Summary

While your options can be a bit hit or miss when it comes to playtime, features, or consistent updates, especially when compared to paid options, it’s still possible to settle down with a nice, cozy game for the incredibly low price of free.

Thankfully, the time you’d otherwise spend sifting through the mountain of free games available on digital marketplaces like Steam, Android, and iOS, or Nintendo Switch can go right back into your pocket, so to speak, since the best, free cozy games to play can be found just below. Oh, and don’t forget to wrap yourself up in a nice, soft blanket.

Nikki posing in the Flowing Colors outfit in Infinity Nikki.

Updated on July 26, 2025, by PJ Molloy:When times get stressful, what better way to unwind than with a cozy game? If you need to de-stress, check out the newest recommendations we’ve added, all of which can be played without spending a cent.

Widely considered the best in its series, Infinity Nikki brings a new element of coziness to the open-world genre. Take control of the titular Nikki as she explores the magical world of Miraland with her kitten Momo. The catch? You candress her up in different outfitsto access various abilities.

Haru in bed from One Night, Hot Springs.

Since the gameplay is light on combat, you’re free to enjoy the fascinating story, explore the world, and focus on the fashion design mechanics in a stress-free environment. If you’re new to the open-world genre, this game is a great place to start.

13One Night, Hot Springs

A Powerful LGBTQ+ Visual Novel

Looking for a heartwarming story? One Night, Hot Springs isa wholesome visual novelwith excellent LGBTQ+ representation. The plot follows Haru and her friends as they attend a birthday party at a bathhouse. Things get emotional when each character opens up about their struggles with mental health, gender identity, and sexuality.

Not only is the writing fantastic, but each character has a meaningful and relatable story that’s sure to tug at the heartstrings. It’s a short game, but the endearing plot and powerful message ensure it sticks with you long after the credits roll.

A young man looking at a massive horn on the beach from Resonance of the Ocean.

12Resonance Of The Ocean

Solve Wholesome Puzzles

Resonance of the Ocean isa short yet wonderful puzzler. A mysterious sound from across the ocean has brought you to the edge of a tropical island. Using only objects that have washed up on the beach, you must solve puzzles to figure out what the noise is and what it means.

Everything about the game is brimming with charm, from its gorgeous hand-drawn art style to the stunning soundtrack. The puzzles are clever without being too challenging, and the story is as wholesome as it gets. Don’t sleep on this underrated gem.

The woman from Virtual Cottage using a computer in her cozy bedroom during the evening.

11Virtual Cottage

Who Knew Video Games Could Be Productive?

It can be hard to stick to a schedule, commit to productivity tasks, or meet a deadline when all you want to do is procrastinate. If this sounds relatable, have you ever tried to ‘gamify’ your routine? With Virtual Cottage, you’ll be able to do just that.

All you have to do is let yourself sink into the comfy lo-fi music, toggle and adjust the weather settings to get the ambiance just right, and commit to a task of your choosing, which will begin an in-game timer that will only stop when you need a break, finish the task, or close the game.

A man with a green shirt and a woman with a dark purple and green shirt looking at a wooden board with a house symbol in Palia.

Palia is a relaxing life sim whereyou can build a serene farmsolo or with friends and other players. Explore a beautiful world, cast a line and catch some fish, get your hands dirty with some farming, run around catching insects, or craft useful items and workstations.

If you’re in the mood to chill, you could always find a nice in-game spot and take in the vibrant scenery. And for all of you interior designers out there, rest assured there’s an in-depth house customization system; you get everything just how you want it.

A screenshot from Idle Fishing, in which four people are on a green boat with an upgrade menu on the right side of the screen.

9Idle Fishing

Enjoy A Peaceful Lakeside View

Need something to put on your monitor while you focus on something else? Idle Fishing could be just what you’re looking for, especially if you like the idea of continually progressing in a game without having to pay too much attention to it.

If you sink enough time into this game, you’ll have a fancy new boat, extra crewmates that will catch fish for you, numerous upgrades that improve your fishing prowess, buildings that generate passive income, and access to a fancy ascension perk tree.

A screenshot of An Arcade Full of Cats, in which four blue kittens hide in a cluttered arcade.

8An Arcade Full Of Cats

Search For Kittens In This Adorable Hidden Object Game

At first glance, An Arcade Full of Cats is exactly what you’d expect. However, once you start playing, you realize this little gem is more than cute kittens and a charming art style. It’s a time-jumping journey that explores decades of retro arcade systems.

In terms of gameplay mechanics, if you’ve ever enjoyed playing Where’s Waldo, then you’ll likely find similar enjoyment in exploring AAFC’s aesthetically rich visual environment and slowly scanning for cats hidden in all kinds of nooks and crannies.

A screenshot of Fishing Planet, in which you see a first-person view of person on an orange boat holding a white fishing rod and a caught fish.

Fishing Planet is a first-person, multiplayer fishing simulator with crossplay between PC and mobile users, well over 100 fish to catch, and over 20 different environments to chill out in, cast lines, and wait for nibbles.

Fishing Planet has to be one of the most realistic and visually impressive fishing simulators out there. While it does have a lot of optional, paid content, you might as well give the base game a try, especially since it doesn’t require you to dunk your fingers into a plastic container full of dirt and wriggly earthworms.

A screenshot from Leaf Blower Revolution, in which you see a top-down view of a lawn full of green, orange, and yellow leaves, and a character holding a rake.

Leaf Blower Revolution is an incremental idle game that doesn’t require you to destroy your index finger, unlike other games like Cookie Clicker. Instead, you may chill out and move your mouse around to control your character, who starts with a humble rake.

As you play, you’ll unlock tools that increase your leaf-dispersing effectiveness, new areas and pets, streams of passive income, shops, and item crafting. Eventually, you’ll be able to unlock unique bonuses. Plus, watching your numbers go up is pretty sweet.

A female Sim typing on her desktop computer in The Sims 4.

The Sims 4 has been around for quite a while, but that doesn’t mean it’s old and worn out. On the contrary, it’s a pretty complex, feature-rich experience. While you’ll have to pay for DLC, the base game is completely free. Took you long enough, EA.

The gameplay involves designing characters called Sims, building and decorating their homes, and managing their lives. You can help your Sim find love and raise a family, or give birth to a vampire andhave an affair with the Grim Reaper. You never know what to expect, but that’s part of the fun.