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Finding Polka
Finding Polka is out on Steam. It won Most Wholesome at gamescom 2026 on August 28, adding to awards at BitSummit PUNCH, Tokyo Game Show, and BIC 2026. A demo is on Steam.
Synthesized from 4
Yomimono stories · updated
2d ago
Finding Polka is a non-verbal interactive adventure from studio lidlocks, published by PARCO GAMES. PARCO GAMES announced on July 29, 2026 that it would launch on Steam on August 12, and it did, at 1,500 yen with a 20% discount to 1,200 yen through August 25. Bundle versions with TOEM, Hidden through Time, and Lost and Found Co. are also available. Players guide Frendy and his dog Jazz as they chase a dog that resembles Polka, a companion from Frendy's childhood, searching a map that extends beyond the city. There is no dialogue or text; characters convey emotion through facial expressions, gestures, and sound effects.
The game is a collaboration. HIPHOP group DON YASA CREW, known for SONOKUNI, handled rap for insert songs and BGM. Hiroshi Sawatari, developer of NeverAwake and Magical Princess, directed the shooting game parts. Shoma, known for MotionRec, designed the stealth puzzle in the rocket factory section. Optional minigames include mini golf, whack-a-mole, soccer penalty kicks, boat races, watermelon splitting, and volleyball. A demo was available on Steam at launch.
The game won Most Wholesome at gamescom 2026 in Cologne, where winners were announced across 19 categories on August 28. It had also won awards at BitSummit PUNCH, Tokyo Game Show, and BIC 2026. The release follows an August 8 exhibition at Tokyo Game Dungeon 13, where an All-in-One Set with a Steam Activation Key Card and merchandise was sold ahead of launch, and wishlist registrants received a book cover.
Finding Polka is a non-verbal adventure from lidlocks, the studio of solo developer Shinnosuke Kumazawa. The ballpoint pen art took more than two years and 13 pens. The main story runs two to three hours. Helping characters earns a high-five, which one review reads as the game's emotional core.
Key facts
- Release
- Released on Steam on August 12, 2026. ↗
- Price
- Priced at 1,500 yen, with a 20% discount to 1,200 yen until August 25. ↗
- Developer
- Developed by lidlocks, the studio of solo developer Shinnosuke Kumazawa. ↗
- Publisher
- Published by PARCO GAMES, the game label of Parco. ↗
- gamescom award
- Won Most Wholesome at gamescom 2026, where winners were announced across 19 categories on August 28. ↗
- Other awards
- Has won awards at BitSummit PUNCH, Tokyo Game Show, and BIC 2026. ↗
- Art
- Ballpoint pen art that took more than two years and 13 pens. ↗
- Length
- The main story runs two to three hours. ↗
- Collaborators
- DON YASA CREW handled rap for insert songs and BGM; Hiroshi Sawatari directed the shooting game parts; Shoma designed the stealth puzzle in the rocket factory section. ↗
- Exhibition
- Exhibited at Tokyo Game Dungeon 13 on August 8, with an All-in-One Set sold ahead of release. ↗
Timeline
Synthesized by Yomimono from the cited Yomimono stories below, each itself
sourced, then editorially reviewed. Every
fact links the story it came from.
Facts
- Release
- game · 2026-08-12 · PC via Steam · 2026-09-17
- Release
- game · August 12 · 2026-09-03
- Release
- game · 2026-08-12 · 2026-08-04
- Release
- game · 2026-08-12 · Steam · 2026-08-12
- Announced
- Nintendo Switch version in production · 2026-09-17
- Announced
- Switch version will carry additional content including new stages, also planned for Steam · 2026-09-17
- Announced
- interactive adventure from developer lidlocks and publisher PARCO GAMES · 2026-09-15
- Announced
- game launch on Steam · 2026-08-04
- Announced
- won Most Wholesome at gamescom award 2026 (gamescom 2026) · 2026-08-29
- Noted
- won TGS2026 SELECTED INDIE 80 Excellence Awards PLATINUM (Best in Show), gamescom Award 2026 Most Wholesome, BITSUMMIT Award 2026 Best Visual Design and Kids Selection Award, and BIC Festival Award 2026 EXCELLENCE IN ART · 2026-09-17
- Noted
- The heroine, Frendy, spots a dog in the city that looks exactly like her former pet Polka and sets out to find it with her dog Jazz. · 2026-09-15
- Noted
- Helping residents in trouble turns them into friends, and the field is drawn in ballpoint pen. · 2026-09-15
- Noted
- non-verbal adventure · 2026-09-03
- Noted
- ballpoint pen art took more than two years and 13 pens · 2026-09-03
- Noted
- main story runs two to three hours · 2026-09-03
- Noted
- simple ballpoint pen art style · 2026-08-04
- Noted
- demo available on Steam · 2026-08-04
- Noted
- exhibited at Tokyo Game Dungeon 13 on August 8 · 2026-08-04
- Noted
- protagonist Frendy and his dog Jazz chase a dog resembling Polka · 2026-08-04
- Noted
- new trailer released · 2026-08-04
- Noted
- won awards at BitSummit PUNCH, Tokyo Game Show, and BIC 2026 · 2026-08-29
- Noted
- published by PARCO GAMES · 2026-08-29
- Noted
- interactive adventure about searching for a dog · 2026-08-29
- Licensed by
- Steam (global) · 2026-08-12
Connections
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CC BY 4.0.
