Northwind has been selected to be part of Turn-Based Thursday Fest! We’re incredibly humbled to be featured and would love to give you more updates about the game.
Here are 4 updates we’re excited to share:
Neutral Card+ Version!
Challenge Node
Undead Thief
Localization
Neutral cards can now be Merged/Smelt!
After careful consideration, we’ve decided that Neutral cards should have access to + versions of their own. This adds even more depth to the game! And yes, some relics will also support Neutral archetypes!
Introducing Challenge Event
We know you enjoy those town Blacksmith and Alchemist upgrades! And what’s even better? The chance to earn more of those currencies! Challenge Events give you that opportunity, but you’ll have to face a penalty! Each penalty comes in a different form, so think carefully before you pick one. Risk it for the reward or play it safe? The choice is yours!
Beware of the Thief!
Introducing the Skeleton Thief! A sneaky new enemy who may appear during random encounters to steal your currency! Monster bones? Monster scales?! You’ll be in trouble if you don't take it down!
Localization Update
Thanks to our amazing volunteers, we're getting close to having localized versions of the demo ready!
German – Translated by Robin Caspers
French – Translated by Ehless
Spanish – Translated by Orián "El Gato" Holguera
Russian – Translated by Elstan Evallyo
The official date for the 100% localization update in the demo will be announced soon!
More updates are coming soon!
We’re proud to say that 100% of our Early Access content is now complete, including all the additional features unlocked through progression and hazard levels. 🎉 Though some can't be shown yet since it's ugly at the moment ːsteamfacepalmː
Right now, we’re fully focused on polishing and cleaning things up. There will definitely be a BETA test, and we’ll be sharing more details with you very soon — stay tuned! :D If you haven’t registered yet, you can sign up here! 👇👇
Thank you so much for your support. We can’t believe and are very excited that we’re closer than ever to launching Northwind in Early Access! — The Northwind Team at Barking Kitten Interactive 🐾
Northwind is in the Strategems Event!
Hello everyone!
We’re excited to be part of the Strategem Event, alongside our fellow deckbuilder devs. Into the Grid!
Here are some updates we're thrilled to share:
🎯 Our reworked targeting system is fixed!
One click = one target — whether it’s your own Mercenary or an enemy!
🛠️ New and Reworked ICON in progress...
Wait, what’s Death Rattle? Of course, the Early Access version has to throw in even tougher monsters for you to fight. ːsteammockingː
🍗Food System?!?
You voted! Options 3 and 4 got the most votes, so both will be in the game! More details coming soon. 🎉
Once we have a confirmed playtest date for the BETA, we’ll let you know.
It’s probably going to be sometime after May…
And don’t forget to check out the Into the Grid demo!
Thank you so much for your support and for being a part of making Northwind a better game. — The Northwind Team at Barking Kitten Interactive 🐾
Northwind and Into the Grid Announcement!
Hello everyone!
We're thrilled to share that Northwind, along with our fellow deckbuilder devs behind Into the Grid, are supporting each other as they take part in their upcoming events!
Right now, Into the Grid is featured in the Earth Celebration Fest—and they've absolutely nailed the cyberpunk hacker theme. Don't miss their demo!
By the way, localization is happening in the Northwind Discord right now! If you're interested in helping out, please join our Discord server!
— The Northwind Team at Barking Kitten Interactive 🐾
New Demo Gameplay stats.!
Hello everyone! 👋
It's been a month since we launched our demo, and as always, we're back to share some exciting gameplay stats! But before that, let’s celebrate some awesome news about our game! 🎉
Northwind now has over 10,000 Wishlists and more than 7,000 Demo Players! OMG! ːdazed_yetiː
Not to mention, 27 reviews! 🎉
This means so much to us as a small team! 💙 At first, we were a bit reluctant to share this data, but your incredible support has inspired us. We truly believe you’d enjoy celebrating this milestone with us! Without you playing our game, joining the community, and providing us with valuable feedback, we wouldn’t have come this far. So, from the bottom of our hearts... Thank you! ❤️
Demo Gameplay Stats.
This time, we see some similarities with the previous stats on the most-picked cards, but what really changed is the winning deck strategy! The meta has definitely shifted due to the boss this time around. So, we'll focus on analyzing the winning decks.
We can really see how you all are now playing more basic card combos and synergies, which makes perfect sense! Feel free to try out some of these cards and combos if you want to defeat the boss or take on Hazard 2!
An interesting stat we found: Basic Attack is the second most forged card while also being the most removed card using the Wandering Merchant’s service! ːsurprised_yetiː
We're also noticing some fewer plays with Eager Punch cards!
One of the dev.: Initiate with Focus+ looks super awesome! How did we miss that?! ːlaughing_yetiː
We are aware that some players feel restricted by this boss's strategy, while others feel encouraged to build decks they wouldn’t have considered before—especially using basic cards. We'll definitely look into this more! We believe one of the charms of having multiple bosses in Northwind is that each one's unique characteristics can push you to build something you never imagined, while still being flexible enough for you to defeat them with your own crafted deck!
(By the way, The Warlord was intended to be among the easiest bosses.. What are your thoughts? Do you find the challenge exciting, or does it discourage you from playing? Let us know!)
