Serenity Forge and Studio Meadowflower revealed Vivarium during the Xbox Games Showcase 2026 — a hand-illustrated, anime-inspired life sim adventure developed in collaboration with Crunchyroll and Shochiku Games, coming to PC and Xbox in 2027. The announcement trailer offers a first look at its lush hand-painted world and introduces the premise: a cozy life in a tiny terrarium town, hiding something far more mysterious beneath the surface.
You play as Jenny, an eleven-year-old living in a pocket world called the Vivarium — a small, seemingly perfect terrarium town where the days are peaceful and the neighbours are charming. But as real-world days pass, mysterious events begin to unfold, revealing the true nature of the world Jenny lives in and the secrets it has been keeping. The game blends Animal Crossing-style life sim rhythm with a darkening narrative — cozy routines by day, mystery threading through every interaction.
The World of Vivarium
Each real-world day in Vivarium introduces new story events and discoveries throughout the hand-painted overworld. Completing main quests and major story events progresses narrative time forward, while each night opens into unrestricted free time — tend your garden, cook new recipes, decorate Jenny’s home, or settle in with her growing collection of books and vinyl records. The pacing is deliberate and unhurried, giving the player room to breathe between the story’s more consequential moments.
The game’s narrative layer has teeth: your choices and conversations affect the environments and people of the terrarium, shaping their individual stories and determining their endings. The line “Sprout quickly, little tree… but can this small world contain you?” in the press materials suggests the mystery isn’t just external — it’s about what Jenny herself is becoming as the world reveals itself to her.
Key Features
Vivarium — What to Expect
Collaborators
Vivarium is being developed in close collaboration with Crunchyroll — the world’s largest dedicated anime streaming platform — and Shochiku Games, the games division of Shochiku, a Japanese entertainment company founded in 1895. Serenity Forge serves as publisher, the same studio behind Doki Doki Literature Club Plus! and Puppergeist. The collaborator lineup gives Vivarium a direct connection to the anime community that goes beyond aesthetic inspiration.
Platforms
Vivarium arrives on PC and Xbox in 2027. Wishlist it on Steam now.
Wishlist Vivarium on Steam