,100 yen (or approximately $621.07), and it will release in Japan in November 2025.

The Virtuous Contract sword replica is approximately 139cm long (or about 54.7 inches), and it is faithfully reproduced to 1:1 scale. The replica includes realistic wear and tear to simulate it seeing use in combat, with especial attention paid to the hilt and other metal parts in the handle.

The handle is made of the same braided cord as used in typical Japanese swords, as well as being based on the weapon's design in the game. Each unit will be engraved with a unique serial number. In addition to the light up functions, the smart toy includes some Japanese voice lines from NieR: Automata protagonist 2B.

You can check out the new NieR: Automata smart toy 2B sword replica in more detail here:

Back in August 2024, Hibino Corporation announced the line of NieR: Automata smart toys, which included the sword in addition to a remote-controlled Pod 042 toy. While it seems like the toy sword will soon make its debut in the market, the remote-controlled Pod 042 won’t be available until 2027.

The new NieR: Automata toy replica of the Virtuous Contract sword is now available for pre-order in Japan, and it will release on November 2025. Meanwhile, NieR: Automata is readily available for the PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch.

The post NieR: Automata 2B Virtuous Contract Replica Sword Lights Up appeared first on Siliconera.

Kotobukiya announced it is going to sell the Mega Man 11 model kit again, with the set letting people build the figure based on Mega Man’s appearance in that installment, again next year. The official product page is already live ahead of its January 2026 debut. It will cost 8,580円 (~59) in Japan. A worldwide release will follow. This comes after the company shared new kits in 2024.

We saw the kit first debut in 2023. This version is quite similar. There are four face plates that involve different expressions. You can display him with his helmet on or off. Multiple hand parts are included, with one being his buster. There are also effects that make it look as though the character is performing a charge shot. 

The official Kotobukiya US storefront isn’t showing this new rerelease yet. The original model kit from December 2023 is still up there. The price for it is $69.99. Big Bad Toy Store shared a listing for the rerelease, and it is selling it for $75.99. That product page noted a March 2026 launch window for the US.

Here’s a full gallery showing how the Mega Man 11 figure looks once fully assembled.

There’s also a video highlighting the final design.

The Mega Man 11 model kit rerelease will show up in Japan in January 2026. The game is on the Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

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Bandai Namco updated its Dragon Ball Project: Multi 4v4 free-to-play MOBA, giving it the name Dragon Ball: Gekishin Squadra, revealing platforms, and confirming a June 2025 Network Test. Starting on June 12, 2025, Switch, PS4, PS5, PC, and mobile players will be able to take part in that open beta. The official site and Steam page both updated to reflect the reveals.

The Dragon Ball: Gekishin Squadra Network Test will start at 2am ET on June 12, 2025, but Bandai Namco didn’t note when the client for it will appear on storefronts. It did let folks know that they may need to look up a version with “Exhibition Match” in the title to find it. We don’t know every character who will be playable, but the trailer showed an array of familiar faces like Goku, Vegeta, Piccolo, Future Trunks, Krillin, Majin Buu (Good), Android 18 and Zamasu. It also looks like the Super Saiyan versions of characters are different than standard ones. Folks who take part will get to play for four days until 1:59am ET June 16, 2025, and cross-play and cross-save will be ed.

Here’s the trailer specifically for the Network Test.

While we already knew some of the characters who would be in Dragon Ball Project: Multi, we’ll know even more details about them and how they play after this new test. The latest announcement trailer also highlighted gameplay ahead of the Network Test.

Dragon Ball: Gekishin Squadra will come to the Switch, PS4, PS5, PC, and mobile devices 

The post Dragon Ball Project: Multi Becomes Gekishin Squadra Ahead of Network Test appeared first on Siliconera.

Square Enix announced the Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles English voice actors, and the FFVII Remake voice actors for Aerith Gainsborough and Cloud Strife will both be reprise their roles as the characters. Both Briana White and Cody Christian are confirmed. The two appeared in both FFVII Remake and Rebirth.

