Announcement archive
Drawquarium updates, in order
The game is not out yet, so there are no post-launch patch notes. This is the verified trail: developer announcements, the demo release, and the press coverage that followed.
- Release
November 13 release date announced
The developer published a story-driven release-date trailer and confirmed the November 13, 2026 Steam date. The trailer was covered by GameSpot and GameWatcher.
Source: Kaleb Lechowski (Steam announcement) · GameSpot · GameWatcher
- Event
Creative Event opened during Steam Next Fest
Players could submit a themed aquarium, a creator-inspired fish or a wildcard fish through the rokaplay Discord. The post also said the demo would return to a smaller “demo-like” feature set after the event.
Source: Kaleb Lechowski / rokaplay (Steam announcement)
- Update
Large update listed 20 changes since the first demo
Breeding, aquarium cleaning, Golden Scale progression, custom lighting, bioluminescence, Disco Mode, focus tools, a global fish list and a new goal list were among the changes the developer described.
Source: Kaleb Lechowski (Steam announcement)
- Press
PC Gamer published a hands-on feature
PC Gamer described the demo as a relaxing sandbox and noted that fish develop a holographic shine and can turn gold under the right conditions. This is press commentary, not a formal mechanic guide.
Source: PC Gamer
- Demo
Free demo released on Steam
After a one-day delay, the separate free demo (app 4331760) went live. The developer asked players to wishlist the full game.
Source: Kaleb Lechowski (Steam announcement) · Kaleb Lechowski (Steam announcement) · Valve / byKaleb / rokaplay
- Demo
Demo delayed by a missing store image
The developer postponed the demo because a required store image was missing from the submission. The same post said the game had almost 35,000 wishlists at that point.
Source: Kaleb Lechowski (Steam announcement)
What counts as an update here
An entry must have a date and a verifiable source. Official developer posts, the Steam store record and dated press coverage qualify. Discord rumours, undated screenshots and “I heard it changed” do not. When the game launches, patch notes will be added only when the developer publishes them or when we can verify a change in the released build.
What will be tracked after November 13
- Launch build: price, unlock time, download size and whether the store description matches the build.
- Patch notes: official changelogs with version numbers, plus a plain-English summary of gameplay changes.
- Hotfixes: save-loss fixes, crash fixes and performance changes, with the affected platforms.
- Content updates: new fish templates, decorations, modes or tools.
- Corrections to our guides: if a released mechanic contradicts something we wrote, the guide changes and the correction is noted.
How to check for yourself
The fastest source is the Steam store page, which shows the release state and price. The developer also posts announcements on the Steam news hub and talks to players in the rokaplay Discord. For third-party build tracking, SteamDB records depot and build changes, but it is not an official source.
This page will not change its “last updated” date just to look fresh. If nothing has happened, nothing is added.
What has not been announced
No price, no exact unlock hour, no post-launch roadmap, no confirmed demo-save transfer, no Steam Deck rating and no console or mobile version. Those gaps are recorded on the release-date page and the demo page rather than turned into speculative news.
Sources for this page
Accessed November 1, 2026Listed claims on this page were checked against the records below. If a detail is not in these records, it is labelled as unconfirmed rather than presented as fact.
- 01 Drawquarium is Coming to Steam on November 13! — Kaleb Lechowski (Steam announcement)
Release date announcement published October 26, 2026, with the release-date trailer.
- 02 Drawquarium has changed a LOT since the demo in May — Kaleb Lechowski (Steam announcement)
September 18, 2026 list of added and improved systems since the first demo.
- 03 Drawquarium Creative Event — Kaleb Lechowski / rokaplay (Steam announcement)
October 19, 2026 event post; states that the demo would be reduced to a smaller feature set after Next Fest.
- 04 The Demo Is Out Now — Kaleb Lechowski (Steam announcement)
April 18, 2026 demo release announcement.
- 05 The Demo Is Delayed — Kaleb Lechowski (Steam announcement)
April 17, 2026 delay post; says the game had almost 35,000 wishlists at that time.
- 06 Drawquarium on Steam — Valve / byKaleb / rokaplay
Store description, release date, languages, features, system requirements, tags and platform list.
- 07 DRAWQUARIUM – Official Release Date Trailer — GameSpot
October 27, 2026 trailer coverage; confirms the November 13, 2026 date.
- 08 Drawquarium is one of the most relaxing sandbox games I've played in a hot minute — PC Gamer
Hands-on feature published May 11, 2026. Used for impressions, not for unconfirmed mechanics.
- 09 Drawquarium Trailer Goes Viral With a Message About Following Creative Dreams — GameWatcher
October 30, 2026 coverage of the trailer response.
- 10 Drawquarium Steam Community hub — Steam Community
Player discussions. Used only to identify open questions, never as proof of a mechanic.
Read how we classify evidence in our editorial policy.