June 2026 Dev Recap

KAZ launches on July 13, which means we're now officially in the final stretch.

June was about final polish, release preparation, last checks, and making sure everything is in place for launch day. After months of playtests, demo updates, balancing passes, new modes, new items, new themes, and community feedback, it feels surreal to say this:

KAZ is almost here!

Steam Next Fest and Demo Feedback

June was also a big month for getting the demo in front of more players through Steam Next Fest!

Seeing people discover KAZ, try the demo, chase scores, and start figuring out the game’s rhythm has been very exciting. The demo has now reached thousands of players, and watching that momentum build right before launch has made this final stretch feel even more real.

I also want to give a huge thank you to Rogan and MisterMV for featuring KAZ during Steam Next Fest. It means a lot to see the game being shared with new players, especially this close to launch.

• Rogan’s TikTok feature

• MisterMV’s video

If you played the demo during Next Fest or before, thank you. You have been part of the road to release.

What to Expect From the Full Game

With launch coming up, here is a quick reminder of what will be waiting for you in the full version of KAZ:

• 5 game modes

• 110+ items

• 145+ quests

• 35+ maluses

• 25+ themes

• Weekly and monthly challenges after launch

• Leaderboards to climb

• A lot of chaos, combos, and questionable decisions ;)

The full game is built to give you plenty of ways to experiment, optimize, and push for higher scores. Whether you want the pressure of Survival, a more relaxed run in No Stress mode, or just want to discover every strange interaction the game throws at you, there will be a lot to dig into.

Preparing for Launch

Most of June was also spent preparing everything around the release: final assets, announcements, trailers, Steam page updates, and all the behind-the-scenes work that happens before a game finally goes live.

Another huge moment this month was the release date announcement trailer being featured by IGN. You can watch it here:

Watch the KAZ Official Release Date Trailer on IGN

There are a few exciting things planned around launch, and I cannot wait to share more soon!

We are less than two weeks away from launch now.

Thank you to everyone who has played the demo, joined a playtest, wishlisted the game, followed the updates, joined the Discord, or simply cheered from the sidelines.

KAZ started as a small, strange, intense arcade roguelike, and it has grown into something I am incredibly excited to finally share with you.

See you on July 13!

— Kalinarm