The 2017 hidden object game Hidden Folks sparked a genre boom, with dozens of similar titles releasing over the past decade. Hidden Folks became beloved among the cozy game community for its elaborately detailed art and humorous scenes rendered in a signature black-and-white style. Now, developer Adriaan de Jongh – operating under the name Hidden Folks BV – has announced a sequel, Hidden Folks 2, which had its world premiere during the 2026 Wholesome Direct broadcast.
Hidden Folks 2 brings back everything fans loved about the first game: large scenes, all fully hand-drawn, hilarious object and character interactions, and a unique audio landscape consisting entirely of sounds made by the developers using their mouths. It draws inspiration from the hidden object books de Jongh and the other developers grew up with, such as the Where’s Waldo? series (known as Where’s Wally in Europe). Players are challenged to find people, animals, and objects at a relaxed pace with no timer or pressure, creating a truly cozy experience.
Some of the new scenes shown off in the Wholesome Direct trailer include a museum, an outdoor fair, a gym, and even an astronaut floating through space. De Jongh also confirmed that the game will feature a number of quality-of-life improvements, although he did not specify exactly what that meant.
Currently, Hidden Folks 2 is planned to release some time in 2027 for PC via Steam and itch.io as well as both iOS (via App Store) and Android (via Google Play Store) mobile devices. More information regarding the game, including an official release date, will likely be revealed over the next year.
Hidden Folks 2 was one of several titles to have their world premiere during the 2026 Wholesome Direct broadcast, which featured over 50 announcements and trailers. Check out the rest of GameObserver’s coverage of the 2026 Wholesome Direct to learn more!
