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Steam News2 March 20264mo ago

Demo & Playtest Updates

Hi everyone, Thank you so much to everyone who played Cute Away: Paws Caretaker Simulator during Steam Next Fest! Seeing so much interest and so many wishlists has been an incredible and humbling experience.

In this update4

Full notes

Full Cute Away: Paws Caretaker Simulator update

Read the full published notes in a cleaner layout. The original post stays linked below.

What changed

0 fixes2 additions2 changes0 removals
  • Gameplay
changedPlayer Feedback is ImportantThe reviews, comments, and feedback from the past week have been closely reviewed, and to be completely candid: the feedback is 100% right. The current demo does not reflect the polished, cozy experience that Cute Away aims to deliver. The core gameplay loop needs more depth, frustrating bugs are interrupting progress, and most importantly, players should absolutely be able to interact with and pet the cats!
changedPlayer Feedback is ImportantEven though quick updates were delivered throughout Next Fest, time will now be taken to significantly improve the game based on the feedback gathered from players. The top priority is creating a game that players genuinely love to play. To ensure that goal is met, a few immediate changes are being made to the roadmap:
addedDeactivating the Current DemoThe current Next Fest demo will be taken down shortly. It was released a bit too early, and it is better to step back and fix the highlighted core issues rather than leaving a broken build up for new players.
addedLaunching Public Playtests (In 1-2 Weeks)Player-Driven Development: Playtesting allows for the release of frequent, iterative updates so players can test new features (like cat interactions!) as soon as they are built, providing direct feedback on what works and what doesn't.

Cute Away: Paws Caretaker Simulator changes

changedThe reviews, comments, and feedback from the past week have been closely reviewed, and to be completely candid: the feedback is 100% right. The current demo does not reflect the polished, cozy experience that Cute Away aims to deliver. The core gameplay loop needs more depth, frustrating bugs are interrupting progress, and most importantly, players should absolutely be able to interact with and pet the cats!
changedEven though quick updates were delivered throughout Next Fest, time will now be taken to significantly improve the game based on the feedback gathered from players. The top priority is creating a game that players genuinely love to play. To ensure that goal is met, a few immediate changes are being made to the roadmap:
addedThe current Next Fest demo will be taken down shortly. It was released a bit too early, and it is better to step back and fix the highlighted core issues rather than leaving a broken build up for new players.
addedPlayer-Driven Development: Playtesting allows for the release of frequent, iterative updates so players can test new features (like cat interactions!) as soon as they are built, providing direct feedback on what works and what doesn't.

Hi everyone, Thank you so much to everyone who played Cute Away: Paws Caretaker Simulator during Steam Next Fest! Seeing so much interest and so many wishlists has been an incredible and humbling experience.

Player Feedback is Important

The reviews, comments, and feedback from the past week have been closely reviewed, and to be completely candid: the feedback is 100% right. The current demo does not reflect the polished, cozy experience that Cute Away aims to deliver. The core gameplay loop needs more depth, frustrating bugs are interrupting progress, and most importantly, players should absolutely be able to interact with and pet the cats!

Even though quick updates were delivered throughout Next Fest, time will now be taken to significantly improve the game based on the feedback gathered from players. The top priority is creating a game that players genuinely love to play. To ensure that goal is met, a few immediate changes are being made to the roadmap:

Deactivating the Current Demo

The current Next Fest demo will be taken down shortly. It was released a bit too early, and it is better to step back and fix the highlighted core issues rather than leaving a broken build up for new players.

Launching Public Playtests (In 1-2 Weeks)

Instead of a static demo, the approach will shift to a Public Playtest model. In about 1 to 2 weeks, playtesting access will open up on Steam.

  • Everyone is invited: As many players as possible are encouraged to join and share their thoughts.

  • Player-Driven DevelopmentPlaytesting allows for the release of frequent, iterative updates so players can test new features (like cat interactions!) as soon as they are built, providing direct feedback on what works and what doesn't.

A Promise Regarding the Release Date

Cute Away is being built for the players. If the game is not ready and polished by the current target release date, the launch will be postponed. The game will not be released until the community feels it is ready, fun, and truly meets expectations.

Thank you for the patience, the honest and constructive feedback, and for believing in the potential of Cute Away. Keep an eye out for the Playtest sign-up announcement coming very soon!

Source

Steam News / 2 March 2026

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