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Designer Dialogs: Dino Country with Emmorie Klotzer and Robin Scott

4/4/2025

0 Comments

 
​What do you get when you mix dinosaurs and the Wild West? Saddle up for Dino Country to find out! Dino Country is our newest addition to Adventure Escape Mysteries, and it’s definitely an adventure.

Today we’re here with Emmorie Klotzer and Robin Scott, the two game designers behind it all.

So, Dino Country is set in the Wild West… but with dinosaurs?? How did this idea come about?
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​Emmorie: I was eager to work on a classic Wild West game, especially since we didn’t have one in our library. Living in Arizona, I’m surrounded by cacti, cowboy hats, and rattlesnakes—there’s inspiration all around me. When I pitched a more traditional Western, we felt it was missing our unique take. That’s where dinosaurs came in. It gave the genre an unexpected twist—one that got people excited about the Wild West in a whole new way. 
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Robin: Once we’d decided on Emmorie’s pitch, we made a list of Western tropes and must-haves for a Wild West game, then discussed how that list might work with dinosaurs in the mix. We were especially concerned with dinos coming across as monsters instead of friendly companions, so we studied how cowboys interacted with their horses and dogs to ensure that our dinos felt like an integrated part of the world and not just an add-on. I’m quite happy with the end result!
What’s fun about working on a game set in the Wild West?
​

Robin: The Western genre is rich with storytelling possibilities because it’s somewhat historical, but also highly dramatized. The genre also has a deep cinematic history with spaghetti Westerns, and their connection to the samurai genre. But at the heart of most Westerns is the desire for adventure and navigating the unknown when the odds aren’t favorable, so nailing those elements was at the top of our list. We hope the game is a healthy mix of fun and challenging!

Emmorie: The Wild West is such a well-explored setting that it can sometimes feel overly familiar. But that challenge is what made it exciting—finding ways to break expectations and make the world feel fresh again. I also loved showcasing the Southwest’s breathtaking landscapes in a way that goes beyond the usual tumbleweed towns.

What’s one of your favorite parts or moments of the game?

Emmorie
: Quicksand! We had a lot of fun designing a quicksand moment in the game. It’s one of those classic Wild West dangers, but with a unique twist that fits right in.

Robin: There’s a part in chapter four with a crystal cave, waterfalls, dinosaur bones, and a massive surprise. That room turned out spectacular and it’s gorgeous to stare at!

How long have you worked at Haiku Games, and how did you get into game design?
​

Emmorie
: I’ve always been passionate about games—video games, board games, and game art. I never imagined it would actually be creating them!

Knowing I wanted to pursue something creative, I attended the Savannah College of Art and Design, where I earned a BFA in industrial design. After college, I was hired by Mattel Games, where I was mentored by award-winning board game designer Brian Yu. He taught me the fundamentals of game design—what makes games fun and engaging. I left Mattel during the COVID pandemic but credit him with giving me my foundation in game design.

I was drawn to mobile games because they offer so many opportunities to create exciting, unexpected 'wow' moments that aren’t always possible in physical games. I’ve been with Haiku Games for the past two and a half years, and I see myself here for the long haul!

Robin: Emmorie, Andrew Petersell (who did Death Dodgers), and I all started at Haiku simultaneously, and it’s been such a joy working together!

I’ve been a gamer as long as I can remember and grew up with Mario, Animal Crossing, Harvest Moon, and Legend of Zelda. I also loved classic point-and-click PC games like Freddie Fish and Putt-Putt, which are similar in structure to what we do here.

My journey into the industry started as a detour. During the height of the pandemic, I completed my MFA in Creative Writing. I spent my rare free time playing Adventure Escape games on my phone because I didn’t have time for console gaming. Those phone games reminded me of the point-and-click games I grew up with, and I fell in love with the style. I pivoted my MFA away from novels and made a video game for my thesis instead. Haiku Games took a chance on me right when I graduated, and I’ve been here ever since!

As two designers working on one game, how did you collaborate and split the work?

Robin: Emmorie and I tackled individual chapters on our own. Of course, splitting the game up meant we weren’t designing chapters in chronological order, so we needed to check in regularly to make sure our timeline was consistent. Even though Dino Country is wrapped up, we still message regularly about puzzle ideas and brainstorming sessions for our own games. It’s handy working with other creatives because the end project is always richer!

Emmorie: We collaborated on the overall story outline, then divided up the chapters and created a list of iconic elements we wanted to include in the game. Having multiple perspectives really helped—we could bounce ideas off each other, which led to some unique and unexpected puzzles that might not have happened otherwise. It was a great balance of teamwork and individual creativity.

Do you think a T-Rex would make a good pet?

Emmorie
: As someone who loves big dogs—I have a Newfoundland—I like to think I’m up for the challenge of a giant pet. But even I have to admit that a T-Rex might be a little too much. It would be ridiculously expensive to feed, and I’d be afraid of it stepping on me (or worse).

Robin: Well, it’ll depend on how big your backyard is, or if your local dog park will make a species exception. Not sure how many landlords will approve, though. I’m sure that pet fee would be through the roof!

What’s your favorite dinosaur?

Robin
: Oh, there’s so many! This one isn’t technically a dinosaur, but I love plesiosaurs. As a kid, I read a theory that the Loch Ness monster was actually a plesiosaur ghost, and that theory has stuck with me ever since! Ankylosauruses are also super amazing and have such fantastic body armor.

Emmorie: I like the Iguanodon! One of the most fascinating things about it is that it had thumbs—I’ve yet to hear a definitive explanation for why, and I’ve always found that intriguing. My son, Leo, loves a book called Dinosaur Dance by Sandra Boynton, and there's an Iguanodon page where I do a funny dance that always makes him laugh. Of course, I had to include an Iguanodon in our game too.

Dino Country is available in Adventure Escape Mysteries! Play on iOS or Google Play. Coming soon to Amazon Kindle, Facebook, or Windows.
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What're the Adventure Escape games in order?

4/3/2025

67 Comments

 
Updated April 2025
We recommend playing Adventure Escape Mysteries if you haven’t played Adventure Escape games before. It has multiple mysteries you can play, the fewest bugs, and has user accounts so you can play on multiple devices. It's not necessary to play our earlier games to understand what is happening in Adventure Escape Mysteries, so check it out if you want the best adventure escape game experience.

