Animal Crossing is one of the most beloved cozy games ever made — and it’s locked to Nintendo hardware. If you’re on PC or PlayStation, or you just want something new to sink into, you’ve probably gone looking for that same gentle, build-a-life, do-things-at-your-own-pace feeling somewhere else.
Good news: the cozy life-sim genre is thriving, and plenty of Animal Crossing-likes are available right now across PC, PS5, and Switch 2 — with one especially exciting newcomer on the way. Here’s where to start.
The one to watch: Animula Nook (upcoming)
If you want the closest thing to a true cross-platform Animal Crossing, Animula Nook is the game to keep an eye on. It’s a cozy life-sim from developer LilliLandia Games and publisher Tencent that shrinks you down to toy-size, turning a desk and windowsill into a sprawling miniature world you build, farm, and decorate — befriending tiny residents along the way.
Crucially for non-Switch players, it’s confirmed for PC (Steam & Epic), PS5, Switch 2, and Mac, it’s free-to-play with no gacha and no pay-to-win, and pre-registrations have already passed 10 million. There’s no confirmed release date yet (currently expected sometime in 2026), but the hype is real.
It’s the rare cozy game positioned to give Animal Crossing fans on every platform a genuine home.
Want the full breakdown of how it stacks up? Read our deep dive: Animula Nook vs Animal Crossing.
Games you can play right now
While Animula Nook is still on the way, these cozy life-sims are out today and scratch a lot of the same itch — and unlike Animal Crossing, you can play them off Switch.
Stardew Valley
The genre’s gold standard. You inherit a run-down farm and slowly turn it into a thriving homestead — planting crops, raising animals, mining, fishing, and befriending (or marrying) the townsfolk. It’s endlessly deep, frequently updated, cheap, and available on basically every platform that exists, PC and PS5 included. If you’ve somehow missed it, start here.
Wondering how it compares to the new kid on the block? Read our deep dive: Animula Nook vs Stardew Valley.
Disney Dreamlight Valley
The closest mainstream game in spirit to Animal Crossing’s “decorate, befriend, collect” loop, wrapped in Disney and Pixar characters. You restore a magical valley, complete cozy quests, and customize your home and village. It’s on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch, so it’s an easy pick for non-Nintendo players.
Palia
A free-to-play cozy MMO life-sim — farming, fishing, cooking, crafting, and home decorating in a shared world alongside other players. Being free and cross-platform (PC, Switch, PS5) makes it one of the lowest-friction ways to get the communal cozy-village feeling without a Switch-exclusive.
Cozy Grove
If it’s specifically the daily ritual of Animal Crossing you miss — checking in, doing a few gentle tasks, watching the world change a little each day — Cozy Grove nails that rhythm on a haunted-but-wholesome island. It’s widely available across PC and consoles.
My Time at Sandrock
For players who like the building and crafting side of cozy games more than the farming, Sandrock is a charming workshop-and-town-restoration sim with a real story, likeable characters, and tons to make. Available on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch.
A note on Pokémon Pokopia
Nintendo fans may have heard of Pokémon Pokopia, an announced Animal Crossing-style cozy game — but it’s a Switch 2 exclusive, so it won’t help PC or PlayStation players. For a cross-platform option, the games above (and Animula Nook) are the way to go.
The bottom line
Animal Crossing isn’t leaving Nintendo any time soon — but the cozy genre has more than enough to fill the gap, whatever you play on. For something to dig into today, Stardew Valley and Disney Dreamlight Valley are the safest bets. And if you want the one most likely to deliver a true, cross-platform Animal Crossing successor, Animula Nook is the one to wishlist and watch.
New to Animula Nook? Start with our beginner’s guide and see how it compares to Animal Crossing. You can also pre-register on the official site to be ready at launch.
AnimulaNook.gg is an unofficial fan wiki and is not affiliated with LilliLandia Games or Tencent Games. All other games are property of their respective developers and publishers.