HoYoverse's tiny-planet life sim finally has a date on the calendar. Petit Planet, the studio's first slow-life game, launches on December 4, 2026, on PC, iOS and Android, according to Japanese outlets Famitsu, 4Gamer and Automaton. Automaton reports that HoYoverse announced the date on October 30.
One note before we go further: we couldn't check HoYoverse's own announcement directly, because its official news page didn't load in a readable form for us. Everything below is credited to the outlets reporting it.
The dates that matter
The headline is December 4. Famitsu and 4Gamer both report that pre-downloads open three days earlier, on December 1, so the game can be downloaded ahead of launch. Automaton also reports the December 1 pre-download start.
Famitsu reports that pre-registration is open on all three platforms and that pre-registering earns a bonus set: a "Starry Sky Penlight" and a "Star Sapling".
A preview show on November 1
HoYoverse had already lined up a release preview broadcast for November 1. Famitsu reports that it airs at 20:00 Japan time on the studio's official YouTube channel and official X account. Automaton notes that the release date was announced ahead of that broadcast.
Alongside the date, Famitsu reports two campaigns on X with entries closing on November 15: a draw for an appliance set and gift cards, and a "Move-in Guide Pamphlet" campaign with prizes including a suitcase and more gift cards. Automaton also mentions suitcases and gift cards among the rewards on official social media.
What kind of game this is
If you've only seen the name float past, here's the short version. Famitsu, 4Gamer and Automaton all describe a game where you look after a star of your own. Famitsu lists growing crops, fishing, crafting and exploring, and says you can reshape the terrain and arrange areas the way you like. Automaton adds outfit and hairstyle changes, a cast of neighbours you get to know, multiplayer, and gacha. Famitsu mentions multiplayer with friends too.
Automaton includes gacha in its feature list but gives no detail on how it works or what it sells.
The date follows the game's final beta. Automaton reports that a final beta test ended on October 19, 2026, and that HoYoverse's closing notice said player feedback from the beta would be used to polish the world further. Until now there was only a window: PocketGamer.biz reported on August 26 that pre-registration had opened ahead of a planned winter 2026 launch.
Riley's take: HoYoverse built its name on sprawling adventures like Genshin Impact, so watching it go small, quiet and cosy is genuinely interesting. Dropping the date before its own preview show takes the obvious headline out of that broadcast, so I'm curious what HoYoverse is saving for November 1. The bigger open question is the gacha: a life sim lives or dies on whether you feel relaxed or nudged, and until we see how it's set up, I'm keeping my excitement at a gentle simmer rather than a full boil.
Reporting notes