But many players have emailed us asking about the Adventure Escape games in order of release, so we thought we’d write that up here. If you’re a completionist that wants to play our games chronologically, this list is for you!

All Adventure Escape Games
  1. Adventure Escape: Murder Manor (December 2014)
  2. Adventure Escape: Time Library (May 2015)
  3. Adventure Escape: Asylum (October 2015)
  4. Adventure Escape: Cult Mystery (December 2015)
  5. Adventure Escape: Space Crisis (April 2016)
  6. Adventure Escape: Framed (August 2016) - also available in Adventure Escape Mysteries
  7. Adventure Escape: Carnival (October 2016) - also available in Adventure Escape Mysteries
  8. Adventure Escape: Xmas Killer (December 2016) - also available in Adventure Escape Mysteries
  9. Adventure Escape: Hidden Ruins (April 2017) - also available in Adventure Escape Mysteries
  10. Adventure Escape: Starstruck (October 2017) - also available in Adventure Escape Mysteries
  11. Adventure Escape: Allied Spies (December 2017) - also available in Adventure Escape Mysteries
  12. Adventure Escape: Murder Inn (December 2017) - also available in Adventure Escape Mysteries
  13. Adventure Escape: Haunted Hunt (May 2018) - also available in Adventure Escape Mysteries
  14. Adventure Escape: Dark Ruins (September 2018) - also available in Adventure Escape Mysteries
  15. ​Adventure Escape Mysteries - Trapmaker 1 (December 2018)
  16. ​Adventure Escape Mysteries - Cursed Crown (December 2018)
  17. ​Adventure Escape Mysteries - Trapmaker 2 (March 2019)
  18. ​Adventure Escape Mysteries - Trapmaker 3 (June 2019)
  19. ​Adventure Escape Mysteries - Paradise Mystery (September 2019)
  20. ​Adventure Escape Mysteries - Pirate's Treasure (October 2019)
  21. ​Adventure Escape Mysteries - Painted Worlds (December 2019)
  22. ​Adventure Escape Mysteries - The Covenant (May 2020)
  23. ​Adventure Escape Mysteries - Picture Perfect (September 2020)
  24. ​Adventure Escape Mysteries - Legend of the Sacred Stones (December 2020)
  25. ​Adventure Escape Mysteries - Psychic Squad (May 2021)
  26. ​Adventure Escape Mysteries - The Sultan's Inventor (October 2021)
  27. ​Adventure Escape Mysteries - The Echo Bay Murders (December 2021)
  28. ​Adventure Escape Mysteries - Lost Ruins: Revenge on Atlantis (March 2022)
  29. ​Adventure Escape Mysteries - Mirror Man (July 2022)
  30. ​Adventure Escape Mysteries - Legend of the Time Stones (October 2022)
  31. ​Adventure Escape Mysteries - On Thin Ice (December 2022)
  32. ​Adventure Escape Mysteries - Clue: The Murder of Mr. Black (February 2023 - this mystery was a limited time event and is no longer available)
  33. ​Adventure Escape Mysteries - The Squire's Tale (July 2023)
  34. ​Adventure Escape Mysteries - Vanishing Act and Homecoming (November 2023)
  35. ​Adventure Escape Mysteries - Sweet Dreams and Stardust (January 2024)
  36. ​Adventure Escape Mysteries - Puzzle Lovers and Reunion (June 2024)
  37. ​Adventure Escape Mysteries - Canine Cases (August 2024)
  38. ​Adventure Escape Mysteries - Death Dodgers (November 2024)
  39. ​Adventure Escape Mysteries - Dino Country (April 2025)

​Obsolete Games
We have two games that are older. They are not well updated, and though we look back fondly at them, we think our newer games are better. 
  1. Adventure Escape: Pyramids of Giza
  2. Adventure Escape: Scottish Castle

Detective Kate Games in Order
These are just the games featuring Detective Kate.
  1. Adventure Escape: Murder Manor (December 2014)
  2. Adventure Escape: Cult Mystery (December 2015)
  3. Adventure Escape: Framed (August 2016)
  4. Adventure Escape: Xmas Killer (December 2016)
  5. Adventure Escape: Starstruck (October 2017)
  6. Adventure Escape: Murder Inn (December 2017)
  7. ​Adventure Escape Mysteries - Trapmaker 1 (December 2018)
  8. ​Adventure Escape Mysteries - Trapmaker 2 (March 2019)
  9. ​Adventure Escape Mysteries - Trapmaker 3 (June 2019)
  10. ​Adventure Escape Mysteries - Paradise Mystery (September 2019)
  11. ​Adventure Escape Mysteries - Picture Perfect (September 2020)
  12. ​Adventure Escape Mysteries - The Echo Bay Murders (December 2021)
  13. ​Adventure Escape Mysteries - On Thin Ice (December 2022)
  14. ​Adventure Escape Mysteries - Vanishing Act and Homecoming (November 2023)


67 Comments

Designer Dialogs: Death Dodgers with Andrew Petersell

12/18/2024

0 Comments

 
​Death Dodgers is our latest addition to Adventure Escape Mysteries! This advanced game explores life-and-death stakes against a bustling city backdrop. 

When Marcus downloads a phone game at the recommendation of a mysterious stranger, he gets more than he bargained for. Over the next five days, he must compete against other players in a series of challenges set up by masked admins. Only one player will remain standing after five days. However, there’s something strange about these admins and the head game master. What’s really going on behind those masks?
​
Today, we’re here with Andrew Petersell, the game designer behind Death Dodgers.
Picture
​What inspired you to be a game designer?
I went to college for creative writing and took a course called “Writing for New Media.” For an assignment, we had to write a story using Inform 7, which is a programming language used to make text-based adventure games (think Colossal Cave Adventure or Zork). I had so much fun designing the game aspects, that I nearly forgot about the writing bit! From there, I knew I wanted to be a game designer.
This is your first solo game at Haiku! You also worked on Vanishing Act before this one. How does it feel to take the lead on a project?
Very rewarding. It was a ton of work, but it was cool to take on more responsibilities during the development process. For example, the Detective Kate universe was already established when we started working on Vanishing Act, so most of the legwork for story and character development was already done. As the primary designer on this project, it was on me to come up with an entirely new story from whole cloth. This was a challenge for sure, but as a result, I have a much greater sense of ownership over Death Dodgers, and I’m really proud of how it turned out!

