Birdwatching is one of the only hobbies I recommend absolutely everyone gets into, but if you're yet to pick up a pair of binoculars and see what the great outdoors has to offer, I've found a handful of upcoming birdwatching games that may appeal slightly more than getting your boots on and heading outside. While you won't be able to tick any of these birds off your life list, you've got to start somewhere.
A lot of the time these games will send you wandering around different biomes and taking pictures of whatever you spot, but on the odd occasion, you can just sit back and see what comes to you instead. Either way, you might find a new love for birding here, and that's certainly not something to complain about. Here are four upcoming birdwatching games to keep tabs on if you want to see what birds you can find from the comfort of your own home.
Flock Around
Release date: To Be Announced | Demo?: Yes
I spent a decent few hours in the demo, running around snapping photos of the 20 allocated birds your guidebook gives you. Get too close too quickly and the birds will fly away, or run around screaming, and they might hide for a while, much like real life. It's not exactly the laughter-inducing high-stakes experience a lot of co-op games offer, but that doesn't make it any less fun. There's a possibility that shiny versions of the birds will spawn too, which makes tracking them down even more thrilling. Having completed my guidebook in the demo, I'm ready for the full release now though—even though we don't have a date for that yet.
Birdwatching Notebook
Release date: 2026 | Demo?: Yes
Over time, different species of birds will visit your garden, such as hoopoes, warbling white-eyes, and house sparrows, all of which bring you different treasures to exchange for coins and more decorations for your setup. As far as idle games go, it's certainly the type of one you could easily sink hours and hours into without realising. The demo alone consumed more of my time than I like to admit, so when it eventually releases this year, according to Steam, I look forward to continuing my obsession of watching over my virtual windowsill like a hawk.
Look to the Birds
Release date: Q3 2026 | Demo?: No
It looks like Look to the Birds aims to offer a more meditative adventure rather than a frantic race to spot as many birds as possible. With no demo, no specific release date on Steam, and only a vague window of "Q3 2026" it could be a while before we can really experience what this means, but I'm certainly looking forward to it.
Birding Simulator: Bird Photographer
Release date: Coming Soon | Demo?: No
I've been waiting for this game to release for years, so including it on this list is definitely a bit optimistic. But, I'm still hopeful that one day we'll get to play T-Bull's Birding Simulator: Bird Photographer, even if its release window is still "coming soon" on Steam. Mostly because camera gear is incredibly expensive and sometimes difficult to master, so I'd much rather try it virtually in a game that boasts a realistic photography system before investing my life savings. Plus, with a game like this, at least you're going to see something worth photographing.
