PAO PAO launches worldwide on October 26
ArtDock's cosy seaside restaurant and life sim is scheduled to launch worldwide on October 26 with solo and four-player co-op.
PAO PAO will launch worldwide on Monday, October 26, ArtDock has confirmed through the game's official Steam listing. The cosy life-and-restaurant game is coming to PC with solo play and co-op for up to four players. 1
Steam lists the release date as October 26 and marks the game as coming soon at the time of writing, so this is a launch-date update rather than an announcement that the full version is already available. 1
What to expect
PAO PAO is set in a seaside town where players can explore, meet characters and gather resources while managing a restaurant. The central loop starts with building a small kitchen into a larger business: players install equipment, create a menu and serve customers as the restaurant grows. 1
The restaurant is only one part of the game. Players can grow crops, fish from the shore or a boat, collect resources in the forest and spend time in an arcade. The official description also highlights a customisable home, restaurant and garden, with furniture and decorations that can be rearranged as the town life develops. 1
ArtDock is also pitching PAO PAO as a social game. Up to four players can work together in the kitchen, split up to explore the town or ignore the sensible plan entirely and play its side activities, including boat races, basketball and water-gun fights. 2
The Steam listing gives the game a 26 October release date and lists a demo separately. It also identifies ArtDock as the developer and Dreland Enterprises as the publisher. The PC version supports Windows 10 and 11, requires 2GB of storage and carries full controller support. 1
The launch timing
The global release is scheduled across the usual regional rollover times, beginning at midnight Pacific and reaching 7am UTC. That means the game should arrive in the UK at 8am BST and in central Europe at 9am CEST, assuming the release proceeds without a last-minute delay. 3
Our opinion
PAO PAO is aiming for the comforting end of the life-sim spectrum, but its restaurant management and co-op activities give it a clearer hook than a simple decorating sandbox. The sensible expectation is a relaxed game built around routine, experimentation and playing with friends rather than a high-pressure management challenge. The only thing to watch is whether the breadth of its activities holds together once the full release replaces the demo.
1 Official PAO PAO Steam listing and release information.2 ArtDock's official PAO PAO website.3 Destructoid's release countdown report.