Death Dodgers starts because the main character downloads a phone game, which feels pretty self-referential. Does that mean there will be other video game elements in Death Dodgers?
The video game aspects of Death Dodgers certainly play a big part in the story and gameplay. There’s a chapter set in an arcade where we have puzzles based on classic video games like Burger Time and Street Fighter. These were some of my favorite puzzles to design, so I hope you enjoy them!

What was your favorite part to work on in Death Dodgers?
I had fun coming up with the story concept. It’s pretty “out there,” but we were able to explore it thoroughly, especially with the extra context provided by the bonus VIP chapter. I don’t want to say too much, because I think the story works best when you are as unspoiled as possible. Let’s just say that there are some real unexpected turns. I think players are going to have fun uncovering the mystery!

The art style is different than usual, and all the characters have very unique designs! What inspired you to take this direction?
The setting of Death Dodgers is largely based off of New York City, so I wanted the art to feel like something out of that urban environment. Gong Studios took that idea and ran with it. They developed a unique, pseudo-graffiti art style that looks super cool, and totally nails that urban vibe. For me, New York has always been a place full of diverse people and experiences, and I think that really comes through in our character designs. Gong totally knocked it out of the park!

This game is Advanced, which is our hardest level. Do you have any advice for our clever players?
We didn’t set out with the specific goal of making this game harder than usual, but that is where the design ended up taking us. The stakes in this story are rather high, and I think that tension naturally bleeds over into the more challenging gameplay. Here is a bit of general advice for the puzzles in Death Dodgers: most locks require multiple clues to solve. If you think you know the solution after looking at only one clue, chances are you’re missing something. Be vigilant, and study your surroundings carefully!

Any words of wisdom for future game designers?
Make games! There’s no better way to learn how to design games than to just do it! If you’re not a strong programmer, make card games or board games. If you’re not a strong artist, draw stick figures. Every bit of experience is valuable!

Play Death Dodgers in Adventure Escape Mysteries. Purchase the Death Dodgers VIP Bundle to get access to an exclusive bonus chapter, 30 stars, and enough keys to unlock the whole game!
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Adventure Escape Mysteries Soundtracks

12/15/2024

4 Comments

 
Updated December 2024
We're often asked by our players what soundtracks are in our games. Here is a list of all the soundtracks of mysteries in Adventure Escape Mysteries.

Allied Spies
We Need A Hero by jeremyrwiebe
Suspenseful Mystery by jeremyrwiebe
Slow Tension by jeremyrwiebe

Canine Cases
Background Noire Piano by _Blacksmith_
Sunny Morning Jazz by Purpleplanet
Jazz Piano by Korolkov
Winter Piano Blues by SyncHits
Gentle Noire Nights by SCOREWIZARDS
Cool Mystery Jazz by SCOREWIZARDS
Sniffing Around by Purpleplanet
Lonesome Town by SCOREWIZARDS

Clue: The Murder of Mr. Black
Something Dark by SCOREWIZARDS

Christmas Killer
Christmas Jazz by pinkzebra
Mysterious by pinkzebra
Emotional Piano by cleanmindsounds
Scientific Inquiry by PantheonMusic
Night Club by VensAdams
Christmas Snowfall Loop by Purpleplanet
Mysterious Suspenseful Investigative Documentary by lucafrancini

The Covenant
Mellow Wood by SCOREWIZARDS
Mystery in the Forest by PhilLarson
Hitchcock Suspense by JBlanks
Dark Lullaby by JBlanks
Ambient Horror Music by AGsoundtrax
Abandoned by JBlanks
Killer on Campus by JBlanks
Hitchcock Thriller by JBlanks

Cursed Crown
Elven Forest by WizardBoy
Epic Fantasy Cinematic by LuLu_Production

Dark Ruins
The Mystical Sacred River by FlinTwin
Adventure by NeonRecords
In the Dark Jungle by SGAndersson
Epic Adventure by OctoberOrchestra

Day 0: Beneath the Mask
Hip Hop Jazz by EightBallAudio
Fly Forward by Diego Martinez
Lofi Hip Hop by LumenMedia
Gimme Beat by soundroll

Death Dodgers
Hip Hop Container by soundroll
Gimme Beat by soundroll
Vlog Hip-Hop by SERGMARU
At Hip Hop by Oasis_Music
Start Game by SnowMusicStudio
Breakdancing Moves by PantheonMusic
Urban Summer Hip Hop by alexshulgin
Fashion Hip Hop Trap by Sound_Forces
Dark Hip-Hop by Enrize
Noir Desires by marcobellonimusic
Sports Hip Hop Rock by cinematic_alex
Dark Ambient by StudioKolomna
Abstract Dark Stylish Hip Hop Electronica by Antracto
Hip Hop Glitch by NikiNPhaser
Hip Hop Dark by NikiNPhaser
Don’t Stop by syncincio
Sentimental Hip Hop by Enrize
Indie Emotional Hip Hop by AlexanderRufire
​
The Echo Bay Murders
Cyber Trance by JBlanks
Be Suspense by ArtHaiz
Dark Suspense by PhilLarson
The Strange Thing by PetrenjMusic
Investigative News Documentary by pinkzebra
Science and Medical Research by MusicDog
Post Apocalyptic by TexasBrother
Ambient Wild West Guitar by OlexandrIgnatov
In These Woods by Crypt-of-Insomnia
Synthwave Outrun by lucafrancini
Story by MrRevant

Framed
Investigation by 99Instrumentals
That Documentaries Is by SersalStudio
Documentary Background Music by SersalStudio
Atmospheric by MusicService
Suspenseful Piano by SilverHoof
Cinematic Night Hunt by lucafrancini
Danger by MusicService
Crime Drama Detective Series by VICTORMUSIC
Learning by original_soundtrack

Haunted Hunt
Dark Night by WizardBoy
Period Drama Chase by simonstevens

Hidden Ruins
Epic Adventure by OctoberOrchestra
Lake of Mystery by SCOREWIZARDS
Discovery by FlorewsMusic
Africa by lucafrancini
Gateway To The Fjords by Crypt-of-Insomnia
Ancient Stone by Crypt-of-Insomnia
​
Homecoming
Positive Rock by plastic3
Uplifting Teen Rock by GalaxyAudio
8 Bit Game by BearStockMusic
Rock Teen by 331
Uplifting Pop Rock by GalaxyAudio

