PlayStation 5 Gets Stardew Valley-Style Farming Sim With Studio Ghibli This Month

PlayStation 5 owners are getting a treat in August with the arrival of a new farming sim that feels like a mix between the legendary Stardew Valley and Studio Ghibli vibes, and you may not want to miss out on it. There are tons of cozy games available on Sony’s gaming platform, and finding one that sticks may be a tough choice. In June, a free cozy adventure game for PS5 was released, allowing players to enjoy the calm of building their own homestead while also experimenting with different spells.

The game, called Spellfarers, comes on top of several other titles that allow for relaxation as you play, each with its own unique twist on the formula. Some of them succeed, while others aren’t as appealing. After all, some players are after games like Stardew Valley, which was revolutionary for the genre, even if the farming sim was far from being the first of its kind. The influx isn’t stopping anytime soon, and in August, we’re getting another cozy game release that may be the pick for you.

Starsand Island Is Coming To PlayStation

Starsand Island screenshot of a two characters at the train station

As one of the main game releases in August, Starsand Island is finally making its way onto PlayStation platforms. The farming sim has been available in Early Access on other platforms for a few months now, so a lot of its content is already known. However, over on the PS5 side of the industry, the title will finally be made playable, as the full release of Starsand Island is scheduled for August 18.

Starsand Island is a cozy third-person farming sim that features all the mechanics you love and adore from other titles, such as gardening, harvesting, fishing, and more. As someone who’s been steadily playing it since the release of Starsand Island in Early Access back in February, I like to describe it as a 3D version of Stardew Valley, even if there are some other differences. Even so, there’s a lot more in common than not, so it’s the most comprehensible way of understanding the game.

When Does Starsand Island Hit Nintendo Switch 2?

Starsand Island screenshot of a player character hugging a squirrel

The game will not be exclusively released on PlayStation 5. In fact, it has been available in Early Access on Xbox Series X/S and PC since February, and will be fully released for those platforms, too. August 18 is the universal release date for Starsand Island on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2. If you’ve been waiting to play this cozy game on the hybrid device and have had your eyes on some of the romance candidates in Starsand Island, this is great news.

August 18 will represent the full release of the game in its digital version, though the game will also receive a physical edition, scheduled for release on November 12. The wait is almost over, as the developers at Seed Sparkle Lab have been building the game alongside the community for quite some time. Now, Starsand Island will break the barriers of its previous limitations, and you’ll be able to enjoy this farming sim on platforms like PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2.