Hey all, I wanted to give everyone an update on how things are going since the release, some of my other works with these characters, and what's coming next!

Release News

I owe all of you a BIG thanks for making CWB's release a great a experience! This is my first game, and because it didn't have formal funding (other than stretching my existing Patreon earnings from related projects), I kept it small and didn't hire any help. My only expense was music licensing (a few hundred $), and I'm happy to say those costs were recovered in the first week thanks to artbook/guide sales and tips!

I also want to thank everyone for the wonderful reviews and comments, and for those of you who already pledged to my Patreon! The game's out-of-pocket costs were low, but the time cost was astronomically high, and it's thanks to patrons I was able to do it! And it's thanks to the reviews, comments, and social media shares that CWB was able to get some great visibility at release - so, big thanks to all of you! And it's not over yet - if you enjoyed the game, please keep sharing it with people you think would like it! <3

CWB Characters and Universe

I've gotten some questions about how Cooking with Belmont relates to my other projects, what order to read the stories, etc. Here are your answers!

First, Cooking with Belmont is a standalone game. You don't have to read or play anything else, before or after. But if you enjoyed the characters and the world and want to see more of them (without having to wait forever for another game), I got you covered! :)

Demon of the Underground

• Format: Webcomic
• Availability: 300+ free pages, newest pages patrons-only ($2 for scene compilations, $5 for page-by-page updates)
• Status: 4 chapters completed out of 10-12 (ch4 completed last week!), currently on hiatus while I write chapter 5
• Rating: R-18 (strong language, violence, sexual content, drug use)

Demon of the Underground is the first story I released in this universe. It's about Pogo's journey after falling underground from the surface. It also features Samsid, Merritt, and Annie as supporting characters, and Belmont to a lesser extent. This is the story that started it all, and it has the most free content, but it doesn't have to be read first, and it relates a little less to Cooking with Belmont.

Devoted: Merritt's Story

• Format: Prose Novel Series
• Availability: Patreon ($2 pledge)
• Status: 2 books completed out of 3 (300,000+ words available on Patreon)
• Rating: R-18 (strong language, violence, strong sexual content, drug use)

Devoted: Merritt's Story is a sort of prequel to Demon of the Underground, covering Merritt's "back story" before he's introduced in DOTU. This is the enemies-to-lovers journey between Merritt and Belmont. If you're looking for the full story about the cat-and-mouse game Merritt talks about at the start of CWB, the way he was "caught" in the end, the evil king and painful memories we see alluded to in the "Merritt Cooks" route, etc - this is the story to read! But be ready, it's a slow-burn roller coaster: high highs, low lows, drama, intense love, tragedy... and the promise that things can all turn out okay in the end...

This story also features Archer and Samsid as supporting characters.

Cooking with Belmont Collector's Book

• Format: Artbook PDF
• Availability: Itch.io purchase
• Status: Complete
• Rating: R-18 (strong language, violence, sexual content)

If you want a taste of DOTU and Devoted - or if you want a taste of the Merritt/Belmont journey without having to endure the high-angst parts - check out the Cooking with Belmont Collector's Book!  It includes the behind-the-scenes process of making the game, but it also includes the game's origin story, as well as several excerpts from DOTU and Devoted that relate to the game. It also includes the entire chapter of the first time Merritt cooked for Belmont, and the first time Belmont tried to cook for Merritt.

The Water Date

• Format: Illustrated Prose eBook (epub, mobi, PDF)
• Availability: website purchase*
• Status: Complete (2150 words, 6 illustrations)
• Rating: PG-13 (strong language, suggestive content)

The Water Date is an illustrated short story about Merritt and Belmont's first trip to sub-Forest Glen to taste their excellent water. It's a light fluffy romance told from Belmont's point of view, and it takes place after the first night Merritt cooked for Belmont.

*This story is currently being sold through my website, but if there's a lot of interest in it, I can upload it to itch. (Let me know!)

What's Next

What's next for CWB: This game is complete, but I'm still open to broadening the release. I wasn't planning to release on Steam, but I might consider it when I'm further along in my next game (which will probably release on Itch and Steam).  I'm also open to an Android port, but only if there's a lot of interest, since I'd probably need to get help with this. Is there anything else you all would like to see? If so, let me know!

As for future projects, this is the hard part!  DOTU chapter 5 and Merritt's Story book 3 are both waiting for me. Cooking with Belmont was the "let's see if I can make a game" and "let's see if I enjoy making games" project - and the answers were a resounding YES and YES. So... I'm juggling 4 ideas for my next game! The next will be a longer project, with an OST and maybe VO, probably with a Kickstarter, a bigger team, and a wider release. But, seeing how long this post has gotten already, I think I'll save this discussion for a future post! Keep an eye out. :)

See Ya Next Time!

What I played last: Layers of Fear (recommended if you like spooky psychological horror, but it gave me motion sickness!)

What I'm playing now: The Letter (loving it so far)

What I'm playing next: Wrong Number (can't wait!)