Legend of the Sacred Stones
Enchanted by Orchestralis
Ambient Piano by AllenGrey
Epic Mysterious Theme by AudiophileTrax
Epic Choir & the Temple of Doom by AllenGrey
Mystery by Orchestralis
Temple of Doom by AllenGrey
Haunting Winter Snow by BlueSkyAudio
On A Cold Winter Day by Adigold
Female Choir by Orchestralis
Stars by -MARiAN-
Dark Choir and Orchestra by Orchestralis
Gothic Choir by AllenGrey

Legend of the Time Stones
Epic Fantasy by kornevmusic
Middle East Cinematic Atmosphere by AllenGrey
Epic Battle by mr_B_Music_Studio
Daydreaming by AllenGrey
Fantasy by _Blacksmith_
Heavenly Inspiration by gilv
Fantasy World by _Blacksmith_
This is War by Lowtone
Dreamy Cinematic Choir by Orchestralis
Epic & Dramatic Choir Theme by AGsoundtrax
Emotional Dramatic by DmitriySimf
Hollywood Trailer by PraskMusic
Positive Inspiring Singing Girl by RedOctopus

Lost Ruins
Egyptian Adventures by MatthewPablo
Arabian Nights by iCENTURY
Enchanting Ritual Dance by MusicDog
Hot Sand by StudioEtude
Cinematic Adventure by MalirecStudio
Under Water by SilverHoof
Underwater Paradise by TheStoryShop
History by fatbunny
Hope of Salvation by tunestogo
Pantheon by SCOREWIZARDS
Epic Battle by Anuch

Midnight Carnival
For Halloween by TexasBrother
Sad Emotion by dimadjdocent
Mystery by Stereo_Color

Mirror Man
Calm Ominous Orchestral Horror Intro by lucafrancini
Horror Suspense by lucafrancini
Eerie by SilverHoof
Dark Synths and Retro Horror by JBlanks
On The Dark Side by Crypt-of-Insomnia
Trailer Cabal by Synthezx
Haunted Mansion by lucafrancini
The House of Fear by Adigold
As The Crow Flies by scottwills
Mysterious Clues by SCOREWIZARDS
Mysterious Things by SnowMusicStudio
Mysterious Artifact by Crypt-of-Insomnia
Something’s Wrong by Adigold

Murder Inn
Mistery by melodylabs
Orchestral Tension by Emanuel-Abrudean

On Thin Ice
Atmospheric Ambient Piano with clock by AllenGrey
Mysterious by 8thModeMusic
Inspiring Romance by MusicDog
Countdown to Blast by Alex_Greets
Investigate by boomopera
Mystery by KonstantinMark
Mystery and Magic by Cinematique
Danger by StudioKolomna

Painted Worlds
Whimsical by bdProductions
Wish Song by AllenGrey
Peaceful Village by MatthewPablo
Super Cute Game Music by MatthewPablo
Emotional Dream by Adigold
French Cafe Bossa Nova by NikiNPhaser
Kitchen Jazz by LoopsLab
Creepy Music Box by 8thModeMusic
Dark Lullaby by JBlanks
Hopes and Dreams by AGsoundtrax

Paradise Mystery
Documentary Ambient by bdProductions
Relaxing Beach Guitars by trackscube
Relax by Alex_Greets
A Beautiful Land by TortoiseTree

Picture Perfect
Cool Orchestral Hip Hop by pinkzebra
Summer Dreams by pinkzebra
Wedding by M-S-STUDIO
Sadness Piano by Korolkov
A Sentimental Background by alexbird
Gentle & Flowing Piano with Light Orchestra by pinkzebra
Club Corporate Music by HimProduction
Cinematic Classic by alexbird

Pirates Treasure
Pirates Secret by JaToPra
Calypso Cool by JBlanks
Epic Pirate Battle Theme by MatthewPablo
Ghost Ship Loop by AllenGrey

Psychic Squad
Calmness by cleanmindsounds
Farewell by lucafrancini
Danger by StudioKolomna
Lonely Mourning by PhilLarson
Atmospheric Cinematic Ambient by _Blacksmith_
A Haunting Tale by AudiophileTrax
Fashion Love by lucafrancini
Lonely Nights by Adigold
Ambient Suspense Background Loop by AllenGrey
Suspenseful Dark Cinematic Mystery by SunChannelMusic
Inspiring Dreams by AudiophileTrax

Puzzle Lovers
Light And Happy Cinematic Orchestra by pinkzebra
Romantic Moments by MarbleSpace
Singles Awareness Day by CrazyTunes
Love Adventure by StereoNuts
First Date by GentleJammers
Romantic Date by Deodo
Lost In Nowhere by AGsoundtrax
Epic Percussion by cleanmindsounds

Reunion
Light And Happy Cinematic Orchestra by pinkzebra
Romantic Moments by MarbleSpace
Singles Awareness Day by CrazyTunes

Squire's Tale
Medieval Background Loop by lucafrancini
Epic Fantasy Orchestral Action Adventure by 8thModeMusic
Adventure by AllenGrey
Fantasy Adventure mr_B_Music_Studio
Mysterious by GentleJammers
Eastern Desert Adventure by KabbalisticVillage
Middle Eastern by iCentury
Winter and Snowman by VictoryAudio
Mysteries of the Forest by Purpleplanet
Nightfall Of The Magical Forest by CineMedia
Castle Vampire by SCOREWIZARDS
Mountain Adventure by SCOREWIZARDS
Fanfare by pinkzebra
Whistling Tune by SeaportSound​

Stardust
Quirky Fantasy by Orchestralis

Starstruck
Mysterious Clues by SCOREWIZARDS
Curiosity by soundroll
Sneaking Around by TheStoryShop
Sneaky Mischief by lucafrancini
Pizzicato Latino Background Loop by Praded

Sultan’s Inventor
Arabian Legend by CineMedia
Anxious Middle-East by tunestogo
Savage Desert by simonleng
Mid-Eastern Charms by tunestogo
Flower Of The East by SnowMusicStudio
Desert Caravan by SCOREWIZARDS
Arabia by bdProductions
Heart of the Sahara by simonleng

