New free-to-play life-sim lands on Steam, hits 15,100-player peak in 12 hours with 350 reviews

It is safe to say that "cozy" gaming is no longer a niche genre on Steam. It's been a while since free-to-play giants like Palia and the The Sims FreePlay came in to pretty much dominate the space. Now Heartopia, developed by XD Games, is launching into this category. After a successful mobile launch earlier in January (where it topped charts in over 50 countries), the game made its official Steam debut on January 17, 2026. Within its first twelve hours, it hit a respectable concurrent player peak of 15,100 - and the number sits at 17,100 as of writing.

Heartopia looks to be a direct competitor to titles like Disney Dreamlight Valley, though there's one major change: it gets rid of the stamina system. The game is set on "Whale Island," and it focuses on a loop of home design, gardening, and high-level social dynamics. Players can spend hours fishing, cooking, or participating in real-time story events without being gated by an energy bar. Players also have a hobby system where progressing through activities like photography or fashion design unlocks special lifestyle-related rewards.

It is clear that the transition from mobile to a dedicated PC audience has been anything but smooth. The game currently holds a 66% "Mixed" rating aggregate on Steam, with the community’s primary grievance being its monetization model. While the game is free-to-play, it utilizes a "Gacha" system for high-tier cosmetics and vehicles - including an upcoming My Little Pony collab in February - that many PC players deem to be "predatory" compared to the more straightforward purchase models of competitors like Stardew Valley. Furthermore, technical complaints have also been spotted regarding "mobile-style" jank, including an unoptimized Unity-based engine.

Another reviewer was pretty frustrated because of text prompts asking for "taps" or "pinching" to zoom, adding that proper attention wasn't really given to the differences between platforms. This lack of polish can also be seen in the build mode camera, which lacks clear axis controls, and a total absence of native controller support - this effectively walls out Steam Deck users who were hoping for a cozy handheld experience.

This launch is quite different from our previous reporting on titles like Dreadmyst, which had a compact 600 MB build and a "truly free" promise. While Dreadmyst relied on steady wishlist activity and a small, dedicated following of 1,200 players to build its community, Heartopia is attempting to do the same through its mobile audience. For XD Games to succeed in the long term, they will have to address the "mobile afterthought" stigma and implement controller mapping and optimized PC controls. It does show potential for a free-to-play title, but only time will tell if it becomes a successful one.