Why Aren’t There Any Exceptional Dog Games Like “Stray”?

Oh man, the internet and cats. It’s like they’ve taken over every corner, you know? Scroll through anything online, and bam—cats! Memes? Check. Videos? Double check. Rescue tales? You betcha. Seems like even the gaming scene can’t escape their furry paws. I mean, seriously, have you tried playing Stray? Little Kitty, Big City? Or dove into the Cat Quest series? I’m not exactly a fan of cats, believe it or not, but Stray won me over with that clueless, orange fluff. Yet, a rant sneaks up on me—where the heck are all the dog games?

Dogs in games, man, they almost always get the short end. They’re usually enemies. Why? Whether it’s those military canines in shooters or creepy hounds in Bloodborne. Let’s change it up, eh?

Imagine this: a super simple concept. We take a page from Little Kitty, Big City. Picture a lost dog trying to find its way home. The chaos would be real! Picture this pup running wild—digging holes, rolling in the muck, marking its turf on, well, pretty much everything. Hilarious, right?

Thing is, I’m craving a dog game that hits the emotions, kinda like a canine version of Stray or the tear-jerker Copycat. Dogs are emotional sponges—there for you no matter what. Stray hooks you because you feel everything as you play. So why not a “Stray but for dogs,” with all those feels?

How fun would it be to run after squirrels, zoom around after, uh, doing business, and rip through a pair of socks before putting on the cutest little regret face? There needs to be a snuggle button in these games—mandatory!

What really needs to happen? A surge of doggie adventures. From “Dog Quest The RPG” to an end-of-the-world “Stray Pup,” and oh my—a heartstring-tugging “From Shelter to Forever Home.” Ocean of possibilities here!

And you know what? It might be closer than we think. Farewell North dropped last year—totally nailed the dog game vibe. You’re a border collie bringing colors back to the world. How cool is that? I’ve got my eye on Ikuma for 2026, mixing climbing with dogs—sounds like magic. And then there’s Haunted Paws, a spooky yet sweet game with pups. I’m already sold.

Till then, I guess I’ll keep replaying Stray. It’s not exactly a dog fest, but it gives a juicy blueprint for those future dog-centered games to, you know, “borrow” from.

Anyway, bring on the dog games. Right?