Fishbowl is a slice-of-life narrative game from imissmyfriends.studio, a developer based in Goa, India. You play as Alo, a twenty-one-year-old navigating her first job, a new city, and the grief of losing her grandmother, all while working from home as a video editor. It launched on April 2, 2026, across PC, Mac, PlayStation 5, and Steam Deck.
What is Fishbowl about?
Fishbowl puts you inside Alo's daily life with no combat, no fail states, and no skill checks. The experience centers on connection and memory. You work from home as a video editor, reach out to friends, family, and coworkers, and sort through her late grandmother's belongings to piece together childhood memories.
The emotional core is grief and independence. Alo has just moved to a new city alone, and the game captures that specific feeling of being surrounded by people digitally while still feeling isolated in a new place.
Alo's home workspace in Fishbowl
Where can you play Fishbowl?
Fishbowl launched simultaneously across four platforms on April 2, 2026. Here's a quick breakdown of your options:
The Steam Deck verification was confirmed by the developer directly on X before launch. That means the game passed Valve's full compatibility checks, so controls, readability, and performance all meet the Deck's standards out of the box.
Steam Deck verified at launch
How do you access the free demo?
Head to Fishbowl's Steam page and download the demo directly. No purchase required. imissmyfriends.studio released an extended version of the demo on both Steam and PlayStation 5 before the full game launched, so you get a meaningful slice of the experience rather than just a brief teaser.
If you're on PS5, the demo is also available through the PlayStation Store.
Free demo on Steam
What makes Fishbowl different from other narrative games?
Most narrative games frame their emotional moments around external conflict. Fishbowl does the opposite. The tension comes entirely from internal and interpersonal space: managing work, staying connected with people who are far away, and confronting grief through physical objects like a late grandmother's belongings.
The video editing job mechanic is also worth noting. Working from home as a video editor isn't a minigame tacked onto a visual novel. It's part of how the game builds Alo's routine and world.
If you're expecting traditional game loops like progression systems, collectibles, or branching skill trees, Fishbowl isn't that. It's a slow, deliberate experience. Going in with the right expectations makes a significant difference.
Is Fishbowl worth playing?
Based on available information from IGN India's coverage, the game received a full review under the headline "Unboxing the Loneliness of Adulthood," which signals the emotional territory it covers. The free demo is the best way to decide for yourself before committing.
For players who connect with games like A Short Hike, Unpacking, or Coffee Talk, Fishbowl sits in that same space: low pressure, high emotional payoff, and built around a specific human experience rather than genre mechanics.
For more narrative game recommendations and the latest releases, browse more guides on GAMES.GG to find your next play.
Quick-start tips for new players
- Try the demo first. The extended demo on Steam and PS5 is generous enough to tell you whether the game's pace works for you.
- Play on Steam Deck if you have one. The verified status means the experience was specifically tested for handheld play, which suits a slow narrative game well.
- Don't rush. Fishbowl is designed around Alo's daily rhythm. Skipping through dialogue or interactions works against the game's intent.
- Sort through everything. The grandmother's belongings are central to the story. Engage with each item rather than treating it as a checklist.
PS5 players who pre-ordered received up to 72 hours of early access before the April 2 launch date. That window has passed, but the full game is now available at standard pricing.