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Although I thoroughly enjoyed the recent Day of the Devs showcase was a delight to watch, my primary conclusion was not the intended one: I am declaring that 2026 will be the definitive year for frogs in video games.

No fewer than five of the featured titles—Frog Sqwad, Stretchmancer, Unshine Arcade, Awaysis, and Big Hops—prominently include these amphibious creatures. Considering a gathering of frogs is known as an army, it seems they are staking their claim.

The Enduring Appeal of Amphibians

Croaking characters are not at all new to the world of games. Looking back at titles like Frogger to the iconic froggy chair in Animal Crossing, they have consistently maintained a special place. However, their visibility has seemingly increased in recent times.

A cursory search for "frog game" on Steam reveals an staggering number of results. While, some of these are obscure titles, a great many are serious titles centered on frogs.

Tracking the Tadpole Trend

To quantify this phenomenon, I performed a detailed review into the past five years of frog-related gaming on Steam. My criteria was somewhat arbitrary, counting games with frogs in the title or prominently displayed in screenshots.

The results reveal an unmistakable trend: a consistent rise from less than 20 titles in 2020 to almost 60 in 2025.

This significant surge prompts the question: where is this interest coming from? The amphibian's rising status in the public consciousness is also visible elsewhere, for example the resurgence of Frog and Toad as beloved characters. But, the wave in gaming seems particularly strong.

Designing for a Sticky Tongue

In my opinion, this is a movement I can fully endorse. Frogs offer inherent design advantages for game developers.

• Weird Little Guys: They are ideally shaped to be designed as memorable characters that often become a highlight in any game.
• Innovative Systems: Their long tongues and prehensile tongues enable a myriad of innovative control schemes.

Many of the showcased games directly leverage these traits. Take the tongue-swinging in Big Hops and the stretchy arm puzzles of Stretchmancer.

On the Cusp of a Croaking Renaissance

So, what does this mean for 2026? Given five frog games already announced before the year has even started—and the chance for more—the trajectory is clear for it to be the most significant year yet.

When these games perform well—and traditionally, games from this showcase tend to succeed—we might just be witnessing a full-blown croaking cultural moment.