A Japanese visual novel where you're a pet hamster doted on by three sisters is back on Steam

I never expected to see "I got reincarnated… as a hamster!" as the opening words of a game's description on Steam. After crossing that dread threshold, I certainly didn't expect to see a banner on the same page warning me about "frequent nudity or sexual content." But here we are: grass grows, sun shines, and Sweet Hamster Days is planned to release in Q3 of this year.

This is the second time the game has announced a release date, however, as things went south the first time around (thanks, Automaton). As the developer posted on X in late 2025, Sweet Hamster Days was pulled from Steam "due to various circumstances" before its original release window of winter 2025. It will release on Epic Games Store and DLsite as well.

It's not clear why the removal happened in the first place. Games with mature content are being policed more and more by storefronts like Steam, and high-profile cases like the one involving horror indie Horses suggest inconsistent standards across the board, but I can't say for certain that Sweet Hamster Days was targeted specifically for its adult content.

If you're unfamiliar with the game, it's a "live-action romance sim" where you play as a lad named Kota who's reincarnated as a hamster named Hamta. Players take the role of beloved pet to three sisters and try to patch a rift that has grown between them using Hamta's "tiny paws and big heart," to use the Steam page's words.

Now, if you're wondering if this is also a sex thing, the answer seems to be (at least partially) yes. "This production contains scenes featuring characters in swimwear and other revealing attire," proclaims the Steam page, also musing that you'll "fall in love" with one of the girls. I don't think Sweet Hamster Days is a straight-up animal sex game—this isn't Baldur's Gate 3 we're talking about—but just be aware that you shouldn't go into this expecting a wholesome and platonic hamster experience.

I have to admit that I'm a bit disappointed by the romantic angle. I often envy the lives of my pet guinea pigs, who spend the entire day eating and pooping simultaneously in-between naps. It is, I imagine, a lavish existence. On the other hand, hamsters have that wheel to put up with; sounds too much like a 9-to-5.