It is impossible to deny the similarities between Animal Crossing and Petit Planet, a new life sim from the makers of Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail. Both games are twee crafting sims about managing small villages. Both feature a wide cast of anthropomorphic animals. Both are built around a feedback loop of meditative bliss.
But Petit Planet, which is developed by miHoYo and published by HoYoverse for a planned winter 2026 release, impresses despite its commitment to well-established form. I recently played an hour of the game at Gamescom 2026 and found myself drawn into its idyllic vibes, though left wondering about its long-term appeal.
Why Petit Planet could be a legit Animal Crossing replacement
The first person you’re introduced to in Petit Planet is… yourself. Though the game is populated with anthropomorphic animals, you play as a human. You’re hired by a company called Loomi Co. to help revitalize uninhabited planets in a solar cluster called the Starsea. When designing a character, you can choose from a variety of titles, like Hustling, Grass-Gathering, Stargazing, Laid-Back, Popular, and Essay-Writing. (Guess which one I chose.) You can also name yourself. I went with Ari1.
You then select a planet. I was given two options, though the wheel from which I selected them suggested more might be available in the final version of the game: Hexia, a mildly temperate world where plums grow with abundance, or Taffeh, a savanna world drenched in red sunset and home to forests of mango trees. From what I can tell, the most important factor here is the fruit choice, which will serve as the basis of your cooking, trading, gifting, and eating at the start of the game.
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