Stardew Valley + Ghibli: 2026 Cosy Nintendo Switch 2 Port Locked In

This announcement has instantly made my day: Starsand Island, the highly anticipated cozy life sim from developer Seed Lab, is officially heading to the Nintendo Switch 2 in early 2026.

If you’re just hearing about Starsand Island now, let me be clear—it’s my top pick for the most exciting cozy gaming release of next year.The game leans into the beloved core premise of the genre: you’ll return to your childhood island to build a warm, fulfilling new life, packed with charming activities like romance, home decorating, gardening, farming, and so much more.

Yet Starsand Island sets itself apart from titles that follow in the footsteps of Stardew Valley or Animal Crossing with its remarkable ambition.Boasting a sprawling open world, a robust build mode that rivals the depth of The Sims, a layered NPC affection system, and an extensive array of vocations to pursue, there’s barely any limit to what you can do in this vibrant world.

I recently got the chance to dive into a full alpha build of Starsand Island, and it completely solidified my excitement for the game’s vision.In my preview, I wrote: “I previously called Starsand Island ‘the potential next major titan of the cozy genre,’ and after getting full access to this upcoming life sim’s alpha version, I’m fully convinced that bold claim was spot-on.”

“Starsand Island is the perfect blend of Animal Crossing, Stardew Valley, and The Sims—with even a hint of Studio Ghibli’s whimsical charm thrown in. But make no mistake: this isn’t just a mishmash of other games’ best features. Seed Lab has clearly studied the cozy genre inside and out, crafting what feels like the next evolution of relaxing, immersive life sims.

“I’m not overstating it when I say I could easily sink 100+ hours into Starsand Island—and that’s exactly what I plan to do when the final version launches in 2026.”

And Now It’s Coming To Nintendo Switch 2

Originally scheduled to debut on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S on 1 February 2026, Seed Lab has now confirmed that a Nintendo Switch 2 port is also in the works.

While the Switch 2 version of Starsand Island doesn’t have a precise release date yet (beyond a window of early 2026), we do know it will offer two gameplay modes: Quality Mode, which targets 45fps at 1080p, and Performance Mode, which prioritizes a smooth 60fps at 1080p.

“Bringing Starsand Island to Nintendo Switch 2 has been a long-standing goal for our team—life sims have always felt right at home on Nintendo consoles,” said Richardo Wang, creative director at Seed Lab.

“Even nearly a year before the game was announced, we knew we wanted our creation to be available on Nintendo’s next-gen platform. Starsand Island invites players to escape into a simple, idyllic pastoral life, and we believe that experience should be accessible whether you’re playing at home, commuting, or taking a quick break on the go.”