Today marks the 400-day anniversary of this Steam page. A good date to post some news: First, we like to announce that THE LONGING now has a publisher, namely Application Systems Heidelberg! This cooperation will result in more in-game languages (soon-to-be added), ports to Mac and Linux and an overall better product.

Since we get asked similar questions all the time, here is a short FAQ regarding the game:

Q: Do I have to leave the game and computer running for 400 days?

No. You can quit the game and you can switch the computer off. Time will inevitably pass inside the game nonetheless.

Q: Do I really have to play for 400 days?

No, you could actually start the game once and come back after 400 days to find out how it ends, but you would miss a lot. Also remember that time is subjective and can feel a lot shorter if you learn to keep yourself occupied.

Q: What happens after 400 days?

We won't tell you. However, there are multiple endings and not every one of them might involve waiting for 400 days.

Q: Is this game an adventure game?

It is, in the sense that there are puzzles that you can solve. There are items to collect and you can do stuff with them. But you don't have to. There is a ton of well hidden content that you can discover if you like. And of course there is a story. Puzzles are often time based, as you would expect in a game like this.

Q: What is a time based puzzle?

Obstacles in the game need time to be overcome. If you want to climb up somewhere, it might involve waiting for a drop to fill up a pit or waiting for a spider to craft a web.

Q: Why is the character so slow and is there a way to make him walk faster?

The game is about time and loneliness. It is not about speed. But you can save waypoints and walk there automatically. Just quit the game and come back later, or watch the character take a stroll.

Q: Is this a Tamagotchi game?

It is and it isn't. You want to take good care of the lonely shade and you may start to like it, but you don't have to feed it. It is a shade so it'll not starve to death.

Q: When is this game going to be released??!

We still don't have a release date yet, since this new cooperation with the publisher will take some time to bear its fruits. Please keep in mind that this still is a one-man project at large. Patience will pay off after all. And you won't have to wait for another 400 days...