End of year review 2024

Hey Villagers,

As we prepare to ring in the new year, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on everything that’s happened in 2024. It’s been an incredible ride—full of big wins, hard lessons, and a ton of progress. Let’s look back on what we’ve achieved together and get excited for what’s coming next.

Our Biggest Beta Yet

We kicked off 2024 with a bang: our first public beta playtest! Over 6,500 players joined us, playing more than 10,000 hours and helping us fine-tune the Castle of Blackwater experience. The feedback we received was absolutely priceless, and we can’t thank you enough for your time, insights, and support. To everyone who participated: you helped shape the future of this game.

A Big Boost from Our Community

Off the back of our beta, we were thrilled to secure $2.25 million in additional funding. This milestone was only possible because of the incredible community and partners who believe in what we’re building. It’s given us the resources to grow our team, move faster, and set even bigger goals for launch. We don’t take your support lightly, and we’ll keep working to prove ourselves worthy every single day.

Levelling Up

The middle of the year was all about laying the groundwork for what’s next. We expanded our team, sharpened our focus, and started bringing a ton of new features to life. Some highlights? We rebuilt the back-end systems, added emotes, cosmetics, and text chat, and made tons of progress on polishing the game. It was a grind, but seeing everything come together has been so rewarding.

Steam Awaits

As the year wrapped up, we hit another huge milestone: our first playtesting build went live on Steam! From here on out, all game nights will run through Steam, making it easier than ever for new players to jump in. We’ve taken a big step toward making Castle of Blackwater more accessible, and it feels like the start of something truly special.

Looking Ahead

2025 is shaping up to be massive. Here’s what we’ve got planned:

– Steam Next Fest is coming, and we can’t wait to showcase the game to an even bigger audience.

–  The public launch is on the horizon, bringing Castle of Blackwater to the broader gaming world.

– We’ll be collaborating with influencers to help spread the word and show off everything the game has to offer.

We’ll soon be showcasing some new marketing materials, such as a revamped gameplay trailer, a brand new cinematic trailer, and a 2024 highlights reel.

And, of course, we’ll stay connected with all of you—our amazing community. Your support has been the heartbeat of this journey, and we promise to keep showing up for you every step of the way.

Thank You

We say it a lot, but it’s true: none of this would be possible without you. You’ve been with us through every twist and turn, and we’re so grateful to have you by our side. Castle of Blackwater isn’t just a game; it’s a shared adventure, and we’re honoured to have you along for the ride.

Here’s to an incredible 2025. Let’s make some magic together.

With love and gratitude,

Jojo & Remo

Founders, CEO & COO

Castle of Blackwater