I don't even know where to begin. I barely slept this weekend due to being 24/7 wired on the dopamine rush of an early access launch that obliterated all of my expectations. Sure, we had a few bumps along the way supporting hundreds of users, but I worked through it and everyone was quite patient as I worked on putting out fires. By the way, keep in mind that this has all been accomplished with zero legitimate marketing effort. The only reason it shot off like a rocket was due to gamers finding exactly what they were craving in Nevergrind Online.
If you don't have time to read everything, here are the metrics throughout the first four days:
- Easily clearing 1,000 copies sold
- 118/118 positive reviews for a "Very Positive" 100% rating
- #3 Hot Release on steamdb.info and still trending UPWARD
Without a doubt, my favorite part is the 118/118 positive reviews! I want every player to feel that every penny was money well spent! I know that, for many, finances are tough right now. I have been there, so I understand how difficult that can be. That's why I have complete respect for every dollar that is spent on Nevergrind Online. That's why I will never put microtransactions in the game. That's why I pack so much content, features, and replayability into an online game that costs a mere $20. I will never sell out to the outrageous monetization practices in the gaming industry that are destroying my childhood hobby. Once you buy Nevergrind Online, it is yours to play forever. I want my customers to think that my game is underpriced.
My passion is to design a multiplayer world where players socialize, make friends, organize, and overcome challenges in the game. I love watching players theorycraft in Discord and seeing "lfm", "lfg" in game chat. The game world feels so vibrant and alive with players that are excited to tackle the next challenge. It reminds me of the early days as a player on Fennin Ro when EverQuest was released in 1999. And that's exactly the kind of excitement that I wanted to generate with Nevergrind Online!
I also want to say THANK YOU for all of the incredible support. I believe in Nevergrind Online. I know how hard myself, the artists, and the testers have worked on polishing it to its current state. I know all of the nitty gritty details that required strenuous attention to detail to get certain key features engineered to perfection. However, even I did not expect the overwhelming support and positive responses that the game has enjoyed on Steam in its first four days. Thank you for taking time to write those reviews, to stream the game on Twitch, to join the Steam group, and to share it with your friends. Remember, almost all of Nevergrind Online's success has been via Steam Store presence and by word of mouth. I haven't paid a dime for advertising or promotion.
Also, I would like to say thank you for your patience. I easily could have earned a negative review with a few of the bugs that players endured throughout the first four days, but players have been very forgiving and understanding about the complex nature of running Nevergrind Online, the world's first multiplayer blobber with real-time combat (I may need Snopes to debunk me on this).
Last, but not least, yes, a road map is coming! It is all in my head, but I will create a dedicated steam news release with all of the planned definite (and potential) changes that I would like to have in the game upon full release! That way players can bookmark it and I can update it at intervals whilst players check on the progress and hold me accountable 😉
If you are enjoying the game in its current form, then you're going to love what I have in store!