Cozy Grove: Camp Spirit, a game in the style of Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley, is expected to release soon on PC and consoles, bringing more players a title that’s been popularized by Netflix since 2024. Animal Crossing fans are currently having a heyday with the release of the 3.0 update for New Horizons, and the announcement of this game’s reach expanding to more audiences gives them something else to look forward to later in 2026.
Released on PC in April 2021, Cozy Grove drew early comparisons to Animal Crossing, and it’s not hard to see why. From its fishing animations to the hand-painted wooden sign that serves as the game’s logo, the independently developed game’s aesthetic draws clear inspiration from Nintendo’s social simulation series. Thrown onto a haunted island that’s constantly changing, players take on the role of a diminutive Spirit Scout and are tasked with venturing into the forest and gathering and crafting items that the adorable, often animal-like ghosts request of them.
With the Wait For a New Animal Crossing Unlikely to End Soon, This Cozy Game Could Be a Needed Alternative
Animal Crossing fans looking for a cozy gaming fix should try this title: an indie game that mimics the same deserted island rhythms as New Horizons.
Cozy Grove Sequel is Coming Soon to PC and Consoles
Cozy Grove developer Spry Fox was one of the earliest pickups for Netflix’s worldwide gaming service, and Cozy Grove: Camp Spirit‘s inclusion in the platform’s list of available mobile games has helped the series to gain a lot of popularity since its initial release. While Netflix will continue to publish the mobile version of the sequel, Spry Fox is once again an independent studio, and a new post on its official website confirms that independence is letting the company move forward with plans to release Cozy Grove: Camp Spirit on PC and yet-to-be-specified consoles. Additionally, the company is still working on another game, Spirit Crossing, which sounds like it will feature a lot of similar themes to the Cozy Grove series but will do a better job of bringing players together with its MMO format.
Originally released in June 2024, Cozy Grove: Camp Spirit features many of the same charming aspects that made fans love the original game. Moving beyond the influences of the original Cozy Grove, additional activities, including power washing, were added for Camp Spirit, along with expanding some existing gameplay features, like giving players more customization of their campgrounds and letting them hop to multiple different islands as they try to appease the friendly spirits. Additionally, Camp Spirit features the addition of interactive interior dwellings for some spirits and the ability to adopt additional pets.
Regarding Spry Fox’s other game, there’s been no official release date for Spirit Crossing just yet. However, Spry Fox co-founder David Edery’s words indicate that the game’s launch should be coming before the end of the year. “Our goal for 2026 is straightforward and very personal to us: launch a big, ambitious cozy game that brings people together, encourages kindness, and reduces loneliness in the world,” the blog post states. While the effort to bring the cozy game to new platforms won’t have the financial backing of Netflix, Edery seems unbothered, stating he’s happy to trade in his Netflix paycheck for the chance to bring a game that combats loneliness to more players. However, that will still take some work, as Spry Fox still needs to reestablish its business model and add quality assurance and polish to the game, in addition to making sure it runs well on other platforms.
Edery seems to have mixed feelings about his former employer, saying that Cozy Grove: Spirit Camp “never got the launch it deserved as part of Netflix,” but also referring to Netflix as a “great partner” as it continues the game’s mobile publishing operations. The independence Spry Fox has regained has come at a cost, as Edery and fellow co-founder Daniel Cook have reduced their own annual salaries to $20,000 after using their own money for the company buyback, and everyone in their team of nearly 50 experienced developers has seen a reduction in pay since the deal was made in December 2025. However, amid rumors of continued layoffs in the gaming industry, both founders believe in valuing their employees, so they’re distributing the majority of Spry Fox’s equity among the development team, making the success of its future endeavors all the more important.
Cozy Game Fans Have More Options Ahead of Spry Fox’s Upcoming Releases
While they’re waiting for the launch of those cozy games, fans can now dive into Animal Crossing: New Horizons‘ 3.0 Update, which was released a day ahead of schedule on January 14. Featuring a hotel run by Kap’n’s family, Dream Islands, and a much more player-friendly crafting system, the update also brings some unannounced features to Animal Crossing, including the addition of Pocket Camp items, easier weed removal, and upgrades to Resident Services and the Nooks’ shop.
