Game overview
Petit Planet: a small planet, a very large sky
Everything a new Planet Tender needs to know about HoYoverse's cosmic life sim: the Winter 2026 release window, confirmed platforms, the daily loop, the Starsea and the bits that are still a mystery.
What is Petit Planet?
Petit Planet is a free-to-play cosmic life simulation game developed by miHoYo and published by HoYoverse. You play as a Planet Tender working with Loomi Co., growing a tiny planetoid called a Planette, befriending anthropomorphic neighbors, farming, cooking, decorating and sailing through a region called the Starsea.
It is a slower, gentler game than HoYoverse's action RPGs. The tone is storybook: paper textures, round animal characters, a talking teapot and a lot of small daily rituals. The official tagline, "Weave your dreams beneath the stars", is a fairly accurate summary.
Petit Planet release date and platforms
HoYoverse confirmed a worldwide Winter 2026 release at gamescom on August 25, 2026. The exact launch day has not been announced. A pre-launch special program is scheduled for November 1, 2026 at 19:00 UTC+8 (11:00 UTC), and is the most likely place for the final date.
The confirmed platforms are Windows PC, iOS and Android. The official announcement says additional platforms are in development. There is no confirmed Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, PS5 or Xbox release, so treat social posts about those platforms as speculation until HoYoverse says otherwise.
What do you actually do?
The core loop is a cozy one: wake up on your planet, check the weather, talk to neighbors, water crops, catch a few creatures, cook something and decide whether to spend the afternoon decorating or sailing to a new islet. Progress is real-time, so some goals take multiple days.
- Grow your planet: upgrade the Luca Arbor to unlock beaches, farms, mountains, weather and more neighbor slots.
- Meet neighbors: base characters settle through the story; invite neighbors are found on Starsea Voyages and recruited through Bond levels.
- Collect creatures: fish, insects and shore-dwellers each use a different tool and have quality, size and star ratings.
- Cook and farm: grow ingredients, discover recipes and use strength values to plan your day.
- Decorate: craft furniture, raise your House Rating, upgrade your home and decorate neighbor houses through Homi Decor.
- Explore the Starsea: spend Star Anchors to dock at islets, solve puzzles, gather materials and meet future neighbors.
The neighbors are the heart of the game
Petit Planet has 17 known neighbors, each with a role, birthday, animal inspiration and distinct taste in gifts. Five are base neighbors who join through the story and do not use the bond or gifting systems. The other twelve must be encountered in the Starsea and invited to settle.
Neighbors are not just decoration. They have Bond levels, bond talents, personal houses and Homi Decor requests. Yunguo can water crops, Isaki can battle beetles, Tika can clear wildgrass and Rebella can help with stone guessing. The full gift guide lists every loved and liked item.
The four galaxies
The known Petit Planet galaxies are Hexia, Taffeh, Norvan and Pashah. Hexia and Taffeh are the two starting galaxies, with verdant plains and golden prairies respectively. Norvan and Pashah are still being revealed, but their neighbor rosters and moods are already taking shape.
Beta history and launch timeline
Petit Planet was announced on September 25, 2025. Three closed tests followed: the Coziness Test in late 2025, the Stardrift Test in spring 2026 and the Final Beta Test in autumn 2026. The Final Beta ended on October 19, 2026.
| Test | Dates | What it added |
|---|---|---|
| Coziness Test | November 7 – December 1, 2025 | First closed beta and the introduction to the daily planet loop. |
| Stardrift Test | April 21 – May 25, 2026 | Second closed beta, adding more Starsea and neighbor content. |
| Final Beta Test | September 20 – October 19, 2026 | Last public test before the Winter 2026 launch. |
The final beta is the source of most numbers on this wiki. Some values may change at launch. We mark beta-derived pages and link to the community wiki for raw data.
Pre-registration and rewards
Pre-registration is live on the official HoYoverse site. The guaranteed reward is the Bestie Star-Light, and additional milestone rewards include the Blissful Floral & Fruit Tea, Red Star Firework, Sweet Special, Bazaar Jelly and the Sproutling Outfit Set. Rewards are claimed by logging in at launch.
Our pre-registration guide has the full milestone list and a step-by-step sign-up walkthrough.
PC and mobile requirements
The Final Beta recommended Windows 10 or later, an Intel Core i5-11th Gen or AMD Ryzen 5 5000-series CPU, an NVIDIA RTX 2060 or AMD RX 5600 XT, 16 GB of RAM and about 20 GB of storage (the beta client was around 18 GB). Mobile specs are less clear, but iOS and Android are supported. The game also requires a constant internet connection.
See the full system requirements guide for the caveats, including emulator and Steam Deck notes.
Petit Planet FAQ
These are the questions we see most often from new players. The answers are kept short; the linked pages go deeper.
Field notes
Frequently asked questions
When is the Petit Planet release date?
Petit Planet is confirmed for a worldwide Winter 2026 release. The exact day has not been announced; the November 1, 2026 pre-launch special program is the next expected source of launch news.
What platforms will Petit Planet be on?
The confirmed platforms are Windows PC, iOS and Android. HoYoverse says additional platforms are in development, but there is no confirmed Nintendo Switch, PS5 or Xbox version yet.
Is Petit Planet free to play?
Yes. Petit Planet is free-to-play and cross-platform, with pre-registration open on the official HoYoverse website.
Is Petit Planet an Animal Crossing game?
No. It is a HoYoverse original cosmic life sim. It shares the slow-life rhythm of games like Animal Crossing, but adds a small planet, the Starsea, neighbor bonding and HoYoverse-style presentation.
Does Petit Planet have gacha?
HoYoverse has not announced a traditional character gacha. The beta focused on cosmetics, furniture, cooking and collection systems. Monetization details should be confirmed at launch.