The four platforms
| Platform | Released | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Windows (Steam) | 9 May 2024 | Also the version played on Steam Deck |
| PlayStation 5 | 9 May 2024 | Digital at launch; physical via Limited Run |
| Nintendo Switch | 9 May 2024 | Digital at launch; physical via Limited Run |
| Xbox Series X/S | 17 October 2024 | Five months after the other three |
Published by Bigmode, developed by Billy Basso with Shared Memory. That matters for one practical reason: it is a one-developer-scale game with a small publisher, so there has never been a second SKU of the same game — what shipped in 2024 is what you buy.
What it is not on
The platform list is short and worth stating plainly, because these are the questions that keep coming up:
- No PS4 or Xbox One version. If you are on last-gen consoles, there is no Animal Well to buy.
- No macOS or Linux build. The Steam release is a Windows release.
- No separate Switch 2 version. The Switch release is the one that exists.
Price and editions
Standard price at launch was $24.99 USD across digital storefronts. There is one edition of the game — no deluxe tier, no season pass, no DLC. Everything that looks like extra content (the second, third and fourth endings, the rabbits, the 64 eggs) is already inside the $24.99 purchase, which is unusual for a game with this much post-credits material.
The physical Collector’s Edition was a Limited Run Games release for Switch and PS5, ordered between 24 May and 23 June 2024. It is out of print, so buying physical today means the secondhand market.
Practical platform notes
- Steam Deck: the Steam version is the one the wiki lists as playable on Deck. It is a pixel-art game with eight-direction input, so it is not a hardware stress case.
- Controls: the whole game reads as eight directions — every flute code is a direction or a scale degree — so a d-pad is comfortable, but an analog stick works because the game snaps your input. On PC, keyboard and controller are both supported.
- Saving: saves happen at the phones scattered through the well. There is no manual save menu, and no cloud-save requirement to worry about before you buy — you save where the game tells you to.
- Install size: not fixed in any published spec. Patches move it, so read the store listing for your platform rather than a number from 2024.
Related guides
- Beginner guide — what the first hours actually ask of you
- Endings guide — the four endings included in the base game
- Map guide — how the grid and the phones fit together
- Tips and tricks
- Animal Well hub