Dev Log 12.10.25

Hello again and welcome back to the Reel Life DevLog! Today we’d like to discuss where Reel Life currently is and where it is heading. …Which sounds very dramatic, but it isn’t really, we promise. We’ll also be talking pricing reductions!

We’re sailing right along to a mid-2026 release of the initial Reel Life game. Yay! And from there we’ll be adding more countries for you to visit and/or live in.

Unfortunately, due to time constraints and pending world mechanics, we’re going to put an indefinite pause on the dating system, the battle slots system, museums, and children. Children will - for sure - be added to the game later, but we want to have one or two additional countries for you to explore first. With that out of the way, let’s talk roadmaps.

We’re not going to give any specific dates for our roadmap since we’re unsure exactly how long implementation will take for some of these, but here’s the remaining phases we have planned:

Phase 1 (Currently Underway) - Finalizing or Adding in Remaining Systems

Level 3 and 4 Friendship Events

There are a total of 4 Friendship Level cutscenes for each resident and currently only Level 1 and 2 are in the game. We’ll be adding the final two (Level 3 and 4) soon!

Flower Temple Re-Do

We had originally planned for each country’s temple to have a selection of items from the entire world before you even visited other countries – in Rosenvale, these would be flowers, in Lottapeak gemstones, in Mossgrove crops, etc. But on revisiting our plans for the world this no longer makes sense.

Instead, we’ll be offering a large selection of country-specific items you can win from the temple slot machines. These items will include food, animals, tools, clothes, and more!

Museums for collection of specific items (like flowers or gemstones) will be added in upon world completion, and thus total available collection completion.

Player Avatar Customization

Originally, we had planned for the Player Avatar (the guy in the corner of your screen) to walk along with your movement and react to slot machine wins. With the sheer number of outfits we want to have in the game, though, this is currently unfeasible. Maybe someday!

For now, we’re going to have a static Player Avatar that you can initially customize via skin color; eye color; and hair color and style. You’ll also be able to choose their initial clothes – but be sure to look for more available to you through shops or foraging.

Player Avatar Preferences

In addition to customizing the look of your avatar, you’ll also be able to customize their likes. Why include this? Because it will help your resident friends give you gifts they know you will like!

So, if you say you like fish, you’re more likely to receive fish presents from your friends. Like gemstones to receive gemstones. Like money to receive cold hard cash!

Likes include ‘things’ and food types, as residents will be gifting you your favorites, their favorites, and your favorite foods.

Mail System

You will finally have access to mail – either sending or receiving!

Receive an itemized receipt of goods sold via the shipping bin to start, and friendly – or unfriendly – messages from residents to follow. Some of those messages might even have gifts in them!

Sending mail is a good way to increase friendship levels if you have trouble finding a certain resident, or if you want to ‘double dip’ gift giving each day (a mail gift and an in-person gift count as separate things!).

Don’t have any gifts to send? Well, just send a friendly message! It’s the thought that counts.

Winter Snow

This is just a cosmetic addition that we’ve been meaning to do FOREVER. There will soon be winter snow on the landscape after snowy days!

Festivals

A big one – we’ll be adding all of the year’s festivals in soon. When we get closer to release, we’ll discuss each festival in more detail, but for now just know that most festivals will also have a selection of festival-specific foods and items available for sale.

 he Romance (and Marriage) System

Another big one! You’ll finally be able to romance residents and be joined – or unjoined – to them in matrimony! Again, we’ll discuss the romance system in more detail as release of this portion nears.

Phase 2 – Finalizing or Adding in Remaining Systems

Market Stalls and Vendors

More market stalls and vendors! Find vendors around the country that specialize in the item type you’re after (including rare item vendors).

Bulletin Board System

Perform fetch quests for money, items, or friendship points via the city’s central bulletin board.

Remaining Animal Colors

All remaining animal colors per type of livestock animal will be added to the game for you to try to produce or buy.

Artifacts and Fossils

Dig for artifacts and fossils – some potentially very valuable – to collect or sell. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to donate these items to a museum until we have more (or all) countries implemented.

Aureda Roulette

Give an offering to the Aureda shrine in the church each day to see if your luck improves the next day!

Death System

Want someone dead? Then you want this system! Bonus points – romance widows, if you like.

Party System

Host or attend parties with residents for quicker boosts to friendship levels. Be sure you have enough seating and food to go around, though!

Phase 3 – Atmospheric or Cosmetic Additions – Final Additions

Things like background sprites walking around; birds flying in the sky; residents chatting with one another; and additional furniture to be purchased, crafted, or won.

Phase 4

Testing, Rebalancing, and System Edits (As Needed)

Phase 5

Release!

While all of that seems like an awful lot to do before Mid 2026… well, it might be! But that’s what we’re aiming for.

Finally, in light of the current economy and the near release of Reel Life, we’ll be reducing the Early Access price to $9.99 immediately. In addition, we’ll be pricing the actual release of Reel Life at $14.99. 

So, if you want to get on board for a slightly reduced price now’s the time! Please keep in mind, however, we will be having a standard 30% discount in all major Steam sales during and after Early Access – and we’ll be discounting the game at 50% off for its first 2 weeks of release in celebration of the initial country’s completion!

Of course, we’d love it if you paid full price – we need the support! But we also understand if you need to price things at lowest cost per value right now.

Okay! That’s it for today. See you again next time!