While Stardew Valley was far from the first of its kind, fans of the cozy farm life sim genre have been looking for the next great farming sim since its launch and eventual explosion in popularity. Developer ConcernedApe is working on its next game Haunted Chocolatesbut until it starts, the search is on for something that scratches the same itch. That is what makes the upcoming 2026 arrival of new Steam games like Frozen Way's Pharmobotic such a big deal, as it gives gamers another promising option to keep an eye on while they wait for the genre's most anticipated titles.
Formerly known as “Farmatic” before assuming the title Pharmobotic in September 2025, Steam farming sim takes the best parts of Stardew Valley, Satisfactoryand even Palworld and rolls them into one for a system-driven version of the cozy farming formula. With traditional cultivation of crops, animal care and exploration of Stardew Valleythe building mechanics of Satisfactoryand automation of Palworld, Pharmobotic might be the next best thing for fans of the cozy farm life sim genre.
Farmbotic mixes Stardew Valley's farming and exploration with Palworld's automation
Agriculture is the heart of Stardew Valleyand as the name suggests, it is a central part of the experience in Pharmobotic. “Plant crops, raise animals and grow special mutant plants,” reads the game's Steam description. “Manage your resources, optimize production and grow your small farm into the largest and most prosperous one in the area.” With this loop, Pharmobotic maintains the game Stardew Valley is known for, although played from a first-person rather than third-person perspective.
Similar Stardew Valleys mines, players can also “venture into the depths beneath the mountain” to collect ores and craft better weapons in Pharmobotic. Pharmobotics mines sees players take an elevator to reach deeper levels, and there are even different biomes that can be discovered the further players travel.
Farmbotics features at a glance
- AUTOMATED AGRICULTURE WITH ROBOTS – Deploy and manage Farmbots to manage planting, harvesting and other tasks.
- BUILD AND OPTIMIZE PRODUCTION – Build machines, connect systems like pipes and optimize the flow of resources across your farm.
- CARE AND ANIMALS – Plant crops, raise animals and grow special mutant plants as your farm expands.
- MINUTE DISCHARGE AND FIGHT – Venture into underground mines to gather ore and materials while fighting mutant creatures.
- RESOURCE COLLECTION AND UPGRADES – Collect materials like Rhemidium to create advanced tools, machines and upgrades.
- RETRO-FUTURISTIC AESTHETICS – A charming art style inspired by retro-futurism from the 70s and 90s with whimsical robot design.
- COMMUNITY AND DATA – Interact with NPCs, complete quests and become a part of village life.
- SOLO AND CO-OPERATIVE PLAY – Full game option and online co-op with up to 4 players.
- CHORUS PLAY – Friends on PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC can all join the same farm.
Pharmobotic also has a local village and townspeople that players can interact with, much like they can in Stardew Valley. How far these interactions will go is up in the air – as if there will be an affinity system similar to that Stardew Valleys-but PharmoboticThe Steam description mentions players completing villager-related quests and “becoming an integral part of the community.”
Palworlds monster-collecting game loop manifests itself in Pharmobotic in the form of automated systems that help keep the farm running, even when players are out exploring. IN Palworldplayers not only rescue buddies to simply collect them, but also assign them various tasks around the base to help maintain it and keep production going while players are away. Likewise, Pharmobotic sees players managing their farm alongside advanced robots that can perform tasks such as tending plants and animals.
Farmbotics' construction and automation mechanics channel the spirit of fulfillment
Maybe even more than Palworldhowever Pharmobotics building and automation mechanics are distinctly reminiscent of Coffee Stain Studio's critically acclaimed base builder Satisfactory. Instead of relying solely on manual farming tasks, Pharmobotic encourages players to set up systems that handle the work for them, using machines and Farmbots to make planting, harvesting and production much more efficient in the same way Satisfactory driving players towards fully automated factories.
Evolve your farm into a high-tech operation by automating processes with advanced robots and specialized farm hubs, making your farm more efficient and easier to manage.
Where Satisfactorys gameplay loop revolves around locating resources, constructing production lines and constantly increasing efficiency across the board, Pharmobotic takes the same structure and uses agriculture to contextualize it. Crops, animals and mined ores are the raw resources that players are encouraged to harvest, breed and gather, all while automated machines and Farmbots keep everything running. Along the way, players can unlock new tools and upgrades, with farms then naturally becoming more complex, encouraging players to rethink their layouts and solve any bottlenecks in ways that feel directly inspired by Satisfactorys steady cycle.
In the heart of Pharmobotics base-building resource-gathering loop is something called “Rhemidium,” a radioactive material somehow linked to “new facilities, machines, and more.” Presumably, players will be able to find the mysterious resource in the game's mines, although it's unclear how deep they might have to venture to discover it. PharmoboticThe Steam description also mentions players growing “special mutated plants”, which may be connected to Rhemidium in some way.
Pharmobotic Also supports co-op games for up to four players, where groups can work together to manage a farm, collect resources, build machines or fight monsters in search of ores. The game also features crossplay, so players on Steam can also experience it with their friends on Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 consoles.
Pharmobotic takes the farming, exploration and village elements that did Stardew Valley popular with automation-focused systems inspired by Palworld and Satisfactoryand wraps it all in a collaborative structure that supports larger, more efficient farms over time. With bots that handle repetitive tasks, deeper mining for rare resources, and crossplay support across PC and consoles, Pharmobotic is shaping up to be a solid farming simulation that could be a great addition to the growing library of cozy games.
Pharmobotic starts on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S year 2026.