Sweet Dreams
Fairy Tale by Gold-Tiger
Super Cute Game Music by MatthewPablo
In the Land of Make Believe by Purpleplanet
Positive Puzzler by SCOREWIZARDS
Wonderful Tale by Purpleplanet
The Magic Tree by Purpleplanet
More Fun and Games by Purpleplanet
Excuse Me Cat by Purpleplanet
Magical Journey by Purpleplanet
Mischief Maker by Purpleplanet
The Quirky by Gold-Tiger
The Spooky by MikeStown
Mysteries of the Forest by Purpleplanet
Riddle of the Old Library by Purpleplanet
Baby’s Discovery by Purpleplanet

Trapmaker
Mysterious Trailer by J_A_Garcia
Countdown to Blast by Alex_Greets
Orchestral Tension and Suspense by Cinematique

Trapmaker 2
Mysterious by 8thModeMusic
The Mystery by LMNT_media
A Mystery by boomopera

Trapmaker 3
Suspense 2 by Cinematique
Mystery and Magic by Cinematique
Secret Station by cleanmindsounds

Vanishing Act
Jazzy by Korolkov
Sneaky by AllenGrey
Noir by MojoProductions
Jazz Saxophone Solo by GreenRocketAudio
Jazz Lounge by EliansProductions
Sweet & Sentimental Acoustic by pinkzebra
Hopeful Marimba & Piano Background by pinkzebra
The Swing by guitarsstate
Clocks by Adigold
8 Bit Game Music by EliansProductions
Latin Summer by Korolkov
Jazzy Suspense by Crypt-of-Insomnia
Femme Fatale by PantheonMusic
Bad Man by SCOREWIZARDS
Horror Chase by Positive_Sound
Deep and Emotional Noire Jazz by MatthewPablo

4 Comments

VIP Bundle Frequently Asked Questions

11/19/2024

16 Comments

 
Updated November 2024
What is the VIP Bundle?
The VIP Bundle is available for Death Dodgers, Vanishing Act, Sweet Dreams, and Puzzle Lovers. Each purchase is specific to the game you select and includes three major benefits. 
  1. Early Access to the Game - You will get Early Access and will be able to play the game before it is available in Open Access. In addition, all chapters are unlocked so you don’t have to wait for keys (a $4.99 value)!
  2. Bonus Content - If you purchase the VIP Bundle, you get access to exclusive bonus content for the mystery. For example, Day 0: Beneath the Mask is an exclusive prequel chapter that delves deeper into the shadowy organization behind Death Dodgers. All hints and skips are free in the bonus content! 
  3. 30 Stars - You also get 30 stars (a $4.99 value) when you purchase the VIP Bundle.
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* Please check the exact dates in the Adventure Escape Mysteries app. The iOS and Google Play games typically launch first and will be in Early Access for roughly 3 weeks before Open Access. 

How much does the VIP Bundle cost?
The VIP Bundle costs $8.99 USD (this will adjust based on your local currency). The Keys and Stars you get with the bundle are worth $9.99, so you can get the bonus content and early access for less than the cost of the keys and stars purchased separately! All the hints and skips are free in the bonus chapter so you’ll never be stuck for long.

Do I get access to all VIP content if I purchase one VIP Bundle?
You do not. If you purchase the Sweet Dreams VIP Bundle, you'll get access to the Sweet Dreams VIP Content, 30 stars, and unlock all Sweet Dreams chapters. However, you won't get access to the Vanishing Act Bonus Chapter. Some players have asked for a different option that will give access to all VIP exclusive content, and we are considering that. Please let us know if that is something you are interested in so we can gauge interest!

I don't see the VIP Bundle. What's wrong?
First, make sure the VIP Bundle is available. We'll announce the launch date on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and send out an email. The iOS and Google Play versions will be available first. Amazon Kindle, Steam, Windows, and Facebook will come later.

If it is past the launch date and you do not see the VIP Bundle, the most common situation is that you need to update your Adventure Escape Mysteries app. The app might not automatically update, so you can manually update it on iOS or Google Play. If you have more problems, please email us.

I bought the VIP Bundle on the wrong account! What should I do?
Some players were logged into the wrong Haiku account, or not logged in when purchasing the VIP Bundle. We can transfer the VIP Bundle purchase to the correct account if you email support. The process is currently manual, so please give our Customer Support team a little time to make this happen. 

Do I need to buy the VIP Bundle to finish the story in the main game?
No, you do not. You can complete the main story by playing for free. Bonus Content is meant to supplement the main story. 
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Will every future mystery have a VIP Bundle?
We don’t know yet. In the last year, we've released games with and without VIP bundles. There is a VIP Bundle for Death Dodgers, Vanishing Act, Puzzle Lovers, and Sweet Dreams. Whether or not we continue depends on how you, our players, react to them. Let us know what you think about the bundles and if we should keep doing them.

Will Bonus Content be the same for each game?
We are experimenting with different types of VIP exclusive bonus content. Stardust: A Puzzle Collection is a series of different puzzles that the players complete to learn more about the world of Revi in Sweet Dreams. Homecoming is a bonus chapter that explores Detective Kate in high school. Let us know which ones you prefer!

Will the Bonus Content be available for everyone eventually?
At this time, Bonus Content is exclusively for players who purchase the VIP Bundle. 

Can I buy the VIP Bundle after the Early Access period? 
Yes, you can still purchase the VIP Bundle when the game is in Open Access.

Why are you offering VIP content?
Our goal is to keep making Adventure Escape for years to come. Imagine if we could release a high quality Adventure Escape update every month instead of every 3-4 months like we do now! This is something many players have asked for.

To do that, we have to keep bringing on amazingly talented people and manage the rising costs of creating Adventure Escape. Our standards have constantly been going up–if you look at some of the art in Vanishing Act versus our first game, Pyramids of Giza, you can see the increase in quality. 
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Adventure Escape art has improved a lot over the years!
​​At the same time, we want to offer something that is valuable for players. We hope the combination of unique content, early access, and the included keys and stars will be exciting for our players.