The full list came up after Square Enix talked more about the June 2025 State of Play reveal. It shared eight of the English voice actors. Among them is the English voice of Clive Rosfield, as Ben Starr will be Dycedarg. 

Here’s the full list of Final Fantasy Tactics English voice actors we know so far:

• Aerith: Briana White
• Agrias: Hannah Melbourn
• Cidolfus: Timothy Watson
• Cloud: Cody Christian
• Delita: Gregg Lowe
• Dycedarg: Ben Starr
• Mustadio: Harry McEntire
• Ramza: Joe Pitts

In the original Final Fantasy Tactics, you could actually encounter both Aerith and Cloud. It’s also possible to recruit Cloud, if you follow certain steps. 

In addition to the $49.99 standard edition, there will be a Collector’s Box. That includes a Ramza Akademy version figure, a set of three Chocobo plush, Outlying Church pop-up art, an art sheet, acrylic Zodiac Stones, and an option to get it with the game. It costs $200 directly through Square Enix, but sold out.

Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles will come to the Switch, Switch 2, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC on September 30, 2025. 

The post FFVII Remake Cloud & Aerith Voice Actors in Final Fantasy Tactics appeared first on Siliconera.

The next Atelier entry will skip one of Sony’s consoles. The Atelier Resleriana: The Red Alchemist and the White Guardian official site confirmed the PS4 version won’t appear worldwide. Koei Tecmo and Gust didn’t offer an explanation why. The Japanese version of the site still mentions the platform. [Thanks, Netto’s Game Room!]

Back in September 2024, the developer and publisher announced Atelier Resleriana: The Red Alchemist and the White Guardian, which follows the mobile game Atelier Resleriana: Forgotten Alchemy and the Polar Night Liberator, and said it would be on the PS4, PS5, Switch, and PC in 2025. Sometime since then, the PS4 version ended up being dropped. The site still mentions the other three. Koei Tecmo even changed the description for the trailer shared back in September to remove that console. However, the video itself still mentions the PS4 release. 

At the bottom of the English-language site, there is an update on platforms. Koei Tecmo noted, “Please be advised that the PlayStation®4 version will not be sold outside of Japan.” 

As the PS4 is not region-locked, someone could import a copy of the game from that country or go with the Asian release. However, someone would need to double-check languages. While Asian versions can include English among the language options, the Japanese versions tend to only include Japanese text.

The Atelier Resleriana: The Red Alchemist and the White Guardian will appear on the Switch, PS5, and PC worldwide in 2025, and it will also be on the PS4 in Japan.

The post Atelier Resleriana PS4 Version Is a Japan Exclusive appeared first on Siliconera.

Square Enix announced its Final Fantasy music box collection will grow in October 2025, as three more songs from the FFIX soundtrack will be part of it. This is part of the ongoing nod to the 25th anniversary of this installment. Each one costs 2,750円 (~$19) in Japan. Only the e-Store features listings for them as of time of writing, but Square Enix sold past entries in its Online Store and on Amazon.

The three FFIX songs in the Final Fantasy music box lineup this time are “Not Alone,” “A Place to Call Home,” and “Roses of May.” The first one, “Not Alone,” is associated with the cast as a whole, and it relates to the way in which they Zidane. “A Place to Call Home” comes up frequently throughout the game, and the top of that one features the game’s logo and track name. As “Roses of May” is the theme for Beatrix, she’s featured prominently on the top of that box. Finally, “You are not Alone.” 

Here’s how all three look. Square Enix didn’t share YouTube videos that let us hear how they sound.

This isn’t the only entry from this game in the Final Fantasy music box collection. A “Melodies of Life” one of the game’s main theme is already available worldwide. It usually costs between $22 and $30, depending on where you find it and its age.

The next three entries FFIX music box releases will debut in Japan in October 31, 2025, with a worldwide launch following that. The game is available on the PlayStation, PS4, Switch, Xbox One, PC, and mobile devices.  

The post 3 More FFIX Songs Final Fantasy Music Box Collection appeared first on Siliconera.

