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Although I thoroughly enjoyed the recent indie games event was highly engaging, my primary conclusion was not the intended one: I am certain that 2026 will be the definitive year for frogs in video games.

A surprising total of five of the highlighted projects—Frog Sqwad, Stretchmancer, Unshine Arcade, Awaysis, and Big Hops—prominently include these hoppy characters. Given that a collection of frogs is termed an army, it appears they are launching an invasion.

A Legacy of Leaping

Croaking characters are far from new to the interactive entertainment. From the arcade classic Frogger to the iconic froggy chair in Animal Crossing, they have enjoyed a cult following. But, their visibility has noticeably exploded in recent times.

A quick search for "frog game" on Steam yields an overwhelming flood of results. Although, some of these are low-budget titles, a great many are legitimate Frog Games.

A Data-Driven Dive

To grasp this trend, I undertook a thorough analysis into the past five years of frog-related gaming on Steam. My criteria was admittedly subjective, focusing on games with frogs in the title or clearly visible in screenshots.

The results paint a clear picture: a steady increase from under 20 titles in 2020 to nearly 60 in 2025.

This dramatic growth prompts the question: why the sudden leap? The creature's rising status in the public consciousness is also apparent elsewhere, for example the resurgence of Frog and Toad as beloved characters. However, the trend in gaming appears uniquely powerful.

Designing for a Sticky Tongue

In my opinion, this is a trend I can fully endorse. Frogs have natural creative potential for game developers.

• Unique Characters: They are ideally shaped to be designed as memorable characters that frequently end up as a fan favorite in any game.
• Innovative Systems: Their long tongues and prehensile tongues enable a host of creative gameplay ideas.

A number of the featured titles directly leverage these traits. For instance the tongue-swinging in Big Hops and the elasticity-based puzzles of Stretchmancer.

The Leap Into 2026

So, what is the outlook for 2026? With five frog games already announced before the year has even begun—and the potential for more—the stage is set for it to be the most significant year so far.

If these games are received positively—and based on past trends, games from this showcase often do—we could very well be witnessing a true amphibian entertainment revival.