May 2026

The first Iwa monthly update

[Hitting Squidward Escape Velocity]‍

1: Wherrrreeeee have I been??

2: What’s next? (the actual game updates)

I put together this neat status flowchart to give you a visual of where each game currently stands:

There is wide variation in how long each phase takes compared to the next. The first phases, like Seed Phase, Alpha Build, Screenshots,* and Teaser Trailer probably are the heaviest portions of the entire process. Progress pacing after reaching the Vertical Slice phase is almost exponential.

Statuses:

SPHEROCIOUS → Almost ready for Alpha Testing
Purrfect Fit → Screenshots preparatory phase
Kazakh ‘Jack → Already launched (big 3D overhaul coming later)

I’ve decided the order of game launches:

1. SPHEROCIOUS

2. Purrfect Fit

3. Kazakh ‘Jack (full 3D overhaul)

Q: Why?
A: A bunch of you have been patiently waiting for SPHEROCIOUS, which was started before Purrfect Fit, so I’m prioritizing it first.

Have you ever been to a restaurant, got seated, ordered, and then, while you were waiting for your meal to arrive, watched a different group of people arrive, order, get served, and pay their bills before you even received your appetizer? I would presume that’s how the people who’ve been waiting for SPHEROCIOUS would feel if Purrfect Fit were to get published first.

Even so, both games have seen awesome progress. I completely rebuilt several core systems multiple times in each, and I’m really glad I did. I’ll keep working on both, but SPHEROCIOUS will get more attention than Purrfect Fit until it’s launched.

Keep reading for an update on the progress of each game…

SPHEROCIOUS — It started with pixel graphics and a fuzzy idea in a different game engine, became a clunky 3D prototype, and eventually started looking like a real game inspired by INSIDE. I threw together a progress compilation video, if you want to see that process. After the Vertical Slice is ready, it moves to the Alpha Playtesting phase — that means you can play it and give me some feedback! If that sounds fun, keep an eye on your email and/or the Discord server.

In case you might’ve missed it, here’s the SPHEROCIOUS Teaser Trailer I published in late January!

Wishlist SPHEROCIOUS on Steam!

Purrfect Fit — The base prototype was especially puzzling. Turning the cat-saving + fitness + VR concept into an intuitive & fun 3D experience based on the original Chris Ovemery animations took a ton of iteration, but I eventually found a way that I think most people will really enjoy. Chris and I actually chatted a fair bit last year. There’s a chance of us collaborating (which would be HUGE for Purrfect Fit) if the next prototype hits the quality bar he set, which is one reason why I scrapped the old bloated Unity file and started fresh. It was taking 5+ minutes to run the game every time I wanted to test it. The new version runs lightning fast and feels way better. There is a lot more to share about the game, but I usually prefer to wait until there is a certain threshold of progress met before sharing a lot of information because there is a risk of people stealing the idea and because placeholder graphics can keep a game looking underwhelming in its early stages. It took ages to build a working system for the core of the gameplay, but I’m excited to share that it has progressed substantially from where we started.

““Fun fact: Making VR games solo is hard.” ”

— me

Here’s a GIF showcasing one of the chaotic microgames in which you’ll be saving cats…*with placeholder graphics on the microgame, and a low frame rate for fast GIF loading time; the actual game runs silky smooth:

Also, I’ve found a way to interweave a pretty neat storyline into the game. This enigmatic GIF might give you a hint…

Once I’m comfortable with how much is ready, a Steam Store page & Meta Quest store page will be up for Purrfect Fit so you can wishlist it; A future update will tell you when!

Kazakh ‘Jack — I’m planning a full 3D game in a new genre, while keeping the original 2D version a hidden unlockable secret inside it for the masochistic platforming fans. I’m seriously excited to return to working on that series again. Being able to laugh both at AND with what you are working on is seriously fun.

Q: Why is this all taking so long?
A: Stardew Valley was essentially rebuilt 4 or 5 times during ~5 years of full time (overtime) development by an experienced developer. I’m working on these projects on the side while running my freelance teaching business to support myself financially. And sometimes, you need vast stretches of time anyway to figure out what exactly you are even building. Thomas Brush aptly calls this “The Frankenstein Effect.”

““And it feels like I’ve escaped what I would call ‘Squidward Syndrome’ — the awful state where an aspiring artist feels trapped by abject mediocrity.””

— also me

I’m really glad I’ve built this base up during these past years. Every project moving forward will be so much easier — and hopefully significantly quicker — to put together because of this initial learning period.

Oh — I’ve changed how I work, too: rather than setting hard milestone dates, I’m hoping to save you from potential disillusionment and myself from unnecessary pressure by keeping milestones flexible. Trying to predict exact dates as a solo developer was creating too much stress and rushed work. One of the only exceptions might be actual release dates, which I would like to set only once a game is already fully completed and prepared for launch.

I’d like to hear from you!

Got any specific feature requests for SPHEROCIOUS, Purrfect Fit, or Kazakh ‘Jack overhaul? Message me!

(By the way, have you ever seen the movie Jungle starring Daniel Radcliffe? It’s based on a true survival story that took place in the Amazon. I watched it recently and think you should too.)

That’s it for the May 2026 update.

Thank you all for your ongoing support!

// Nathan AKA Mister Iwa

So here’s the first Iwa monthly update. In these updates, you can hear what I’m up to directly from me.

It has been a while. It occurred to me that some people might have thought that I was actually lost in the Amazon while doing field research for SPHEROCIOUS, suffered an enigmatic injury from a quantum experiment related to Purrfect Fit, or was hospitalized by a radioactive tree while gathering natural resources used in the next Kazakh ‘Jack update.

Fortunately I'm actually alive and currently in my home country of Canada at the time of writing. In 2025, I incorporated Iwa Interactive. Corporate usually = gross, but I did it for tax reasons — I’ve got 2 very different businesses running simultaneously. It also opens up more possible funding opportunities. Last year was extremely difficult with major family & personal health issues, but I’m through the worst of it and fully back making games.

“Like Lloyd from the classic comedy film Dumb & Dumber once famously said, “We’re in a hole — we’re just gonna have to dig ourselves out!””