The Day I Became a Bird, a narrative adventure game inspired by children’s literature and animated storytelling, will launch for PlayStation 5, Switch, and PC via Steam on April 16 for $19.99 / £12.99 / €14.99, publisher Numskull Games and developer Hyper Luminal Games announced. The game is based on a storybook by French author Ingrid Chabbert and Spanish illustrator Guridi, with accompanying animated short by PASSION Animation.
“The heart of this project was always about capturing what love feels like before you really have the words for it,” said PASSION Animation founder and CEO Andrew Ruhemann in a press release. “We wanted to create something that feels like a picture book you can step inside, where small moments and quiet feelings matter just as much as big story beats.”
Author Ingrid Chabbert added, “When I first imagined Frank’s story, it was always about that very small, very brave feeling of wanting to be seen by someone you really care about. Seeing it take flight as a game has been incredibly moving. It allows players not just to read about those emotions, but to step inside them—to feel the tenderness, the awkwardness, and the quiet courage of first love in a completely new way.”
A $24.49 / £17.99 / €19.99 “Feathered Adventurer Edition” will also be available, which features the base game and film with a digital art book and the original soundtrack.
Here is an overview of the game, via Numskull Games:
The Day I Became a Bird tells the story of Frank, a quiet child with big feelings as he develops his first crush on Sylvia—who only has eyes for birds. This cozy game is a gentle, painterly journey through classrooms, playgrounds, and imagined spaces, as Frank navigates love, shyness, and self-expression. Through exploration, collection, and light puzzle-solving, he sets out with one simple goal: to capture Sylvia’s attention.
Based on a storybook by French author, Ingrid Chabbert and Spanish illustrator, Guridi, and accompanying animated short by Passion Animation, the game blends those visuals with light and delicate interaction and is designed to be warm, welcoming, and emotionally resonant, offering a reflective alternative to the fast-paced, high-pressure play that tends to dominate. The game invites players of all ages to experience a world shaped by curiosity, vulnerability, transformation—and to fly like a bird!
The Day I Became a Bird draws on PASSION’s roots in animation and storytelling, alongside Hyper Luminal Games’ talent for building heartfelt narrative adventure games, bringing a hand-crafted, illustrative aesthetic to an interactive format. The title focuses on mood, movement, and emotional clarity rather than traditional mechanics, positioning itself as a narrative experience as much as a game.
Watch a new trailer below.