Square Enix announced a second run of the Kingdom Hearts 2 Sora Form-ism figure. It will launch in Japan on December 27, 2025, following the original release in March 2025. It costs 7,480円 (~$52). While pre-orders aren’t open on the US storefront yet, there are other figures in the line there and on Amazon.

The Form-ism line involves static figures of characters. These are in a fixed, active pose and feature both Square Enix games and ones from companies like Atlus. (The Nahobino from SMT V is in the line.) Sora is in his standard outfit here, and he’s wielding the default Keyblade. He’s in the midst of an attack. It stands at about nine inches tall (23cm). 

In case you missed it the first time around, here’s a closer look at how this version of Sora looks:

This isn’t the only Form-ism Kingdom Hearts statue. Square Enix announced a second one in March 2025. That one is based on Riku, and it also pulls from his Kingdom Hearts 2 design. It is expected to appear in August 2025. 

The next run of the Kingdom Hearts 2 Form-ism Sora figure will launch in December 2025. The game first appeared on the PS2, but now is on the Switch, PS3, PS4, Xbox One, and PC via Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix.

The post Kingdom Hearts 2 Sora Form-ism Figure Returns in December appeared first on Siliconera.

There could be Hollow Knight: Silksong news soon, data regarding the PC version of the game changed on the Steam DB website. Two pages shows adjustments appeared on June 3, 2025, with a ChangeNumber adjustment and two depot additions. The actual product page on the storefront appears unchanged. [Thanks, CommodoreKong on Resetera!]

This is a substantial amount of action on the Steam DB pages that track Steam backend changes and updates for the PC version of Hollow Knight: Silksong. The one listing featured Changelist #29337185, Changelist #29337189, and Changelist #29337309. That involved it shifting from ChangeNumber 24965705 to 29337185, then 29337185 to 29337189, and finally that to 29337309. The depots 1030301, 1030302, and 1030303 also all appeared. The second only featured a ChangeNumber alteration from 22736671 to 29339689. 

There’d been quite a gap since there were any changes to the Steam files. One noted the ChangeNumber went from 22736671 to 24965705 back in August 2024. That was 10 months ago. The second listing hadn’t changed since March 2024, as the ChangeNumber went from 5782401 to 22736671. That was 15 months ago.

We do know the game is on the way soon. It will be a part of a museum exhibit at ACMI Game Worlds in September 2025. It also apparently has a 2025 release window following multiple delays.

Hollow Knight: Silksong will come to the Switch, Switch 2, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and Windows PC via Steam in 2025, and it will be featured at the ACMI in Melbourne, Australia, between September 18, 2025 and February 8, 2026.

The post Steam DB Reported Hollow Knight: Silksong PC Data Changes appeared first on Siliconera.

Ryu ga Gotoku Studio social media announced that Sega is selling temporary tattoo sleeves, which are fabric arm covers with, with designs based on tattoos of Yakuza and Like a Dragon game characters Kazuma Kiryu, Goro Majima, Ichiban Kasuga, Daigo Dojima, and Taiga Saejima. These cost 1,540円 (~$11) and are expected to ship in July 2025. Ebten does shipping worldwide via WorldShopping. 

Each of the sleeves are 40cm long, which is about 15 inches. These are unisex items anyone could wear. Each package comes with ones to wear on a person’s left and right arms. Each package is based on the tattoo that appears on a character’s back in the series. So the tattoo sleeves for Kazuma Kiryu feature his dragon, while Daigo Dojima’s has the Fudo Myoo design. The Goro Majima tattoo is of the Hannya mask. Taiga Saejima’s is of his tiger. Meanwhile, Ichiban Kasuga’s features the fushion of the koi and dragon.

Here’s a gallery showing each of the available designs. There are also two photos from Ebten that showed people wearing the Kiryu and Kasuga ones.

This comes as Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut is about to debut. This extended version of the game will be a Switch 2 launch game. A new trailer highlighted its gameplay. Sega also announced a 1-888-YAKUZA0 phone line for information about it.

The Yakuza and Like a Dragon tattoo sleeves arm covers based on five characters from the game series will debut in Japan in July 2025, following the Switch 2 debut of Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut on June 5, 2025. 

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