If you choose to purchase VIP Bundles, we’re thankful to you for supporting Haiku Games. You’re helping us update Adventure Escape with new, free mysteries for years to come. Hopefully this explains our decision to create the VIP bundle. As always, let us know your thoughts!
16 Comments

Designer Dialogs: Puzzle Lovers with Gene Mocsy

6/25/2024

2 Comments

 
Puzzle Lovers is the latest mystery featured in the Adventure Escape Mysteries app. Haiku's first romance-adventure brings you the world's greatest puzzles in the most beautiful locales. In the interview below, learn more about the game designer and behind the scenes of this brilliant game.
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Let's meet Gene!
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Was there anything in your past that first inspired you to be a game designer?
Gene Mocsy - Writer and Game Designer
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My friend and I didn’t have video game consoles, so we drew little game characters on squares of paper and slid them around on opposite sides of a glass door to pretend we were playing video games. There was an Olympic diving game that was fun and, if you missed the pool - bloody.
What advice would you give to an aspiring game designer when starting out?
  • Back up your work!
  • You are more unique than you realize. Everything you and your family have gone through will bring interesting variety to your games.
  • Keep your expenses low. 
  • Cache ideas for the future. I add screenshots to folders in Dropbox every day. 
  • It’s good to have deeper meanings in your game, but you still have to entertain.

What games do you play on your own time other than AEM?
I try to be careful about playing games because I get pretty addicted. I’m co-designing three games right now so I need to stay on track. But I am playing The Queen’s Gambit Chess by Ripstone Games. I never learned chess as a kid – my slow learning curve was too humiliating. This app builds up very small chess puzzles and it’s infinitely patient. As part of my Puzzle Lovers research, I watched YouTube chess influencers and they’re a fun subculture. It seems like every game designer should understand chess!

Were there any major changes in Puzzle Lovers from when it was first designed?
Yes! Initially, we were sticking close to The Covenant’s coding, which only allows for one player character. That’s not good enough for a dating show. I asked if we could give the player more choices. And our brilliant engineer Christine Blaich found a way. Now the player can choose between eight characters. both male and female, and fifteen names. Everything feels more personal. Let us know if you love it! 🙂 

What puzzle are you the most pleased with how it turned out?
I’m most pleased with the puzzles other designers contributed to help me make my deadlines. Amy Fisher designed River Crossing in Puzzle Lovers chapter 5, and Motorcycle Race in the VIP chapter. Andrew Lee designed Market Manipulator in the VIP chapter. Of my own puzzles, I’d say the Untangle Parachute puzzle. It’s an exciting start to chapter 2.

What kind of player would be most interested in a game like Puzzle Lovers?
Anyone who wants to see the world, make friends, fall in love, or make money. Clever people like you are appreciated in this game. Also you learn how to untangle your parachute during free fall.

Play Puzzle Lovers now in the Adventure Escape Mysteries app!
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2 Comments

The Art and Design of Sweet Dreams

2/1/2024

2 Comments

 
Sweet Dreams is the latest mystery in Adventure Escape Mysteries. This whimsical game follows a 5-year-old boy through his wildest dreams. In the interview below, find out what goes into making the art for each chapter.
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Let's meet the designers! What is your favorite part about being a game designer?
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Michelle Woods (Lead Game Designer): For me, the best thing about being a game designer is getting to exercise so many different parts of my brain every day. At a small company like Haiku, game designers have creative ownership over every aspect of a game. We dream up the stories, write the character dialogue, design the puzzles, sketch out the scenes, review the artwork, map out the logical flow of every interaction, choose music and sound effects, and document every detail so that our fabulous art and engineering teams can bring it all to life. I love the variety of the job!
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Tammy Dorn (Game Designer): My two favorite parts about being a game designer are the puzzle making process and the fact that I’m creating something that will bring joy to others. I love crafting puzzles that are fun, inventive, and leave the player feeling accomplished, not frustrated.

I’ve always been a fan of escape rooms and puzzles, and it was a dream of mine to make puzzle games.
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Emmorie Klotzer (Game Designer): ​It’s difficult to choose a favorite part of being a game designer. I love being able to use my imagination to dream up new worlds. Creating puzzles is definitely a challenge, but it’s the best feeling when we find the right balance of difficulty and fun.
How did you come up with the idea behind Sweet Dreams?
Tammy: A dream game is something Michelle and I have talked about making for a while. Setting a game in a dream environment gives you freedom to design whatever sort of fun and wacky world you want. Once it was decided it would be a dream, it seemed natural to set it in a child’s dreamland. Where else are there so many talking adorable animals and giant lollipops?  We worked through a few ideas that were more complex, but eventually settled on keeping it simple. Arlo is asleep, and you need to wake him up.

Also, I am a mother to a sweet little boy and hearing about his dreams, fears, and hopes served as a great inspiration for our little Arlo.

What is the process like to request new art?
Emmorie: 
During the early design process, we create rough sketches to explain all of the interactions in the chapter. Then, we create a large document with specifications and references for every element. We send that to a team of talented artists and eagerly wait to see our vision come to life! Typically there’s some back and forth to make things just right, but it’s always an exciting day when we receive art.

How did you decide on the art style for Sweet Dreams?
Michelle: Early on, we sent the art team at Gong Studios a simple line sketch that Emmorie made of the Chapter 2 candy land scene below. We asked them to deliver multiple rough color versions of that scene, trying out a variety of styles that would look dreamy and whimsical, and less realistic than our existing Adventure Escape games.
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​The Gong team delivered six different versions shown below. 
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We loved the overall vibe and layout of 2C, but we also pulled in elements from other versions, like the gummy bear in 2B, and the swirly sky lines in 1C. The art team made other refinements, like making the linework less jagged, and adding more color and yummy treats. This scene set the style for the whole game. 
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What final art do you think turned out the best in the mystery?
Michelle: I love it all, but my two favorites are the Control Room in Chapter 1, and the Bunny Playground in Chapter 4. 

The Control Room feels so big and magical, with beautiful details and rich glowing colors. It’s such a rewarding moment when the electrical wires fill up with color, and when the huge window transforms to show the dreamscape outside. 

The two Bunny Playground scenes are ridiculously cute and dreamy with the fluffy white clouds, rainbow waterfalls, and chubby pink bunnies everywhere. There are so many iconic elements of childhood in there, from slides to lunchboxes to bubbles. It just makes me happy.

