Hello everyone,

We wanted to take a moment to check in and share our thoughts for 2025. While nothing is set in stone, our goal at this stage is to open a dialogue with you before making any final decisions. We truly appreciate your support and feedback, and want to ensure we’re serving you in the best way possible before moving forward.

One of the most requested features has been a console port for Xbox and PlayStation. As we mentioned in our October update, this is a significant challenge, as DLC sales barely cover the costs of running our studio. A console port requires significant investment, due to licensing fees, extensive development time, and adapting the game to meet the strict platform requirements.

We've been exploring ways to secure funding from external sources while maintaining our creative freedom. After careful consideration, we believe the best approach is to launch a Kickstarter campaign to help cover development costs. Nick and I would continue working on the game part-time, as we have been, to Keep the budget manageable and focused on the following key improvements:

• Meet the requirements for Xbox and PlayStation ports
  
• Adding highly requested features, such as enhanced bot support.
  
• Improving UX/UI through professional testing and design refinement.
  
• Enhancing player connectivity by revamping the region system and cross-play support.

We're still working out the exact crowdfunding goal, as we need to crunch some numbers and do a bit more research. But with the proper budget, we'll be able to do a lot more than we ever could by self-funding. This will provide the resources needed to make these improvements and deliver the game experience you’ve been asking for.

We understand that crowdfunding after release is unconventional. However, a console release is an opportunity for the game to reach a broader audience beyond Steam. Our goal is to leverage what we’ve learned from our Early Access and Steam release to ensure the console launch has the greatest impact possible, with the hope of building a lasting player base and sustaining it through robust bot support.

In addition to the numerous improvements listed above, the game will feature cross-play, allowing PC players to connect with Xbox and PlayStation users. This will help address the low player base issues on PC. Furthermore, the enhanced bot support will be designed to accommodate players who prefer solo play, have a smaller group of friends to play with, or struggle to find matches. While our focus is on porting the game to consoles, PC players will still benefit greatly from these updates and won’t be left behind.

There’s still so much we want to do with Puppet Master: The Game, including adding new maps, humans, puppets, factions, and cosmetics. Once we have a clearer understanding of our project scope, we’ll finalize which additions to prioritize. This will primarily depend on how much free time Nick and I can dedicate to creating new content while balancing other aspects of the game’s development.

We truly value your feedback, and we want to hear from you. What are your thoughts on a crowdfunding campaign? How do you feel about a console port and the improvements we’re planning? Let us know in the comments or reach out to us directly, we’re excited to hear from you!

PS: Thank you for your understanding as we've taken some much-needed time to rest and enjoy the holiday season. We hope you’re doing the same!

Thank you,
Drake and Nick