50K WISHLISTS!! 🎉

So... 8 years. Eight years I’ve been chasing this dream of just making games full-time. And now it actually might be happening? I think? Hope so.

Hi! We just hit 50,000 wishlists. That’s huge. Like, huge huge. And I owe that to every single one of you — so seriously, thank you. ❤️

Since this is kind of a big deal, I wanted to write something personal. No PR fluff, just... me.

I’m Rostislav. Just some indie dev. Trained as an architect, did arch-viz for a few years, then decided I wanted to make games instead. Because I’ve always lived and breathed them, you know? But playing games and making them? Completely different beasts. Probably not the smartest decision I’ve ever made. And yet here I am... honestly a little scared, not gonna lie.

You know that joke about Dom Toretto from Fast & Furious, every movie he’s like “this is my last race,” and then there’s another one, and another, and another? Yeah. That’s basically been my indie career for the last 8 years.

I’d make games while working my day job. Went to game management courses. Put together a team. Made games with them. Our last project? Two years of work with an amazing group of people. Sold 670 copies. Previous games had about 3,000 wishlists combined, which, in big studio terms, is basically zero. After each release I’d tell myself: “okay, that’s it, stop, this isn’t working.” And then... some time would pass, and I’d start the next one anyway. I honestly don’t know why I can’t quit. It’s definitely not money, I had my job for that. Something inside just keeps dragging me back into the void of creation.

So at some point I decided to go all in. Quit my job. Living off savings now, working on what you know as Tiny Shop: Make It Cozy. A chill little shop sim with no timers, no deadlines, just you fixing up your space however you want and enjoying the ride. The idea actually came from my architecture background, I worked with interiors and spaces a lot, and I always loved that cozy feeling you get from just... arranging things right.

First year of dev, wishlists trickled in slowly. Every thousand felt like a win. I’d think “finally! something’s actually working!” But with each thousand came more anxiety too. Deeper into development I went, and every new idea, every mechanic made the game bigger and bigger. And that weight? It didn't shrink.

More people waiting now. Feels like a whole small town counting on me to deliver something great. And I really, really want to.

So I’m working every single day now, weekends included. And the to-do list just keeps growing. When we crossed 35K, it finally hit me: this is a real shot. People actually care about this game. But joy and fear are growing at the same speed.

I look at games like Urban Jungle, Tiny Bookshop, Leaf Corner, and I think “they did it better. Better numbers, better mechanics, better everything.” Logically I know it’s dumb to compare like that. But I can’t stop myself. Intellectually I get it, every game is different, every dev has their own path. The original plan was simple: make a small, nice game. A solid cozy project. Nothing more.

But when tens of thousands of people are waiting for your creation? It stops being just a passion project. It becomes serious. Real serious.

I can’t release a broken game. I won’t. That’s exactly why I teamed up with Spaghetti Cat, to get support, experience, and a fresh set of eyes so I don’t get tunnel-vision. That gave me some confidence.

Still, there’s always that little voice: “what if I can’t finish everything I want?” “what if it drags on too long?” “what if wishlists don’t convert and it’s all a bubble?” Yeah. All that fun stuff.

Why am I telling you all this? Because I want you to know: I dreamed (and still dream) of making a game that actually reaches people. A game that lets me create without having to stress about putting food on the table. Maybe that’s naive. But let’s be real, who doesn’t have a dream like that?

And now I can see it happening. Your feedback, playtest results, time spent in the demo, these wishlists... it’s all pointing that way. Like someone smart once said, be careful what you wish for. Everything’s on the line now. And it all comes down to me. Make a good game = sales. Mess up = probably won’t get another shot at this.

So I’m more serious than I’ve ever been. You get that? THIS IS FREAKING SERIOUS.

My girlfriend’s been here through all of it, patiently listening to me ramble about this stuff pretty much every single day, telling me it’ll be okay. I owe her so much. I don’t know how much she actually believes it, but without her support I would’ve mentally collapsed already.

So here’s what I want to say to her and to all of you: I don’t know how this ends. Huge success or total flop. But what I do know is that I’m going to give it everything I’ve got to make a warm, kind, engaging game. I’ll always be honest with you. Always listen and read your feedback.

Whatever the finale looks like, and we’re getting close, I’m sincerely pushing for a good release. Scared, stressed, but showing up every day to work on this game.

Those 50,000 aren’t just a number to me. They’re people who trusted me. Who are waiting. If you’ve been through something similar, or are going through it now, drop a comment. I honestly want to know how others handle this.

Genuinely, thank you. Every single one of you. You terrify me... but I love you for it. ❤️