Emmorie: I think the art in Chapter 4 turned out really well - especially the bunny playground! The artists did a great job of capturing the whimsical, dreamy feel of the game. Connecting two rooms vertically was something unique that turned out really well.

Tammy:
I LOVE the spaces inside of Arlo’s head, both the dream work rooms from Chapter 1 and all the spaces in Stardust. They ended up just as whimsical and pretty as I imagined. There is a lovely twinkly little stardust animation that our developer Christine worked out in the Stardust game that makes me so happy every time I see it.
And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention all the adorable little animal characters. The otter, crab, bunnies, koala… they’re all just so cute!

Sweet Dreams is available in Adventure Escape Mysteries! Play on iOS, Google Play, Amazon Kindle, Facebook, or Windows.
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2 Comments

Meet the Game Designers behind Vanishing Act and Homecoming!

12/10/2023

3 Comments

 
Vanishing Act, the latest installment in the Detective Kate franchise, explores a new side of Kate Gray unseen in previous games. What people are a part of Kate’s personal life? Has she always been this clever? In the interview below, the designers behind the game discuss its creative process.
What has your journey through the gaming industry looked like?
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Chris Cowan (Lead Game Designer): I went to college to learn 3D animation and started in the game industry in 2008, working on games for the Nintendo DS and Wii. I'm now about 15 years into my career and have worked as a 2D/3D artist, game designer, and producer on over 40 games. I've been with Haiku for almost four years, and absolutely love working with this team. It really feels like my forever home.
​
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Andrew Petersell (Game Designer): My career in the industry started when I attended the MFA program at the NYU Game Center. It’s a fantastic program; I learned a ton and met a whole bunch of wonderful, wickedly talented people. After I graduated, I got a job as a designer at an indie game company called Mokuni. I got to work on a lot of really cool games at Mokuni, but I wanted to shift my focus towards projects with more of an emphasis on narrative, so I applied to be a designer at Haiku. I was lucky enough to get hired, and I’ve been working on awesome projects like Vanishing Act ever since!
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Robin Scott (Game Designer): At the start of the pandemic, I began my MFA in Creative Writing at Western Washington University. It was magnificent being surrounded by dedicated writers, and the experience honed my voice. Instead of a short story collection or novel excerpt, I took a dive and made a video game as my thesis because a mentor encouraged me to after learning that I was a lifelong gamer. That thesis started my journey of collaborating with classmates and other creatives on game jams while I networked with people in the industry. I am forever grateful that Haiku was willing to take a chance on me right after I graduated. I can’t wait to continue making games here!
Andrew and Robin, how has it been working on your first game at Haiku?

Andrew: Wonderful! Everyone on the Haiku team has been very welcoming and has helped support our vision for Vanishing Act. It’s been an honor to work on the latest Kate Gray story, and I hope our players will enjoy playing it as much as I enjoyed working on it!

Robin: The newest part to me is working tightly with a team. Most of the gaming teams I’ve worked on met sporadically, and our responsibilities were pretty separate. Here, I was co-designing chapters side-by-side with teammates, which has been quite enriching! Often, we’d start a meeting with an idea of where the story would go, only for the narrative to transform as our ideas collided. While I’ve worked on dozens of projects, this whole experience has made the creative process seem new again. It was an honor working with such exceptional designers!

And Chris, how has it been overseeing a team at Haiku?
Challenging! Game design has been my main focus for the last few years, so I've definitely had to flex a different part of my brain while overseeing Andrew and Robin in a more manager-focused role. I do enjoy the added challenge, and they've been great! I feel like I still have a lot to improve upon, but that's sort of reinvigorated my spirit a little bit. I always think it's good to step out of your comfort zone. It helps you grow. And growth is where the good stuff is!

What was your favorite part to work on in Vanishing Act?

Chris: I think the final chapter was both my favorite part and the hardest part to work on. It presented a lot of design challenges because of the location. We struggled for a while to make all of the rooms fit together. It required all three of us (Andrew, Robin, and I) to work closely. When we got all of the pieces to fit and played the chapter, there was a big, satisfying sigh of relief that we finally got it working. We all learned a lot, for sure! Big props to our developers, too.

Andrew: I really enjoyed weaving the story into the gameplay. In Vanishing Act, we worked hard to develop puzzles and scenarios that are not only fun to engage with on their own, but also tell the player a bit more about Kate and her world. I hope that these puzzles will help players get immersed in the story.

Robin: Definitely Chapters Three and Four. Not to spoil anything, but we dove into part of Kate’s past in ways the series hasn’t done before. There was a tricky puzzle at the end of each chapter, and both came together so well because of our developers. We couldn’t have done it without them! Shout out to Henryk Kaufman and Karol Sobański. The settings themselves were also so inspiring and felt different from the first part of the game. Imaginaires (our art team for this game) absolutely nailed the environments and character expressions.

What are you most excited for players to experience in this game?

Chris: I think longtime Kate Gray fans are going to love some of the big reveals surrounding Kate's personal life. This game might be the first time we take a deep dive into Kate's past.

Another thing longtime players will immediately notice is the new celebration animation when solving a puzzle or completing a chapter. We've also got some new UI elements in the AEM library launching at the same time, along with our new VIP Content bundle that includes a pretty hefty bonus chapter. It's been a very busy year for everyone at Haiku, and I can't wait until people get to see all of the other titles we're currently working on. 

Andrew: I can’t wait for our players to experience the story! Kate Gray is a fascinating character, but the details of her life outside of her detective work have been shockingly sparse up until this point. With Vanishing Act, we really wanted to explore Kate more as a character by delving deep into her past. I’m excited for our players to learn more about Kate and how she became the detective we know today.

Robin: As my teammates have mentioned, we’re all excited for the players to experience Kate’s past and learn more about her backstory. I’m also thrilled to say that Kate’s relationship with Murphy will progress, and in ways I don’t think the players will expect. For those who aren’t as concerned about the story, there are so many new puzzles and unique environments. There’s a lot to love about this game!

