October Update

We’re reaching the end of the pre-planned schedule soon, so I want to use this month’s update to talk about what’s coming next; mainly the plans for the end of the year and the upcoming Demo Phase 2 release.

Demo Phase 2 release plan

As mentioned in previous updates, production has been delayed a bit, mostly due to player feedback and polishing the gameplay feel. Nothing unusual for indie development! I had a similar experience with my last game Crumble where internal playthroughs often led to major gameplay changes. It’s better to fix those things early.

I won’t give a specific date yet, but the release will definitely be in 2026. Depending on other big releases, it might shift slightly, though not because of late production. I’ll share more details next month, possibly along with a public Trello (or similar) so you can follow progress transparently. I already use one privately a lot, so making it public shouldn’t be too much extra work and be rather quick.

What’s coming next month

Next month, I plan to release Phase 2 of the Paper Sky demo on Steam. Kickstarter Beta players will get access first, followed by a public release. This new demo will include the entire gameplay loop in its near-final state, and hopefully a new world to explore. (The beginning of the game won’t be playable anymore since I’ve completely reworked it again, I’d rather keep it a surprise, and most of you have already experienced the tutorial anyway)

About the message system

The message system will no longer accept free-form writing to comply with Nintendo’s content guidelines and to preserve the calm, reflective atmosphere of the game. I’ve read a lot of those messages, and while I loved the creativity, the new system offers a more meaningful and creative way to communicate between players. I’m really excited for you to see how it works and hope you’ll appreciate the change.

Sorry for a short update this time, not much to show visually since the new demo is right around the corner. Instead of the full release as originally planned, you’ll get about 1/12th of the full game, but in a mostly final, polished state. Hoping that everyone likes it and then I can enter final stage of production and be done in no time!