From cult favourites like The Roottrees Are Dead to more recent releases like Minami Lane, the indie gaming community is no stranger to game jam success stories. For hobbyist game developers Sleepy Rocket, it was only a matter of following in the footsteps of the developers that came before them.
“As hobbyist game developers, we are always looking for opportunities to further our learning and to create wholesome experiences,” says Jerry, one half of the Sleepy Rocket team. “With the responses and feedback we got for the jam version of the game, we thought it would be cool to expand the game for a Steam release.”
“Recent game successes from Sokpop and Doot have also shown that tiny games have their place in the gaming world. If anything, it would be a great learning experience, and many months later, here we are!”
The result was Bathhouse Creatures, a management simulator where you run bathhouses for talking animals. In this short yet cozy experience, you serve quirky animals, upgrade your bathhouse facilities, and uncover heartfelt and wholesome stories while you watch your bathhouse grow to be the best it can be.
After making the jump from game jam to full release, Bathhouse Creatures was featured in the Southeast Asian Games Showcase where the newly launched game reached a larger audience than they ever anticipated.
“The SEA Games Showcase gave us a good bump in our launch week, and we were able to achieve 800 copies sold with positive reviews,” Jerry shares. “We were also able to meet many wonderful developers and content creators in the genre. For our first Steam game on a relatively small scale, we couldn’t be more pleased with the results.”
When asked about their thoughts on the rise of Southeast Asian games in the global market, Jerry expressed pride in the region. “Games from Southeast Asia will definitely draw from rich history and cultures, and we are sure that the region will be able to offer wonderful experiences to the rest of the gaming world,” he says.
While it might be awhile before Sleepy Rocket comes up with another game — the developers mentioned that they’re currently focused on learning Blender to make games in 3D — Jerry took the opportunity to spotlight another Malaysian indie title that gamers should check out. “Artis Impact! Just incredible art and animation, and developed by a single Malaysian developer,” he enthuses.
Bathhouse Creatures is out now. Wishlist or buy it on Steam.
