Hello everyone! I'm Hitan from [b]Hapiwaku[/b], IEH2 development team. It’s been a while since I last reached out, and I apologize for that. Thank you so much for always playing IEH and supporting our work. Today, I have some important announcements to share with you: [list] [*][b]In early January 2025, IEH2 will transition from Steam Early Access to a Full Release.[/b] [list] [*]Save data will not be erased during the transition, so you can continue playing as usual. [*]After the full release, updates will continue with new endgame content and QoL improvements. [/list] [*][b]In March 2025, we plan to release a brand-new game from Hapiwaku, titled "Katakamuna Idle."[/b] [list] [*]This will be the first pure creation from our family team, Hapiwaku. [*]The Steam page is now live! Please add it to your Wishlist to show your support. [/list] [/list] https://store.steampowered.com/app/3373410/Katakamuna_Idle/ As I mentioned in a previous announcement in [url=https://discord.gg/D5FhcBqFfr]our Discord server[/url], I’m currently working on developing the new game. It was originally envisioned as a casual game with a straightforward design and a short development period. It has since evolved into a larger project requiring more time and effort than initially planned. The game is now scheduled for release around March of next year. In this announcement, I want to sincerely express my gratitude to all of you and share the story behind why I’m so deeply invested in the new project. [b]The following text is very long, so please read only if you are interested 🙂 [/b] [h2]Reflecting on Your Support and the Journey So Far[/h2] I’m truly grateful for everyone who has been enjoying IEH, exchanging ideas in this community, and supporting us along the way. Your incredible encouragement has allowed me to live a wonderful life with my family. I cannot thank you enough for that. Many of you have been with us since IEH1 launched in April 2020 on Kongregate. Development began in the fall of 2019 when I teamed up with Kei, whom I met during my university years. In January 2020, we released the alpha version of IEH1, and from that point on, some of the Testteam such as Ringold and Morkyl actively supported the project. After the release of IEH1, Kei founded his own company and began working on other idle games. Over time, his involvement in IEH development gradually decreased as he focused on collaborating with other developers. In 2021, driven by my gratitude to you all the IEH fans and my desire to continue responding to your support, I decided to take the lead on developing IEH2. The road to IEH2’s release in July 2022 was marked by significant moments in my life, including the passing of my father and the birth of my little daughter. Thanks to feedback, playtesting, and support from the Testteam and many other contributors, IEH2 became a fantastic game that continues to evolve to this day. As some of you may know, the artwork used in IEH is created by my daughter, my wife and my sister. Together as Team Hapiwaku, we place importance not only on visible elements but also on the unseen energy infused into our creations. We’ve always strived to instill “happiness,” “excitement,” and “joy” into our work as positive, radiant energy. Our hope is that players of IEH2 feel this energy and experience richer, happier lives. [h2]IEH2’s Future and the Challenges We Face[/h2] I’m incredibly thankful that the IEH2 player base continues to grow every day. Your heartfelt support motivates me to keep updating the game, making it bigger, deeper, and more enjoyable. However, I must admit there have been times when my motivation wavered, leading to long gaps between updates. For that, I sincerely apologize. To tell the truth, one significant factor behind my struggles with motivation has been the issue of IEH2’s intellectual property rights. I wasn't sure if I should talk about this here, since it is not directly relevant to those of you who genuinely enjoy IEH2. But I believe it’s important to share my honest thoughts with you. Due to the rights contract, IEH2 is not technically considered Hapiwaku property, despite the deep love and care my family and I have poured into its development. This has imposed certain limitations. For instance, the artwork created by my daughter and some game mechanics unique to IEH cannot be freely used in other projects without permission from the rights holder, Kei. That said, I’m deeply grateful to Kei for all the support he provided during IEH1’s development. He taught me the fundamentals of programming and contributed significantly to the creation of many game mechanics in IEH1, laying the foundation for my career in game development. We had several discussions about the rights to allow IEH to expand its potential more freely and to align with my motivation, both for the game's future and for its fans. After much deliberation, however, I understand and respect Kei’s decision to retain those rights. [h2]Why We’re Creating a New Game[/h2] Balancing my gratitude for IEH fans and my desire to create a purely Hapiwaku project has been a constant struggle. After much thought, I decided this summer to take a bold step forward by developing a new game under Hapiwaku that reflects our family’s passion and vision. If you're not familiar with the meaning of Hapiwaku, "hapi" stands for "happy," and "waku" comes from the Japanese word "wakuwaku," which means "excitement." At Hapiwaku, our goal is to spread happiness and excitement to people all around the world 🙂 What began as a casual project has grown into something far more meaningful—a heartfelt masterpiece that serves as a new milestone for Hapiwaku. Extending the development period was a necessary decision to ensure this new game embodies the love and care we’ve always aspired to deliver. To all IEH fans eagerly awaiting new content, I deeply understand your feelings. I promise that once this new game is successfully launched and Hapiwaku is firmly established, I will continue updating IEH2 with fresh content and improvements. [h2]Upcoming Changes for IEH2[/h2] We have decided that we will transition IEH2 from Early Access to a Full Release in January 2025. At that time we will focus on improvements for new players, such as refining the tutorial and enhancing offline bonuses. To clarify, early access save data will remain intact, and players can continue their progress without issues. Like you all, I love IEH2 like my own child. We will continue to add end content at the best time, improve the QoL, and make sure this game is truly complete! To be honest, the extended development period for the new game has put a financial strain on me. It’s entirely uncertain how many new players we can expect to join with the full release, but even a small increase in new players could help reinvigorate the community, boost my motivation, and serve as a valuable opportunity to advance IEH2’s development. The full release in January is just a passing phase. I wanted to share this feeling with you all in the truest sense of the word, so I have told you all the details as they are. [h2]Introducing “Katakamuna Idle”[/h2] Our upcoming game, Katakamuna Idle, is a pure expression of love from the Hapiwaku family team. Inspired by “Katakamuna,” a concept deeply rooted in our daily lives, it incorporates the frequencies of love and harmony, happiness, and excitement. This game is designed to enrich the lives of those who experience it, carrying the highest positive energy we can offer. We’ve just launched the Steam page for Katakamuna Idle! If you’re interested, please add it to your Wishlist to show your support. It would mean the world to us. https://store.steampowered.com/app/3373410/Katakamuna_Idle/ [h2]Final Words[/h2] I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to all of you who continue to support us. Thank you for loving our work, and thank you for loving us as a family. By the way, the Steam Autumn Sale is currently underway, and during this period until December 5th, IEH2's DLC is available at 25% off! If you’ve been considering purchasing it, now is the perfect opportunity. Thank you for being part of this journey with us! 😄 — Hapiwaku Team