Demo Update: Save Your Progress, Hear the City & More

We blinked, the sun came up, and somehow there was a whole update ready. No idea how that happened either.

Anyway — we’ve released a new update for the Wares & Wonders demo.

The biggest change is simple, but important: you can now leave the demo and continue later without losing your progress. Alongside that, the city has gained new resident lines, the HUD now has an in-game clock, and tutorial hints are clearer about what you need to do next.

Save your progress

You no longer need to finish your demo session in one sitting. Your progress is now saved — no more "I finally decorated my entire shop with everything I had" sessions, only to come back and find it all gone.

The city has more to say

The streets are a little less quiet now. Residents can react to the player and share short lines about the world around them: river caravans, safer roads, old rumors, city life, and the little worries of people living in a fantasy trading district. Not all of them are optimistic about your business prospects. But they mean well.

New in-game clock

The HUD now includes an in-game clock. It shows the current time and gives a quick visual cue for the time of day. Now you always know where you are in the trading day — whether you are still setting up the shop, serving customers, or getting close to closing time.

Clearer tutorial hints

Tutorial hints now stick around until you've actually finished the step — not just stared at the cabbage you placed on the table, wondering what to do with it. When a step is done, you'll see a checkmark before the hint disappears.

What’s next

This update is part of our ongoing work on the demo based on player feedback.

We’re still working on the early game flow: what feels confusing, what feels satisfying, and what makes you mutter “wait, what am I supposed to do now?”

Thank you for playing, wishlisting, and helping us build Wares & Wonders.