Vanishing Act is available for everyone on December 20, 2023. If you’d like to play now, you can purchase the VIP Bundle. With it comes early access, an exclusive bonus Young Detective Kate chapter, 30 stars, and enough keys to unlock the game in its entirety!
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3 Comments

Introducing Vanishing Act and the Homecoming VIP Bundle

10/30/2023

134 Comments

 
Update: The VIP Bundle is now available on iOS and Google Play. Please update Adventure Escape Mysteries to version 26.00+ to play!

Detective Kate returns in Vanishing Act!
We are excited to announce the next major update coming to Adventure Escape Mysteries! In our newest mystery, Vanishing Act, Kate and Murphy attend a magic show on a long-awaited date. What could possibly go wrong? 
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What is the VIP Bundle?
We are launching a new feature called the VIP Bundle along with Vanishing Act. The VIP Bundle includes three major benefits for players.
  1. Early Access to the Game -Vanishing Act releases on December 20, 2023* for all players, but you will be able to play the game on November 29 if you purchase the VIP Bundle. In addition, all chapters are unlocked so you don’t have to wait for keys (a $4.99 value)!
  2. Bonus Chapter - If you purchase the VIP Bundle, you get access to Homecoming, a special bonus chapter featuring Kate when she was in high school. All hints and skips are free in the bonus chapter! 
  3. 30 Stars - You also get 30 stars (a $4.99 value) when you purchase the VIP Bundle.
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How much does the VIP bundle cost?
The VIP bundle will cost $8.99. The Keys and Stars you get with the bundle are worth $9.99, so you can get the bonus chapter and early access for less than the cost of the keys and stars purchased separately! All the hints and skips are free in the bonus chapter so you’ll never be stuck for long.

Do I need to buy the VIP bundle to finish the story in Vanishing Act?
No, you do not. You can complete the main story in Vanishing Act by playing for free. The Homecoming bonus chapter in the VIP bundle is a separate story involving Kate's adventures in high school.
​
Will every future mystery have a VIP bundle?
We don’t know yet. There will be a VIP Bundle for Vanishing Act as well as our next mystery which will come out in early 2024. Whether or not we continue depends on how you, our players, react to them. Let us know what you think about the bundles and if we should keep doing them.

Why are you offering VIP content?
Our goal is to keep making Adventure Escape for years to come. Imagine if we could release a high quality Adventure Escape update every month instead of every 3-4 months like we do now. This is something many players have asked for.

To do that, we have to keep bringing on amazingly talented people and manage the rising costs of creating Adventure Escape. Our standards have constantly been going up–if you look at some of the art in Vanishing Act versus our first game, Pyramids of Giza, you can see the increase in quality. 
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Adventure Escape art has improved a lot over the years!
​At the same time, we want to offer something that is valuable for players. We hope the combination of unique content, early access, and the included keys and stars will be exciting for our players.

If you choose to purchase the VIP Bundle, we’re thankful to you for supporting Haiku Games. You’re helping us update Adventure Escape with new, free mysteries for years to come. Hopefully this explains our decision to create the VIP bundle. As always, let us know your thoughts!

Thanks!
Andrew Ow
Founder, Haiku Games

* These release dates are for iOS and Google Play. Vanishing Act will release a few weeks later for the Kindle, Steam, and Windows version of Adventure Escape Mysteries.
134 Comments

Unity, Why Are You Trying to Kill Us?

9/14/2023

7 Comments

 
9/22/2023 Update: Unity reversed their decision which makes us cautiously optimistic. Upgrading Unity will still be a significant cost for us, but at least this change is not retroactive. Thanks to other game developers for also voicing their concerns about Unity, and our players for supporting us! 

Unity, the game engine we use for Adventure Escape, announced a pricing change that seems designed to punish Haiku Games and other indie game developers.

What’s changing?
The bottom line is Unity is adding a new fee where they will charge game developers $0.15 to $0.02 per new install. This is on top of the $2,040 per year subscription fee per developer for Unity pro, or other Unity services like Unity’s content delivery fee. 
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Why does this target some developers?
We ran the numbers for 4 small game companies and calculated the impact of the Unity Runtime Fee for each of them. We assumed each company has 4 Unity developers. Each company also has revenue of $5 million a year, but the way they reach it is very different. 
  • Developer 1 has a $20 Steam game and sells 250,000 copies. 
  • Developer 2 has a paid mobile game and sells 2,500,000 copies for $2 each. 
  • Developer 3 has a free to play mobile game and has an average revenue per user (ARPU) of $1 and 5,000,000 downloads
  • Developer 4 has a popular kids app that has a $0.10 ARPU and 50,000,000 downloads.
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Here is a table of how the Unity price change will affect these developers. (Our model is here, modified from this model)
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Some developers will be completely crushed by this change. If you make a $20 game, then $0.15 per install is not that bad. But if you make a free-to-play game, this fee is a huge percentage of your revenue. On mobile, 95%+ of games are free. For Developer 4 who makes the kids app, Unity will take $1.8 MM from the developer, over two hundred times more than the developer is paying Unity now. (If you think the kids app example is extreme, look at this post from a kids app developer whose real numbers are even worse.)

It seems arbitrary that Unity decided some developers can survive but others cannot. This change from Unity will specifically target game developers who have high-download, low-revenue per user games. Based on our knowledge of the market, we believe many free to play game developers will go bankrupt due to this change. It seems impossible that this is an accident because many other pricing models (for example, raising the price of the Unity Pro subscription) would affect all developers equally. 

What do we think about the change?
There’s a lot that is frustrating about this situation. 

We get that development tools cost money. At Haiku, we’ve paid Unity hundreds of thousands of dollars in subscriptions and fees over the years. Outside of Unity, many companies have raised prices over the years and we understand that costs go up. But raising prices up to 400 times current rates is unprecedented. 

Perhaps most frustrating about this situation is that it harms all parties: developers, players, and yes, even Unity. How will this work out for Unity in the long term? It is hard to imagine recommending Unity to new developers in the future. And every existing Unity developer is going to evaluate the cost of continuing to use Unity versus switching to another engine. 

What does this mean for Haiku?
The good news is that Haiku will survive and keep making games. Don’t get us wrong, this is a major issue and we might have to adjust some plans, but we are one of the fortunate developers who will keep going. All the credit goes to the Haiku Games team and our players for supporting us throughout our journey. But make no mistake, a lot of our fellow game developers will go bankrupt if Unity proceeds with this change.

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