Although cozy games, especially those boasting a quasi-retro pixelated art style, are ubiquitous in the indie scene, Witchbrook seems to tackle the genre from a slightly different angle. The Stardew Valley-inspired slice-of-life project has been in the works since at least 2018, and is currently aiming for a 2026 release date.
Witchbrook will take players to the scenic, mysterious town of Mossport, home to the eponymous Witchbrook College. This premise should immediately sound familiar to those familiar with the seminal Harry Potter franchise, as it mixes mundane everyday life with fantastic magical elements. Through this cross-pollination of The legacy of Hogwarts and Stardew Valley, Witchbrook hoping to capture a unique experience in the cozy/casual gaming space on Steam, which is pretty oversaturated at the moment; preferably, Witchbrook will do something interesting and new despite wearing its genre influences on their sleeve.
Witchbrook will be another Stardew Valley inspired cozy game
Presentation and structure are the two areas there Witchbrook is most similar Stardew Valley. The game has the same pixel-art graphics as ConcernedApe's modern classic, but its open-ended gameplay and social simulation system also serve as powerful parallels. At a glance, Witchbrook purports to include a number Stardew-isms, including:
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Unique, predetermined NPC schedules
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Romantic sub-stories
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Changing seasons and seasonal events
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RPG progression
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Character and home customization
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Crafting and trading system
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4 player co-op
Witchbrooks developers have also likened it to other classic games, especially the 21st century browser-based MMOs that Habbo hotel. In a developer blog from November 2025, Witchbrook Senior artist Jade Evans also cited browser-based dress-up and makeover games as specific inspirations, suggesting that character customization will play an even more important role than in other Stardew-like cozy games.
How Witchbrook's Hogwarts-like magical vibes help guide its cozy construction
While Stardew Valley contains truly fantastical elements, from the presence of wizards to the various mystical creatures scattered throughout the mines of Pelican Town, it's not explicitly magical. These fantasy aspects are like condiments, or perhaps accompaniments, to the main course, which is much more grounded. Stardew Valley and its inheritors are often focused on creating fun and engaging systems rooted in repetitive, basic practices like farming, foraging, and slowly nurturing relationships with those in your community.
And of course similar activities will be included Witchbrookbut the magical college offers a fun and rewarding twist. The player character is, after all, an attendee at Witchbrook College, and this informs their suite of cozy gaming activities. Witchbrook will offer a number of different academic paths for players to follow, allowing them to learn a variety of key skills and disciplines, including:
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Potion decoration
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Divination
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Alchemy
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Astrology
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Tarot
Players can continue to apply these skills to a number of missions and services. For example, a player with expertise in divination can act as something of a personal psychic for Mossport's residents, while an alchemist or skilled potion maker can create various medicines to treat those suffering from certain ailments. Witchbrooks developers say that the practical applications of magic within a relatively grounded economy were inspired by the works of Terry Pratchett Tiffany aching series, as well Kiki's delivery service. These are both stories that focus on the use of magic for the public good, so they can give a good indication of how Witchbrook will incorporate its witchcraft from a mechanical and narrative perspective.
In a particularly enlightening developer blog, producer Rosie Ball explains how Witchcraft College itself is loosely based on Cambridge University's building and landscape architecture.
What to expect from Witchbrook 2026
As previously mentioned, Witchbrook was pushed back from a planned 2025 release date to sometime in 2026. Even so, Witchbrooks developers are reporting “major development progress” in 2025, suggesting that the delay might not be so extreme: the game could conceivably still launch in early 2026. This would probably be for the best, as it would provide Witchbrook some much needed breathing room before the holiday season, which is then GTA 6 expected to crash into the gaming market like a wrecking ball.
Witchbrooks developers say that the practical applications of magic within a relatively grounded economy were inspired by the works of Terry Pratchett Tiffany aching series, as well Kiki's delivery service.
For now, potential fans can explore several Witchbrook development updates that continue to be shared by Chucklefish and Robotality, one of which includes a detailed interactive map of Mossport. Also worth noting are Chucklefish's plans to bring Witchbrook to Xbox Game Pass on day one, which could very well lead to a larger player base despite the massive cancellation of Game Pass in 2025. Until then, the audience can wash away with the multitude of other Stardew-likes on the market. Hopefully, Witchbrook can blow these other competitors out of the water and make a big splash of its own.
- Released
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2025
- ESRB
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Teenager // Suggestive Themes
- Multiplayer
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Online Co-Op
