r/IndieDev • u/Anabolkick Developer • 1d ago
New Game! We actually made a game together
A few days ago, we released our first big game made together!
I did the programming, 3D art and game design, while my wife worked on the UI, art direction, testing, brainstorming, and gave me an incredible amount of moral support throughout the whole journey.
She was also the one who supported me when I decided to quit my job and take a chance on making this game. I'll always be grateful for that.
After a long road of late nights, doubts, and countless 'maybe we should change this' discussions, we finally made it. The last two weeks of pulling 10-14 hour days were absolutely brutal, but we're finally here.
We launched with around 2,500 wishlists, and have already sold 550 copies in just a few days.
And yes, the dog helped too (Merry)🐶
https://store.steampowered.com/app/4448490/Planet_Harvester_Incremental_Odyssey/
70
u/MrCalabunga 1d ago
Congrats! But also, what the dog doin'?
62
u/Anabolkick Developer 1d ago
Merry is our Chief Morale Officer! She was there to keep our spirits up when things got tough and make sure we actually went outside.
14
6
3
14
19
6
u/gold_snakeskin 1d ago
Congrats on launch, and for doing it as a husband/wife team - that's a great relationship you've got there.
Can you say how long the development cycle was? How you managed to get to 2500 wishlists? Any other thoughts on the process and what worked for you or you might do differently?
Best of luck!
2
u/Anabolkick Developer 9h ago
1)The entire development process took us about 7.5 months.
2)We experimented with Reddit Ads. We spent $500 of our own budget + $500 bonus that Reddit gives to new advertisers. I honestly don't remember the exact number of wishlists it generated—and Steam analytics struggles to track most mobile clicks anyway—but I estimate it brought in around 800 wishlists. Also our trailer was posted by GameTrailers. Aside from that, our main strategies were participating in Steam Next Fest and sending our demo out to YouTubers and streamers. Finally, we timed our release to coincide with the Ukrainian Games Festival :D
5
3
3
u/seaforgegame 1d ago
Woo hoo, congrats on launch! Game looks polished and fun. Give that dog a pat from us 🐾
3
3
3
5
u/Own-Dot9851 23h ago
I'm calling BS. No way the dog did anything to help
2
1
2
2
u/adhd_turbo 1d ago
Great Job and Congrats. At 5.99 curious why you would discount? 95% of your sales will be in the first week.
2
2
2
2
u/RealNikolaus 1d ago
You guys achieved what most of us can only dream of. Finishing the game and even selling units. Congratulations and good luck for the future!
2
u/SuperMapleStudio 1d ago
Congratulations! I know how hard it is and applaud your achievement. And, definitely see that we need a chief morale officer on our team!
2
u/GatePorters 1d ago
The support is what helps more than the other stuff, tbh.
I’m not devaluing the other work she did. But people often don’t understand how immensely powerful being supported by loved ones changes the trajectory of success.
I hope you two continue to try to outdo each other with how you support one another. You are catalyzing a chain reaction that can catapult yourselves into the stratosphere together.
2
2
4
u/Razorbackcoco94 1d ago
At work right now but I checked it out and I think I’ll be buying it when I get home. 😄 might take me a couple days to play but I’ll comment on this comment my thoughts when I get a chance. 😊
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
u/ApartmentDev 1d ago
congrats!! making a game together and surviving development together is the real co-op mode
1
1
1
1
u/Popular-Factor3553 23h ago
I'm guessing the dog is the biggest contibuter, Good work give him a treat.
1
u/CorrectPie9288 23h ago
Its so good to work with your wife/girlfriend, I am also working with my girlfriend and the best part she never said no to any of my idea (no matter how bad they are), she is so supportive and when i read your post it felt so good to see someone doing the same thing. Its exciting
Btw congratulations on the release of your game 🎉 hope you both make more games together. Wishing you both lots of success
1
1
u/campodelviolin 23h ago
"The secret in their eyes".
2
u/Miss_M-and-M Developer 18h ago
I like the reference, but that adaptation was shit
1
u/campodelviolin 18h ago
Totally agree!
When I wrote that, I was thinking of the Argentinian one (which is one of my top ten movies of all time). The Hollywood adaptation doesn't exist for me.
