Gamescom and Future Games Show highlight several upcoming animal-centric games

GG Brief Editorial Desk · AI-assisted, source attributed

After Gamescom Opening Night Live and the Future Games Show, multiple upcoming titles let players control animals or anthropomorphic hybrids across genres and platforms. Notable examples include Amphibian (humanoid frogs with ribbit-only voice audio), Bye Bye Bonnie (four-player co-op with minuscule characters and a jump-operated ship), Haunted Paws (cozy co-op horror starring two puppies rescuing their owner), and Gravhounds (humanlike canine colonists sent to a new planet). This matters because these releases show a cross-platform design trend that pairs distinctive mechanics and tones—retro RPGs, small-scale co-op, cozy horror, and sci-fi colonization—with animal protagonists.

• Amphibian — developed by Jarcorp Interactive, coming to PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Switch in 2028; dialogue is recorded as ribbit sounds with English on-screen translations.
• Bye Bye Bonnie — developed by Brainwash Gang and Raw Fury for PC with a four-player cooperative adventure featuring tiny characters and a ship controlled by jumping on its controls; release date TBD.
• Haunted Paws — developed by LazyFlock for PC, Nintendo Switch, and Switch 2; a cozy co-op horror where two puppies drive cars, play video games, and must rescue their owner from a haunted mansion; release date TBD.
• Gravhounds — developed by Octopus Panic for PC and Xbox Series X|S, releasing November 2; features anthropomorphic canine heroes sent across the galaxy to colonize a planet.