An indie art game where you draw your own fish to care for is unexpectedly making people cry

By the time we’re adults, we’ve generally decided whether or not we consider ourselves an “artist.” But as kids, we didn’t make that distinction. Every child is an artist, and that child artist still lives somewhere inside each of us. Perhaps that’s why a trailer for the brilliantly simple art game Drawquarium is making people cry. Take a look and see how it hits you: A surprisingly emotional response The Drawquarium trailer has drawn millions of views across social media platforms, and people are having similarly emotional responses to it. On YouTube: “I don’t know if I’m mad, or impressed, or what, but an ad for a game just made me cry a little.” “This might be the most adorable, charming and emotional little trailer I have ever seen. Made me cry! Good job.” “Wow, this legit made me cry.” “Pretty magical that you capture this feeling most people haven’t felt in years.” “THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS GAME MADE ME CRY AND IT’S NOT EVEN OUT.” And from X, on a share of the trailer that didn’t even come from the creator: “That moment of choosing “finance” over ‘art’ when stuck between thinking about a career and what truly makes you happy hit so hard.” “Wow. AI bros will never understand all the silent emotions here, and I feel sad for them.” “Tearing up at a trailer for an aquarium game wtffff.” “AND WHAT IF I STARTED SOBBING HUH? WHAT THEN.” A beautifully simple concept The game concept is quite simple. You create your own fish, which then live in your virtual aquarium. You feed the fish, maintain their aquarium, and enjoy watching them swim around. So why does this trailer feel so profound? First, the storytelling feels familiar. The moment of choosing between a career path that brings you joy and one that brings financial security. The tucking away of artistic endeavors until later, or “someday.” So many have experienced that. Second, it evokes the simple childhood joy of indulging the imagination. When you drew a fish as a child, you weren’t trying to draw a perfectly realistic 2-D fish. You were drawing a visual representation of the imaginary fish swimming around in your head. Seeing those childlike drawings come to life on a screen taps that nostalgic feeling perfectly. Third, the AI morphing into “Art is Back” and “Art is Human” hits right at the heart of the present moment. The questions and concerns looming over generative AI weigh on many of us. The desire to protect genuinely human-made art plus the pull of the child artist within us? That’s a powerful combo. The personal story behind the game Drawquarium is the brainchild of film 3D artist Kaleb Lechowski, who lives and works in Berlin. According to GameWatcher, he started developing the game about a year and a half ago after wondering if he could bring his children’s artwork to life. Here’s how Lechowski describes the game: “Draw your own fish & plants, feed them, raise them, & collect golden fish scales to unlock new deco & tools. Create your own cozy little underwater world & set it as your desk wallpaper!” As for the trailer that’s gotten so much attention, Lechowski shared that it’s “longer and more story-driven than usual,” but that he comes from the film industry and couldn’t help himself. You can check out Drawquarium and download a free demo on Steam. The game will be available for purchase on November 13. (The cost has not been announced, but Lechowski has indicated an initial launch price, with a discount, of under $10.)