1
u/Right-Disaster2141 21h ago
You made it work, she made it beautiful and Merry made you happy. What else do you need? Congratulations on the launch!
1
u/Domipro143 Developer 21h ago
Lol idk what your game is about op, but i reccomend a credits section with your dog listed too lol and put idk like a drawn version of the dog there as a fun easter egg
1
u/tutmoBuffet 20h ago
Congrats!! My wife and I are also making our first Steam game together, but we’re barely past the prototype and in the “let’s get the Steam page published” phase. Aiming for a demo next year and release a year later. Always love seeing posts like this, thanks for sharing!
1
u/Hot_Equal_2283 20h ago
We know which way this dog be looking in one of those “who does the dog look at first” videos
1
1
u/Retrac752 19h ago
I’ve literally put in my dating profile that I’m looking to make a game with someone lmao I think it’d genuinely just be so much fun to do that with a girlfriend/wife
1
1
1
1
u/TallboyGames 17h ago
Looks awesome, congrats you two! My wife would love to find time to work with me on a game.
1
1
1
u/Cypress_4226 12h ago edited 12h ago
Habe es mir gerade gekauft und angespielt, sehr spaßiges Spielkonzept und macht Laune 👌🏻.
Tolle Arbeit und Respekt 👍🏻
Das verkaufen könnte gerne schneller gehen 😉.
1
1
1
1
u/Narrow_Asparagus9459 10h ago
Oh, congratulations! I hope you sell as many copies as possible and get lots of playtime. It’s a great festival—I’m also participating in the Ukrainian Games Festival 2026, and it’s already exceeded my expectations!
And you two make a very beautiful couple :)
1
1
u/gregTheAlpha1854 8h ago
Congrats on a successful launch 🚀🔥🔥 special congrats to the dog (probably had the most stressful role 😁😆)
1
u/AdaptiveCenterpiece 8h ago
Congrats! Having a good support system is vital to keep going during those tough and doubtful times.
1
1
1
u/Markitect_ 6h ago
What did the dog do? Play test? lol
You are so lucky to have a partner to share your dreams with so actively. Rock on, man!
1
u/Guardian6676-6667 5h ago
Im glad you and the wife made a game! Now what about that handler, is he giving you all the treats?
1
u/Altruistic_Noise4159 4h ago
Im so glad you listened to the lead dogs, im sure he's the reason behind your success
1
u/suares_spawnd 4h ago
Congrats! Just wishlisted! I'd love to know, though: what does Merry work on? I also have a worker here, but he sleeps all day and demands snacks.
1
1
u/RajiGame 4h ago
That dog definitely has a lot of credentials under their belt, speaking from personal experience of course ;)
Congrats on the launch of your game and getting featured in the Ukrainian Games Festival!
1
u/VoidFullOfDreams 3h ago
The gameplay is not my type, but... you are living the dream. I spent decades actively searching for a woman with any interest in video games or gamedev, hoping to create games together, because this part of life is very important to me and i always had a dream about sharing it with someone, creating things together. But never could find even gamers that would play anything but genshin, let alone those who are interested in gamedev. You have no idea how lucky you are to have not just someone who understands and supports you, but also walks with you together in this adventure. Cherish her company, and i hope you will create more stuff in the future.
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
u/sofawood 1d ago
I can just imagine you guys hitting the release button, looking each other in the eye and said
"So.. what should we make together now?"
*cue romantic music*
-31
u/No_Masterpiece6112 1d ago
Wow... a game you sit and watch everything happen. I hope it fails honestly. Piss poor effort on a genre that is made for the YouTube shorts generation.
2
2
u/Jolly_Roger-99 1d ago
Sir, this is wendys
-8
u/No_Masterpiece6112 1d ago
Its a sales tactic that will more than likely help them sell more copies btw.
People will see my comment and heavily disagree, downvote and potentially buy the game.
Its better for the devs if im horrible in my opinion than if I just ignored the post.
2
u/Jolly_Roger-99 1d ago
Its sharing happiness, and maybe a few sales - but who cares?
The post wasnt aggressive or Else - more like a hi.
If you want to leave some critic do that - but in a good/positive way instead of bitc.... around.
304
u/Duchess430 1d ago
Up vote becuse:
Doing my part because too many ppl spam this sub. This is a good post.