Claim activity
When a claim about Finding Polka was confirmed, debunked, or disputed against
open-web sources. The record stays even after a claim drops off the facts list.
- Confirmed game launch on Steam 6d ago · source
All coverage
2d ago
PARCO GAMES announced on September 17, 2026 that a Nintendo Switch version of Finding Polka is in production. The dog-searching adventure game has no release date or price set for the Switch edition. The Switch version will carry additional content including new stages, and that same content is also planned for distribution on the Steam version. Finding Polka released on PC via Steam on August 12, 2026 at 1,500 yen. Every illustration and design in the game is drawn with ballpoint pen, and it has won TGS2026 SELECTED INDIE 80 Excellence Awards PLATINUM (Best in Show), gamescom Award 2026 Most Wholesome, BITSUMMIT Award 2026 Best Visual Design and Kids Selection Award, and BIC Festival Award 2026 EXCELLENCE IN ART. Tokyo Game Show 2026 runs from September 17 to 21 at Makuhari Messe, where the Switch version is playable at the PARCO GAMES booth, number 09-C65.
3d ago
Game Spark's Terukazu Yoshida played Finding Polka, an interactive adventure from developer lidlocks and publisher PARCO GAMES. The heroine, Frendy, spots a dog in the city that looks exactly like her former pet Polka and sets out to find it with her dog Jazz. Helping residents in trouble turns them into friends, and the field is drawn in ballpoint pen.
Sep 3
Finding Polka, released August 12 on Steam by PARCO GAMES, is a non-verbal adventure from lidlocks, the studio of solo developer Shinnosuke Kumazawa. The ballpoint pen art took more than two years and 13 pens. Players guide girl Frendy and dachshund Jazz as they chase the French bulldog Polka, following yellow guides into detours packed with gags and minigames. Helping characters earns a high-five. The main story runs two to three hours.
Aug 29
At gamescom 2026 in Cologne, the gamescom award 2026 winners were announced across 19 categories on August 28. Japanese indie title Finding Polka, created by studio lidlocks and published by PARCO GAMES, won Most Wholesome. The interactive adventure about searching for a dog has now also won awards at BitSummit PUNCH, Tokyo Game Show, and BIC 2026.
Aug 12
PARCO GAMES released Finding Polka, an interactive adventure by Japanese creative studio lidlocks, on Steam today, August 12, 2026. The game follows protagonist Frendy, who lives peacefully with his dog Jazz, as he searches for a dog resembling Polka, a companion from his childhood. Set in a world drawn with a ballpoint pen, players explore map areas while chasing Polka's figure, with optional mini-games such as mini golf, whack-a-mole, soccer penalty kicks, boat races, watermelon splitting, and volleyball. The game has no dialogue or words; characters convey emotions through facial expressions, gestures, and sound effects. Guest creators from the indie scene contributed, including HIPHOP group DON YASA CREW, known for SONOKUNI, who handled rap for insert songs and BGM, and Hiroshi Sawatari, developer of NeverAwake and Magical Princess, who directed the shooting game parts. Shoma, known for MotionRec, designed a stealth puzzle in the rocket factory section. The game is priced at 1,500 yen, with a 20% discount to 1,200 yen until August 25. Bundle versions with TOEM, Hidden through Time, and Lost and Found Co. are also available, and a launch trailer has been released.
Aug 4
PARCO GAMES, the game label of Parco, announced on July 29, 2026, that the interactive adventure game Finding Polka, developed by lidlocks, will launch on Steam on August 12. The game follows protagonist Frendy and his beloved dog Jazz as they chase a dog that closely resembles Polka, a dog Frendy owned in his childhood. The player searches a map to find Polka somewhere in the world, which the sources describe as fairly large, with the search extending beyond the city. The game features a simple ballpoint pen art style that creates a humorous and playful atmosphere. A new trailer was released alongside the announcement. The game will be exhibited at Tokyo Game Dungeon 13 on August 8, where an All-in-One Set, including a Steam Activation Key Card and original Finding Polka merchandise in a special pouch, will be sold ahead of the release. Visitors who register the game on their wishlist will receive a book cover, and those who know a secret phrase will get a Shirikodama Sticker on a first-come, first-served basis. A demo is currently available on Steam.