Hey buds!
As October left us quiet and reflective, November came crashing in like a storm …a good storm! We showcased Steps to the public for the very first time, secured another round of funding from Østnorsk Filmsenter, and made a huge shift in the direction of our entire development plan.
Let’s dig into what happened, because this month has truly been one of the most impactful ones to date.
Attending SpillExpo
SpillExpo 2025 will forever hold a special place in our journey. Not only because it was our first big event as Glueplant Games, but because it showed us how people experience Steps.
We set off for Lillestrøm on November 7th with mixed feelings. Was it too early? Would anyone care? To make things extra interesting, Adrian had been bedridden with a 39.8°C fever for two days, and Mathias had just returned from a trip to USA, still jetlagged. But is there such a thing as “good timing” in indie dev? We packed up, bought a last-minute controller (It’s always a great moment when you realize your equipment doesn’t work, just as the doors are about to open), and set up our very first booth.
Looking around, it was clear we had room for improvement. Our back wall was empty and our paper tablecloth and initial setup screamed “first-timers.” The first few minutes didn’t help out either. People glanced over, smiled politely, and moved on. Our very first tester sat down, played for a minute, said it wasn’t for her, and kindly added that it was fun, before heading off. Not exactly the confidence boost we were hoping for.
But then… something shifted!
From that moment on, our booth barely stood empty. Over three days, 130 people played Steps. Around 65% were kids drawn in since “it’s Minecraft”. But the remaining 35%, our actual target audience, often stayed glued to their seats for over half an hour at a time (some clocked in at over one hour).
We even had dads who sat down to help their kids, only for the roles to reverse; the kids leaving, and the dads refusing to give up until they solved the puzzles. Watching that happen was quite magical. It became clear proof that Steps truly resonated with our intended players.
The feedback we gathered was golden. Players loved the concept and atmosphere, but level two quickly earned a reputation. What I thought was a “nice challenge” turned out to be brutally difficult. We found ourselves warning every new player that the next level might test their patience. And yet, some managed to 100% complete it, collectibles and all! Their perseverance taught us a lot about balance and player psychology, what’s considered easy and difficult, lessons we’ll take directly into the demo we’re building for February.
And then there was that moment! The one that will continue to make us smile. A 12-year-old boy came with his dad, played through the game, and told us he’d buy it at release. But a few hours later, he returned …to speedrun it! And then, an hour later, he came back again, determined to beat his own record. Watching him fall in love with Steps was one of those rare reminders of why we do this. We didn’t expect our first “fan” to be a 12-year-old speedrunner, but here we are.
If SpillExpo taught us anything, it’s what these events actually demand of us. Ten hours of standing with continuous conversations, three days in a row, completely wiped us out. Our evenings turned into half-sleepy bites of Peppes pizza at our Airbnb-place, and collapsing into bed. exhausting? Yes. Enjoyable? Surprisingly also yes. We would like to do this again!
We also came out of our shells a bit. We had countless great conversations, even a quick radio interview(!), and felt genuinely welcomed by the indie community around us. By the end of the weekend, we didn’t feel like “the new kids” anymore. We had become part of the family.
When we left SpillExpo, we carried a long list of booth improvements, fantastic feedback for Steps, and a real sense of belonging in the industry. We can’t wait for next year. And this time, we’re coming prepared!
The Demo is Officially Funded!
We’re thrilled to announce that we’ve secured another round of funding from Østnorsk Filmsenter!
Out of 32 applicants, only 11 were selected, where just two were games. Seeing our name among them is still both humbling and surreal.
This grant of 200,000 NOK will carry us through the creation of Steps’ first playable demo, set for release in February. This demo will serve as both a public playtest and a key part of our upcoming application to NFI. It’s tougher to get into their loop, but we’re ready to give it our all.
With this being our last opportunity to apply at Østnorsk Filmsenter, the next phase will push us into new territory. We’ll be reaching out to NFI again, and potentially Filminvest as well. It’s both exciting and a little intimidating, but that’s the nature of growth. We’re stepping into the unknown once more, and who knows what doors might open next?
Rethinking Our Path Forward
November hasn’t just been about progress. It has also been about perspective.
After gathering advice from mentors, feedback from SpillExpo, and facing the realities of indie sustainability, we realized that our original development plan was simply too big.
Originally, Steps was set to release for Steam in late 2027 and include:
- 6 regions with 6 levels each
- Reworked bonus stages (post-game)
- An extensive dialogue tree
- Full translation to several languages
It would’ve been a great game, but not a sustainable one. So, we’ve made the tough, but hopefully right decision to scale down.
So, our new goal for Steps is:
- Release Steps by the end of 2026
- Focus on 6 regions with 5 levels each
- Remove post-game content (may return later as DLC if Steps becomes successful)
- Simplify dialogue trees to 2–3 main branches
- Release simultaneously on Steam and mobile
- Include Norwegian and English at launch, with more translations post-release
After deciding on our new direction, it truly felt like a heavy load was lifted. Three years is a long time to commit to a single game, especially for a game that might struggle commercially. After almost a year in development, we’ve learned a ton about the business side of game development. We’re excited for the day we can start a new project with this knowledge baked in from the beginning. Selling games matters, but so does passion. Our goal for the future is to find a balance between the two, not only passion.
We’ve also decided to set a rhythm for Glueplant Games moving forward. We want to release one game every two years. It’s ambitious, but it allows us to keep creating games while maintaining financial and creative health from the sales and funding as we go.
A new year awaits
As we wrap up this packed, wonderful November, we can’t help but feel proud. We’ve stepped into the games industry for real, with players and supporters who now know our name.
We’re confident that Steps is on track to become something special for its audience. Watching people enjoy it, even in its rough, early state, has shown us just how much potential it holds.
See you next month!
And in the meantime, have a wonderful Christmas!