Press release —
EXPLORE A WORLD OF MAGIC, MONSTERS, AND BOTANY IN AETHER WIZARD LIFE, COMING TO PC AND CONSOLES IN AUTUMN 2028
Enter a cosy adventure where magic, mystery, and romance can be found around every corner
Southampton, UK – August 12th, 2026 - Kinetic Publishing and Vonder Games have announced today, at the Kinetic Publishing Showcase, that cozy wizard life sim Aether Wizard Life will launch on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2 in Autumn 2028.
In Aether Wizard Life, players take on the role of a young apprentice mage in the haunted town of Starfall. Waking up each morning in a customisable walking castle, players are free to choose what tasks to take on each day, whether that’s growing magical crops, caring for exotic creatures, venturing into deep and twisting dungeons to fight monsters, or talking with the townsfolk to discover new side quests and problems to solve.
Not all is well in the world of Aether Wizard Life, however. The town of Starfell is a place that’s haunted, both by spirits of the dead, and by the machinations of a secret organisation set on kidnapping wizards and burning them at the stake. Dive head-first into the mystery surrounding this clandestine group, finding clues and solving the riddle at the heart of the town.
Players can completely customise their wizard’s appearance, choose from several schools of magic to learn, and even romance and marry one of twenty datable NPCs, making sure each player has an experience that feels entirely unique and personal to them.
“We were inspired by the indie games we love to play - Spiritfarer, Stardew Valley, Dave the Diver - as well as the beautiful animation of Studio Ghibli,” said Shin Wang, Producer at Vonder Games. “With Aether Wizard Life, we wanted to create a truly magical world for players to get lost in, where they can choose exactly how they want to spend each day, and can truly feel like they belong.”
About Aether Wizard Life:
- Mastery of Magic: Discover 30+ wizard skills such as spellcasting, weapon crafting, summoning, elemental combat, rune crafting, and even time manipulation.
- Discover Starfell: Explore a haunted town filled with magic, mystery, and romance.
- Move-in Castle: Players can build their very own walking castle, customising its rooms and appearance to aid their magical endeavours.
- Romance is Magic: Meet a selection of dateable NPCs that players can woo, and even marry.
- Your Day, Your Way: Choose from a wide selection of activities including botany, animal care, potion brewing, tavern management, dungeon exploration, and more!
- Help the Town: Fulfill requests from the townsfolk to help them rebuild their lives, all while attempting to solve the mystery of the missing mages.
Aether Wizard Life will launch on PC via Steam, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2 in Autumn 2028.
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About Kinetic Publishing
Launched in 2026, Kinetic Publishing is the publishing label of Kinetic Games, the UK-based developer behind 27+ million selling horror phenomenon Phasmophobia.
Founded to champion innovation within the indie game development space, Kinetic Publishing aims to offer the level of support that would have benefitted Phasmophobia creator Daniel Knight at the start of his journey, and to help developers make incredible games without compromising their creative vision.
In 2027, Kinetic Publishing is launching gritty starship job simulator Contact Protocol and open world witch-tech delivery game Crescent County, followed by PRECOGNITION, Shellbound, and Aether Wizard Life in 2028. For more on Kinetic Publishing, visit the official website and follow them on YouTube, Twitch, Instagram, TikTok, X, and Bluesky.
About Vonder Games
Vonder Games is an indie game studio based in Thailand, founded by former coworkers Sean Jackrit and Shin Wang. Inspired by the indie games they love, Vonder Games launched a Kickstarter for their debut title, Aether Wizard Life, and discovered there was a passionate audience for their cosy magical game.
Vonder Games now supports eight full-time staff working on Aether Wizard Life. For more information, visit the official Vonder Games website.
