Drilling Permit Delayed to 2026

Sorry for the long radio silence! I’m Denno, the solo developer behind Drill Keeper, and I wanted to share a long-overdue update to assure you that, despite the quiet, development is alive and well. I want to be transparent about the current timeline: Drill Keeper is now planned for release in 2026. It wasn’t an easy decision, but it’s the right one to ensure the game reaches the quality and depth it deserves.

Why the Delay?

When I started Drill Keeper back in 2021, it began as a small experiment, a way to explore a few ideas around digging mechanics and card-systems. But as development went on, those ideas kept growing into something far larger and more ambitious than I first imagined.

Over time, it became clear that the core systems, from the mining mechanics to world generation and progression, needed to be deeper and more dynamic to truly deliver the experience I wanted. That meant rebuilding and refining a lot of what was already there, which naturally takes time. I learned that many features and systems that seem simple on paper often turn out to be far more complex in practice, requiring more iteration and refinement.

On top of that, we’re redoing a large portion of the game’s art. The goal is to give Drill Keeper a stronger, more cohesive visual identity that really brings its atmosphere to life. The new artwork adds far more personality and polish, but it also means revisiting and reworking many assets and interfaces from scratch.

All of this is a big undertaking for a mostly solo-developed game, but I genuinely believe it’s worth the extra time. Rather than rush something unfinished, I’d rather take the time to make Drill Keeper into the game it deserves to be.

A Few Helping Hands

While Drill Keeper remains very much a solo-developed project, I’m incredibly fortunate to have some talented and passionate people helping me bring this vision to life.

I’m now collaborating with a wonderfully skilled artist, who’s been helping to refine the game’s visuals and atmosphere, adding that extra layer of polish and personality. Alongside them, a composer has joined in to craft immersive music that perfectly capture the tone and mood of the underground depths.

In addition, I’m grateful to have the ongoing support of my publisher, Hooded Horse, who’s assisting on all fronts (e.g., localization, communication, marketing, outreach, gameplay feedback etc.). Their help allows me to stay focused on development while ensuring Drill Keeper reaches as many players as possible when the time comes.

All of this combined support has brought new energy and structure to the project, and I’m excited about what’s ahead.

What’s Next

Looking ahead, the plan is to release a public demo in 2026, a focused vertical slice that lets everyone experience the core of Drill Keeper firsthand. The official Discord server will launch alongside the demo to gather feedback and connect with the community more directly. Early Access is planned for later that same year.

A Personal Update

Outside of game development, I’m currently waiting for a very special launch of my own. Any day now, I’ll be welcoming a tiny new co-op partner into the world and becoming a father! I’m thrilled (+ slightly terrified), and I’m hoping the little one rolls some decent stats (good sleep attributes would be nice) right out of the gate.

It’s a huge and exciting change, and while it’ll bring some new challenges to balance alongside development but I couldn’t be happier. Between sleepless nights and baby side quests, I’ll still be hard at work drilling away whenever possible.

Thank You

Thank you all so much for your patience, interest, and ongoing support. It means a great deal to me, and it’s what keeps me motivated through the long hours of development. I can’t wait to share more with you as the project continues to evolve.

That’s all for now. Time to head back to the mines.

Drill safe, and until next time, Denno