As 2025 wraps up with many looking back fondly on the year, indie developers set to release in 2026 have starting sharing trailers for their upcoming titles. One prime example of this are the developers at ArtDock, who just released a new trailer for Pao Pao. While it may have been easy for such a trailer to get lost during the busiest parts of the year, this in-between period provided the perfect opportunity to share more information about the coop cooking simulator.
The game has players take control of an animal in charge of a small restaurant trying to earn the attention of the town. The core gameplay feature involves a classic formula of taking customer orders and supplying them before a timer runs out. In order to pass the time and expand the stories about their restaurant, players will also have access to minigames such as fishing, farming, and customizing the appearance of their character. Information from Pao Pao‘s Steam store page also confirms that in addition to leveling up cooking skills, players will also level up the shop itself, adding supplementary buildings like greenhouses and aquariums for resources.
The trailer also shows off the open-world aspect of the game, featuring collectable bonuses, achievements, and quests to complete. The quests can add an extra layer to the pressure, as important events may come up that the chefs will need to prepare their restaurants for. Perhaps the most interesting thing about the gameplay trailer is the emphasis it places on the multiplayer. Up to four players are able to help feed customers and once or help with any quests.
Pao Pao‘s new gameplay trailer gives gamers a look into what the new year will be like for games. It’s clear that there will be no shortage of simple indie games to enjoy. Pao Pao is set to release on consoles and PC in 2026 with the demo available now.