Hello everyone,

I’m writing to you today with a major change in the development of our upcoming title, The Trenches. 

After a great deal of thought and consideration, I have decided to release the game as a free title, supported by donations from those who enjoy the experience.

        This was a difficult decision, but one I feel is right for the game and for our community. As a solo developer, the journey of creating The Trenches has been a significant learning experience. While I poured countless hours into perfecting the core systems—the gritty, cinematic atmosphere, and the intense zombie survival mechanics—I realized that the game's scope had grown beyond my initial vision. To charge money for it, I felt it needed a full, padded-out story and more content, which would have required many more months of work.
        Instead of delaying the release and adding content I felt wasn't essential to the core experience, I want to get the game into your hands as soon as possible. My goal has always been to create games with heart and atmosphere, and I believe that the foundation of The Trenches is solid and incredibly fun.
        By offering it for free, I hope to let the game speak for itself. For those who play and enjoy the experience and want to support the continued growth of Kloud Pixel Studios, any donations would be greatly appreciated. Your support will directly help fund future projects and allow me to continue creating the kinds of immersive, story-driven games that are a hallmark of my work.
        Thank you for your continued support and for being a part of this journey. I can't wait for you to experience The Trenches, and I hope that my transparency is well-received!

This news of course comes just before the launch of our upcoming Demo release. As you may have guessed, this is all that there will be of The Trenches for now. So the plan is to finish applying the final polish to the project, then release it here. So be on the lookout for that upcoming freebie. 

        And finally, our next Unreal Engine project is well underway and we will be announcing more on it in the coming weeks. Also be on the lookout for upcoming updates to Starwood Hollow and The Dusk & Dawn Cafe!

Sincerely,

Kloud Pixel Studios