Direct answer: How to Fish is a paid action, casual, indie, and simulation game developed and published by Dazed Games. It released for Windows on Steam on August 20, 2026. You can play solo or in online co-op. No approved official evidence currently establishes a native Xbox, PlayStation, macOS, or Linux edition.
What is How to Fish?
This page is about the Dazed Games video game, not real-world fishing. The official premise starts with catching fish, but the loop quickly expands: catch, kill, and sell fish; buy equipment and weapons; complete NPC quests; defeat bosses; and unlock access to new islands. The store also describes rare variants, higher-value trick kills, and fish-based gambling that does not use real money.
That is the verified high-level loop. Exact fish totals, island totals, boss statistics, drop rates, and strategy claims are outside this overview because the approved official sources do not establish them.
Release date and developer
The official Steam listing names Dazed Games as both developer and publisher and gives an August 20, 2026 release date. The game is a paid product; this page does not preserve a price because prices and promotions can change.
The official Steam store page is the best place to confirm the current purchase terms. This guide does not preserve a launch-week price or promotion.
Verified platforms and modes
| Official evidence | Evidence date | What it supports | Important limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam store, App 4001890 | Audited August 24, 2026 | Windows Steam release; single-player, multiplayer, co-op, and online co-op | Store mode labels do not establish console versions or crossplay |
| Steam appdetails | Audited August 24, 2026 | Windows is marked supported; macOS and Linux are marked unsupported; full controller, DualShock, and DualSense support are listed | Controller compatibility on PC is not a PlayStation or Xbox edition |
| Steam news feed | Audited August 24, 2026 | Visible official patch lineage through 1.0.8 | A visible news post does not prove the installed depot build |
What changed in the current patches?
The official 1.0.4 notes say lobbies can support up to eight players, while also describing balance changes and a clearer route to the final island. The official Steam news feed records that 1.0.5 adds private invite-only lobbies, a session-type setting, and fixes including travel to islands before they are unlocked.
Those notes are useful for version context, but they are not a complete mechanics guide. PC Gamer's launch coverage describes the catch-and-combat premise, while the official store and patch feed remain the authority for product features and dated changes.
How many players does How to Fish support?
There is a live official-source conflict:
- The Steam store still describes 1–4 players.
- The official Steam news feed records that Patch 1.0.4, published August 21, 2026, says lobbies support up to eight players.
The safe answer is to keep both statements with their scope and date. This page does not assume that eight-player support applies identically to every mode, because the approved sources do not resolve that detail.
Is How to Fish free?
No. The official Steam data identified it as a paid game in the August 24, 2026 audit. Check the Steam store for the current regional price rather than relying on an archived amount.
Does it support controllers?
Yes, on the verified Windows Steam version. Steam lists full controller support and PC compatibility entries for DualShock and DualSense controllers. Those entries describe input support; they do not prove that a PlayStation version exists.
Is it on Xbox or PS5, and does it have crossplay?
The approved evidence confirms only the Windows Steam release. It does not establish a native Xbox or PlayStation product listing or an official crossplay statement as of August 24, 2026. See the dedicated platforms and crossplay page for the dated audit and its limitations.
Update policy
Reviewed through the latest visible official Patch 1.0.8 on 2026-08-24. This does not prove the installed depot build number. We update platform, lobby, and version statements only when a first-party store page, structured Steam response, developer page, or official patch post changes. Conflicting official claims remain visible until a newer first-party source resolves them.
This is an independent guide and is not affiliated with Dazed Games, Valve, Microsoft, or Sony.