July 2025 is the Month of the Cozy Game

Cozy game players have an amazing July ahead. Games like Fields of Mistria and The Sims 4 are getting major updates and an expansion pack respectively, while the long-anticipated Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game will finally arrive after months of delays.

Cozy games are having a moment. Stardew Valley recently topped Steam’s Best Game of All Time list, while other cozy games by indie developers such as Fields of Mistria, Melatonin, and Tiny Glade are receiving overwhelmingly positive reviews on Steam. The Steam Summer Sale, which runs until July 10, means that most of these games are on sale, and are significantly cheaper than games developed by bigger studios. The Sims 4 expansion packs on the EA app and Steam are also on sale.

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July is Bringing Significant Updates to Popular Cozy Games

The Sims 4 is Getting a New Garden and Nature-Themed Expansion Pack

The Sims 4 will see a nature-themed expansion pack released this month. Titled The Sims 4: Enchanted by Nature, this expansion pack will add more plants, expand on gardening, and add an apothecary mechanic. The Build and Buy mode items will allow Sims to live in a hybrid home that is both indoors and outdoors, or retreat to the outdoors entirely.

While not strictly a cozy game, The Sims 4 can still be played as one, and Enchanted by Nature‘s additions will emphasize this part of The Sims 4‘s gameplay. A cozy sim vibe can be created in The Sims 4 with the right expansion packs, particularly The Sims 4: Cottage Living, The Sims 4: Horse Ranch, and The Sims 4: Seasons.

Fields of Mistria is Getting More Romantic

Fields of Mistria has made waves in the cozy gaming space as an indie game with streamlined mechanics and compelling characters. Mistria feels like a town that’s alive thanks to the relationships its residents have with each other. Fields of Mistria‘s refined combat system, magic system, deep lore, and distinctive art style go a long way to making it a unique experience.

The best part is that Fields of Mistria already has dozens of hours of content for players, even while in early access. On July 21, there will be even more for players to discover as the third major update for Fields of Mistria will be released. July’s update is going to bring some features players have been waiting for months to experience, notably the introduction of a dating system. Players will finally be able to romance any of the marriage candidates, and experience events up to and including 8 hearts.

New Cozy Games are On the Horizon in July

Tales of the Shire will be released on July 29, just one week after Fields of Mistria‘s update. As the first cozy game set within the world of The Lord of the Rings, Tales of the Shire will allow players to create a hobbit and build a life within the Shire. Characters like Gandalf will appear, and features like cooking, foraging, gardening, and building friendships will be fully implemented.

One of the features that players can look forward to in Tales of the Shire is gridless decorating, which should allow for more freedom in decorating both indoors and outdoors, while eliminating frustrations such as off-center placement that tends to plague cozy games that work on a grid system.

Even cozy gamers who aren’t fans of The Lord of the Rings will get something out of Tales of the Shire. As the story is self-contained in the Shire, and will likely have little to do with the wider world of The Lord of the Rings, everyone will be able to participate in the game without needing to know about lore. If Tales of the Shire‘s cozy game features are a standout, it’ll likely appeal to a broad audience, especially as it deviates from Stardew Valley‘s formula and has a strong identity.