Reevaluating life by becoming a florist—Heartwarming flower shop simulator "Puni the Florist" from Thailand's indie studio
Note: the original Japanese article can be found at:
https://www.4gamer.net/games/954/G095492/20251020022/
Deputy Editor-in-Chief: Noguchi | 2025/10/20 04:42 (UTC)
“Puni the Florist,” showcased at gamescom Asia × Thailand Game Show 2025, is a simulation game where players take on the role of a flower shop employee crafting custom floral arrangements based on individual customer requests. Though it appears to have a simple concept at first glance, the game conceals deep customization options and a heartwarming story beneath its surface.
Image Gallery No. 003 thumbnail / Reconnecting with life through running a flower shop—A touching flower shop simulator from a Thai indie studio, “Puni the Florist” Image Gallery No. 005 thumbnail / Reconnecting with life through running a flower shop—A touching flower shop simulator from a Thai indie studio, “Puni the Florist”
The game currently features a demo version on Steam and has already amassed over 36,000 wishlist entries, building strong anticipation. We had the opportunity to speak with Nopadol Shaoquan, Game Director at Earthquake Games, the developer behind this title, and here’s an overview of the game.
The standout feature of “Puni the Florist” is its unprecedented freedom in floral arrangement design. As a flower shop employee, players must create bouquets or flower arrangements tailored to each customer’s unique requests. However, these “arrangements” are far from simple selections from pre-set templates.
Players can bend and shape flower stems freely to achieve their desired forms. If leaves get in the way, they can be cut away at will. Players may add ribbons, fine-tune floral placement, or experiment with other creative touches—allowing for an infinite range of designs based solely on individual imagination. Shaoquan emphasizes that “you can truly customize freely,” highlighting that each player’s unique expression is what makes this game special.
This high degree of freedom isn’t just about gameplay—it’s deeply tied to the game’s core theme. As discussed in more detail below, the journey of discovering one’s own personal style is central to the essence of the experience.
Another element that makes this game stand out is interaction with customers. Each visitor brings a unique “mechanic,” and their way of communicating requests varies widely.
For instance, child customers may draw pictures instead of using words to convey what kind of arrangement they’d like. This requires players to interpret the drawings carefully while selecting and arranging flowers—adding depth beyond mere task completion. The process of deciphering intent transforms a simple crafting game into something more meaningful.
Even more impressive is how customers respond authentically to player creativity. Adding a ribbon might prompt a comment like, “You added a ribbon! It’s so cute.” Even if the same bouquet is made twice, subtle differences in design lead to different customer reactions—making players feel that their choices truly matter.
This mechanic cleverly fuels creative motivation. The true joy of “Puni the Florist” lies not just in fulfilling requests, but in thinking deeply about how best to make someone happy through your arrangement.
While the game’s visuals are vibrant and colorful, its story centers on universal struggles faced by many people living in modern society. The protagonist, Puni, is a young adult who recently graduated from university. She has tried numerous things throughout her life—drawing manga, dabbling in animation, even attempting to become a YouTuber—but none of them stuck, and she feels she hasn’t accomplished anything substantial.
After graduation, she lacks motivation to work in her field of study. While lost and uncertain, one day Puni stumbles into a mysterious flower shop. There, she meets an adorable fairy who becomes her mentor, watching over her growth and development.
As Puni begins working at the shop, she questions herself: “Am I really ready to try something new again? After all my past failures?” The fairy gently encourages her: “Since you’ve tried so many things already—why not give it one more shot?”
Shaoquan explains that “since we’re a small team aiming to create a modest game, the story is intentionally kept very simple.” Indeed, there’s no grand world-building or complex lore. Yet this simplicity may be exactly why so many players resonate with it—because the struggles of self-discovery are deeply relatable.
Earthquake Games, the developer behind this title, is a tiny team of just six people. Five of them work full-time jobs and dedicate their free time after work to game development—making this project truly a labor of passion.
Shaoquan himself was working full-time until two months ago. But in order to fully commit to “Puni the Florist,” he made the decision to leave his job and now leads development as Game Director. “This is our first commercial project, and the first game we’re releasing commercially,” he said with clear determination. “That’s why we want to make something truly amazing.”
Given their limited resources, producing a high-quality title like this deserves admiration. The 36,000+ wishlist count is an astonishing number for such a small indie studio.
During our interview, when asked about a Japanese release, Shaoquan replied without hesitation: “Absolutely, we want to make it happen.” He believes Japanese players will enjoy the game and encourages fans to express their interest through Discord, Steam forums, or social media platforms.
Indeed, considering the delicate artistry centered around flowers, the emotionally warm story, and the widespread popularity of flower arranging as a hobby in Japan, there’s strong potential for “Puni the Florist” to find a welcoming audience here.
“Puni the Florist” brings a fresh perspective to the simulation genre. While farming and management simulations are abundant, few combine floral arrangement as their central theme with high customization freedom and an emotionally engaging narrative.
The game’s true appeal lies in fully unleashing players’ creativity. Since there is no single “correct” way to arrange flowers, even familiar themes offer endless possibilities. Through this creative process, players also witness the protagonist Puni growing through her own life struggles. The seamless integration of gameplay and story makes this design particularly noteworthy.
“Puni the Florist” is a passion project from a team of just six people—what their first commercial release will look like upon official launch, and whether it will be localized into Japanese, are both eagerly awaited.