Lost and Found Co. brings hand‑drawn cozy chaos to TGS 2025 — here’s what actually matters

This TGS demo caught my eye for all the right reasons

Hidden-object games don’t usually headline Tokyo Game Show, but Lost and Found Co. is making a strong case. Thai studio Bit Egg Inc. is bringing a playable, bilingual demo (English/Japanese) to TGS 2025 in the Thailand Pavilion, Hall 6, Booth 06-C07, Sept 25-28. With over 150,000 Steam wishlists and multiple awards under its belt, this isn’t a whispery indie anymore-it’s one of the cozy scene’s potential breakouts. The hand-drawn art and a chill “Ducky’s Room” mode is the pitch, but the real question is whether it’s more Hidden Folks-style joy or just another item-hunt collage glued together by vibes.

Key takeaways

• Bilingual demo at TGS means localization and UI are a priority-good news for global release readiness.
• 150k+ wishlists is serious indie momentum, especially for a hidden-object title; now it needs hands-on proof.
• “Ducky’s Room” cozy mode suggests a pressure-free sandbox-great fit if the tactile feedback and micro-interactions land.
• Thailand Pavilion placement underscores Southeast Asia’s rising dev scene; expect devs on hand for honest Q&A.

Breaking down the demo: what to try and why

If you’ve played Where’s Wally books as a kid or sunk hours into Hidden Folks, you know the drill: dense, hand-crafted scenes stuffed with tiny stories. Lost and Found Co. is chasing that same “lean in and smile” energy. At the booth, prioritize two things: the main puzzle scene flow and Ducky’s Room.

Main scenes should rise or fall on three pillars: legibility, interaction, and clue design. Legibility means crisp lines, readable silhouettes, and smart zoom—if you can’t tell a thimble from a beetle at a glance, that’s a red flag. Interaction is about more than clicking a list: do objects react in playful ways, chain into mini-puzzles, or change state after a nudge? Finally, the clue writing needs personality. “Find the red key” is filler; “Someone fed a key to a greedy koi” is storytelling. Ask the team whether later chapters remix scenes or introduce light logic puzzles—hidden-object games can get samey fast if they don’t escalate.

Ducky’s Room, the cozy mode, is the wildcard. If it’s just a static chill screen, that’s fine; if it doubles as a sandbox with gentle tasks, collectibles, or diorama customization, it becomes the “I’ll boot this up for 10 minutes” loop that keeps players returning between story chapters. I’ll be watching for tactile touches (soft sound design, subtle haptics if controllers are supported later, and playful micro-animations) that make simple interactions feel rewarding.

Why this matters now: the cozy hidden-object boom

Cozy puzzle games have exploded the past few years, but hidden-object specifically is having a renaissance. Hidden Folks proved the genre can be stylish and modern; Amanita’s catalog reminds us hand-drawn worlds age gracefully. Lost and Found Co.’s wishlist count puts it in rare company for a niche genre. For reference, 150k+ pre-release wishlists is the kind of number that often translates to a big launch week—if the demo converts curiosity into trust. That means clean onboarding, snappy scene transitions, and quality-of-life staples like hint cooldowns, adjustable text size, and colorblind-safe palette choices.

The other storyline here is regional. Thailand’s game scene is quietly stacking wins—think Yggdrazil’s Home Sweet Home and Urnique’s Timelie—so seeing Bit Egg take a swing on the TGS floor isn’t just symbolic. It’s a signal that Southeast Asia’s studios are comfortable playing on the global stage with art-forward, premium-feel projects. Don’t be surprised if this booth is busier than it looks on the map.

Practical booth intel and what to ask the devs

Where and when: Thailand Pavilion, Hall 6, Booth 06-C07, Sept 25-28 (TGS 2025). Expect a short queue—there are prize giveaways, and swag attracts traffic. If you care about the game more than the merch, hit the booth early or during mid-day lulls.

• Try both languages if you can. UI density and clue nuance can shift between English and Japanese—great stress test for localization.
• Zoom and pan obsessively. If it fights you, that’s a usability issue. If it feels buttery, that’s a great sign for longer sessions.
• Ask about accessibility: text scaling, high-contrast options, hint timing, and input rebinding.
• Ask about inputs and platforms: mouse-first is expected on PC, but hidden-object plays beautifully with touch—Switch or mobile later?
• Clarify the cozy loop: is Ducky’s Room cosmetic, progression-linked, or hosting rotating “daily find” challenges?

One more PSA: don’t confuse this with Lost & Found Agency on Switch—different studio, different vibe. Bit Egg’s project is the hand-drawn, narrative-forward one with the tiny-dragon energy and the polished art book look.

What I’m watching post-TGS

Wishlists are cool, but retention is cooler. I’m looking for signs this isn’t a one-and-done evening: evolving scenes, gentle metagame progression (collections, upgrades, or story hub growth), and puzzle variety beyond “find the thing.” If Bit Egg nails that, this could be a staple of the cozy rotation rather than a weekend fling. A solid demo at TGS often correlates with confident release timelines; if the team talks dates, I’ll be listening—politely skeptical but hopeful.

TL;DR

Lost and Found Co. is making a serious play at TGS 2025 with a polished, bilingual demo and a cozy “Ducky’s Room” mode. If the moment-to-moment searching feels tactile and the clue writing sings, 150k wishlists might be the floor, not the ceiling. Booth 06-C07 in Hall 6—go early, poke every corner, and ask the devs the good questions.