Fishbowl Preview: A Month of Grief, Growth, and Video Calls
A heartfelt coming-of-age narrative game from a two-person studio in India. Fishbowl explores grief, isolation, and human connection through daily routines and video calls. Releasing April 2, 2026.
March 26, 2026 · 3 min read
Been gaming since the PS1 days. I have opinions and I'm not afraid to share them. If a game respects my time, I'll respect it back.
Your grandmother passed away. You just started a new remote job. The world outside your apartment feels impossibly far away, but your phone keeps buzzing with messages from people who care about you. This is where Fishbowl begins.
Developed by imissmyfriends.studio, a two-person team working part-time from Goa, India, Fishbowl arrives on April 2, 2026 for PC and PlayStation 5. Published by Wholesome Games Presents, it tells a coming-of-age story over the course of a single month. One day at a time. One video call at a time. One small act of self-care at a time.
What Makes Fishbowl Different
Most narrative games about grief put you in the aftermath. The funeral happened. The tears dried. Now you piece together what remains. Fishbowl does something rarer: it sits with you in the thick of it.
You play as Alo, a young woman navigating loss while simultaneously trying to hold down her first real job. The game unfolds through her daily routines. Wake up. Check your phone. Maybe water your plants. Definitely procrastinate on that work email. Call your mom. Cry a little. Go to bed. Repeat.
The mundane becomes meaningful here. Fishbowl treats the small stuff with the weight it deserves. Making yourself a meal when you do not feel like eating is an act of courage. Responding to a friend who texted three days ago counts as progress. The game understands that healing is not linear and rarely dramatic.
Slice of Life Meets Surreal
While the day-to-day gameplay stays grounded, Fishbowl weaves in surreal elements that mirror Alo's emotional state. Childhood memories surface as interactive puzzles. Objects in her apartment shift and change based on her mood. The fishbowl itself, her grandmother's old possession, becomes a recurring symbol that ties past and present together.
The developers describe the game as exploring what it means to live in isolation while nurturing connections. That tension between wanting to withdraw and needing human contact sits at the heart of the experience. Every video call is a choice. Every ignored message has weight.
The Team Behind It
imissmyfriends.studio is exactly what its name suggests. Two friends making a game about missing the people you love. They have been working on Fishbowl part-time, fitting development around their day jobs, and that scrappy energy shows in the game's handcrafted feel.
There is something fitting about a game this personal coming from such a small team. No publishers pushing for broader appeal. No focus groups smoothing away the rough edges. Just two people trying to capture something true about grief, adulthood, and the strange comfort of a pet goldfish swimming in circles.
What to Expect on April 2
Fishbowl releases April 2, 2026 on Steam, PlayStation 5, and PC. The game takes place over roughly a month of in-game time, though actual playtime will vary based on how much you explore Alo's apartment and how many optional conversations you pursue.
If you connected with games like Unpacking or A Short Hike, Fishbowl shares that same gentle approach to big feelings. It is not trying to make you sob. It just wants to sit with you for a while, in that weird space where sadness and growth coexist.
Sometimes the best games are the ones that remind you to water your plants and call your mom.