🔔 One Month Until B.E.S.T's Full Release… Or Not?

Hey B.E.S.T.I.E.S !

Here we are: 30 days to go before the official release of B.E.S.T on August 29, 2025. That’s huge for us — more than two years of development, passion, struggles, and incredible moments with all of you.

But today, we want to take a moment to talk to you openly and honestly.

📊 Development Status

Episode 5 is nearly done. We're wrapping up the final scene, translations are in progress, and we're polishing the last technical adjustments.

We’re also working hard on:

• The next episode,

• Steam Deck performance,

• Save file stability for returning players.

⚠️ The Challenges We’re Facing

Lately, our biggest challenge hasn’t been technical… but political.

A wave of censorship has started affecting many narrative games — especially those with adult content, even when it’s mild or story-driven.

We’ve received multiple warning signs: reduced visibility, geo-blocking in certain countries, even sudden bans — often with no clear explanation from the platforms.

And yet, B.E.S.T is far from being a porn game. It’s a story. A universe. Complex characters. A mix of romance, strategy, and social dynamics.

But nowadays, that alone is enough to trigger problems, especially when the rules are vague… or just plain unclear.

🧩 So What Happens Next?

We’re doing everything we can to keep B.E.S.T available in the form you know and love — without compromise.

But let’s be honest: 🎭 The future is a bit uncertain.

We’re exploring different options — but one thing is clear: we’re not giving up.

B.E.S.T wasn’t supposed to go beyond this arc. It was a one-shot, originally. But your support, the characters, the world, and everything we’ve built together made us want to go further. Deeper. Bigger.

We’ve seen the questions on the forums about a sequel or a “Season 2.”

Let’s clear a few things up:

• The price of the game will not change. This was an Early Access project shaped by your feedback — and we’re staying true to that.

• The future is uncertain. A month before launch, we don’t even know if we’ll be able to release the full version without interference. So making long-term plans is risky.

BUT — we’ve talked to players about what some would call a “Season 2.”

We’re not fond of that term. If the B.E.S.T is over, then the game is over. Instead, we think in terms of story arcs.

If we decide to continue the story — a new chapter, a new challenge — it would be in a new, upgraded engine, with proper 4K support, better features, and all the lessons learned from this development.

We won’t be making paid DLC for B.E.S.T. It doesn’t make sense right now, especially with the risks we’re facing.

Again: we have no idea what’s coming. So for now, we’re focused on one thing only — releasing the full version.

The rest — including a possible Episode 6 — will depend entirely on how well the release goes, and what the platform climate looks like afterward.

We’re even considering a “censored” version for general audiences, just to be safe…

💬 What You Can Do

If you enjoy the game — if you’ve liked the story, the characters, or just the general vibe — your support matters now more than ever:

• Leaving a review on Steam, even a short one, helps a lot. We're currently at 79% positive, and we’re just one percent away from reaching "Very Positive" — a huge milestone before launch.

• Join us on Discord and share your thoughts about what you want to see next — or how you think we should handle this situation.

❤️ Thank You

Thank you for being here. Thank you for your patience. Thank you for your feedback and trust.

We’ve had doubts. We’ve struggled. But we’ve never stopped wanting to finish this game the way it deserves to be finished.

We’ll see you on August 29. Until then, take care — and keep being the BEST 🏆

— The Dolydev Team