Flock Around
2026 video game
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Flock Around is a 2026 birdwatching and photography simulation video game developed by Secret Plan Games and published by Secret Plan Games and Outersloth. It was released for Windows and macOS on 24 April 2026. The game takes place in a nature reserve, where players photograph birds, fill in a guidebook, and buy items and cosmetics with rewards earned from photographs.[2]
| Flock Around | |
|---|---|
| |
| Developer | Secret Plan Games |
| Publishers |
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| Engine | Godot[1] |
| Platforms | |
| Release | 24 April 2026 |
| Genres | |
| Modes | Single-player, multiplayer |
Gameplay
Flock Around can be played alone or cooperatively online with up to ten players. Players explore Goose Lake Sanctuary, search for birds across different biomes, and use a camera to photograph them;[2] the species are based on birds from the Pacific Northwest.[3] The guidebook asks players to photograph each bird in several poses, including front, back, side, and in flight. Birds may fly away if approached too closely or if players make noise through proximity chat.[4]
Photographs are developed for in-game money, with scores affected by factors such as distance and whether a bird has already been photographed.[4] The money can be spent on clothing, bird seed, camera upgrades, and binocular upgrades.[5] Players can also customise their birder with different colours, facial features, and clothing.[4]
Development and release
Flock Around was developed by Secret Plan Games, a studio based in Victoria, British Columbia.[6] In April 2026, Secret Plan Games was named as one of six recipients of $50,000 from Creative BC's Video Games Early Stage Growth Program.[3][7] The funding programme awarded a total of $300,000 to six British Columbia studios, with support intended for development work, staffing, technical infrastructure, business operations, marketing, community engagement, and localisation.[7]
In February 2026, NextPlay Australia reported that Outersloth had joined the game as a publisher and that the funding would support additional maps and regions after launch.[8] A demo was made available on Steam before release.[8][9] The full game was released on Steam on 24 April 2026.[2] The same day, Secret Plan Games released a paid supporter pack containing "Dapper" themed cosmetics, including suits, top hats, and a monocle.[10]
Reception
Writing for PC Gamer in December 2025, Lincoln Carpenter compared the demo to Pokémon Snap and described it as a multiplayer photography game centred on birdwatching.[9] Kara Phillips, also writing for PC Gamer, said the demo's guidebook contained 20 birds to locate and photograph, and noted that its cartoon presentation still drew on recognisable bird appearances and songs.[4] Riley MacLeod of Aftermath wrote that the game asked players to use some of the same skills as birdwatching, including spotting birds, approaching them, framing photographs, patience, and timing.[5] Polygon's Giovanni Colantonio described the game as a low-priced cooperative birdwatching game similar to Pokémon Snap.[11]
