Yep, it finally happened - Ive released the game!\nDownload it now and challenge me on the leaderboard if you dare.

Why Early Access?

The short answer: a small following.

You see, there are certain criteria a game should meet to have a successful release, one that can actually cover its development costs.

One such criterion is a high wishlist count.\nIf a game has no following at launch, it wont be picked up by the algorithm, meaning almost no one will see it. To gain that much-needed visibility, the game itself has to be good and supported by some marketing efforts.

Being a team of one, I just cant do both development and marketing. So when the game was finished, it didnt have a following large enough for a successful release.

I had a choice: release now and start working on a new game, or postpone the release and focus on marketing this one. Putting all the effort into marketing doesnt guarantee success, it only increases the chances. I decided to release the game now, and using the Early Access option, it has a chance for a stronger launch later.

Early Access is also a great way to start collecting feedback from real players, not just friends and family. This allows me to see what people like, what they dont, and better understand their expectations for the game. Ill use this opportunity to guide the game in the right direction toward its final release.

Whats Next?

Now I need to give the game some time to collect feedback. Ill fix critical bugs, but Ill hold off on other improvements until I have enough input to clearly understand what players want from the game.

That doesnt mean Im going on vacation - no, Ive already started development on my next game, https://store.steampowered.com/app/4057020/Sole_Duty/\"" style="color:#bb86fc;text-decoration:none;">Sole Duty . It reuses some mechanics from Bug Off, like independent slippers and bug squashing, but its a completely different genre: a cleaning simulator. Check it out, and dont forget to wishlist it so I can release it when its ready!

Thanks to everyone who supports me, your feedback will shape the games final release!