Link to our Previous Demo Gameplay Stats! (Back then, the boss was Silverfangs, not The Warlord!) https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1476400/view/4193491470659656247?l=english
🔎 More Feedback & Suggestions We've Received:
Fix the Controls! – Selecting our character for some card effects feels weird. Why not auto-select or allow clicking on equipment directly if needed? = We couldn't agree more! This is at the top of our fix list.
More Juiciness, Animations, & Effects! = This is something we definitely want to improve! The level of "juiciness" depends on player expectations, but we'll do our best to enhance the experience as much as possible.
More Languages! = Yes! We plan to add more localization in the future. We’ll announce the supported languages soon!
Content Feedback: – Card archetypes, Legacy Points, and Hazard Level progression don’t feel impactful enough. = We hear you! Since this is just a demo, we haven’t revealed all of our content yet, but your feedback has given us new ideas on how to improve progression. We hope you look forward to our Early Access Version!
What’s Happening with the Demo and Early Access Version?
Our current plan is to focus on the Early Access launch, which we’re aiming for in Q3 2025! 🎉 (We need to make it happen this year, seriously!) As for the demo, we plan to keep it live for a while—possibly until the Early Access release. However, we won’t be releasing any major updates, except for localization fixes and additional supported languages.
🔥 Pyrotech Playtesting
We’ll probabyl need playtesters soon! If you’re interested in helping us balance her out, CLICK THE BANNER TO REGISTER! 👇👇👇
Localization is about to start!
It's been delayed, but we think it will be ready by the end of March. We've been working hard to improve the quality-of-life (QoL) features for our localizers, and now the system is ready! 🎉 If you’d like to help us out, join our Discord! 💬 CLICK THE BANNER TO JOIN! 👇👇👇
Thank you! Again, we truly appreciate your support. 🙏
Slowly but surely, Northwind is becoming a game we never imagined we could create! The feedback we’ve received has been incredibly encouraging, pushing us to make it even better. 💙 Thank you! — The Northwind Team at Barking Kitten Interactive 🐾
We're about to collect feedback and discuss it with the team! If you haven't already, please help us by filling out this Feedback Survey Form.
Thanks to Southeast Asia Game Aesthetic! Northwind is part of "The Days of Ramadan" event!🎉
Check out our game and the festival here!
Big shoutout to WINGS for the amazing "Women's Day Sale" event! 🎉
Check out our game and the festival here!
🎮 Thank you so much! 🎉 We’re excited to share that over 5,000 players have played the Northwind demo! We are absolutely thrilled, and this wouldn’t have been possible without the amazing support from our community. Thank you again! ❤️ We’ll work hard to go through your feedback and make Northwind even better for the Early Access launch! 🔥 – The Northwind Team at Barking Kitten Interactive 🐾
Northwind is part of Steam Next Fest!
Hello everyone!
After extensive playtesting of our demo, we are now closer than ever to launch! So, we decided to participate in Steam Next Fest! (There’s still a lot of work to be done.)
Thanks to our kind and very supportive community, we are now much more confident in our demo. It will be available on Steam Next Fest! The exact duration of the demo is still uncertain so make sure to defeat this 'Warlord' before it's not available! However once we have a removal date, we will announce it 10 days in advance.
Other Important Links:
Check out What's New in this Demo? Read list of changes here: Link
Want us to fix something before Early Access Launch? Feedback Survey: Link
Want to join our Beta Test and Play the Pyrotech? Register here: Link
After reviewing all the feedback from the previous demo, we’ve put together an improved version of the game. Let us share what's new and why you should play it!
Check out our New Trailer!
New Boss Enters the Arena!
Being a monster-hunting roguelite deckbuilder means facing multiple bosses. If you played our previous demo, you fought Silverfangs! But now, we’re introducing "The Warlord"! (Defeat him if you can...)
Revamped Map Nodes (Visual & Game Design)!
Based on your feedback, we noticed some routes felt repetitive and unexciting. We've redesigned the map, adding new event types and visual upgrades to make each run more engaging!
Improved UX/UI for Clarity!
Many players found certain mechanics confusing, like Rampage, so we've renamed it to Countdown and added clearer animations when it triggers. We've also improved feedback for when monsters add Curse cards, so you’ll always know how they entered your deck!
Speed Mode & Hazard Levels for Veterans!
We heard you—the game felt too slow for experienced players! This update introduces Speed Mode and Hazard Levels to increase difficulty for those looking for more challenge!
More Localization Coming Soon and Wiki page!
Thai is now available! Other languages will follow soon! Once the demo goes public, we'll be sharing some files for localization as well as wiki! Join our Discord if you'd like to help us with localization! 🌍✨
Visual Improvements & Much More!
You’ll notice new cards, removed/adjusted relics, and overall balancing improvements.
Beta Test Registration is Now Open!
With our Early Access launch getting closer, we’re now opening Beta Test Registration! Want to try PyroTech before anyone else? CLICK THE BANNER TO REGISTER!👇👇👇
Join Our Community & Share Your Thoughts!
📢 Let us know what you think about our demo! Help us make Northwind better! 📝 Feedback Survey: Link 💬 Join our Discord: Link
🎮 Thank you so much for your support! We hope you love our new demo! Good luck & have fun! 🎉🔥 The Northwind Team at Barking Kitten Interactive 🐾
PLAYTEST STARTS NOW!
Hello everyone!
Store Page Revamp & New Trailer Coming Soon!
Have you noticed the updates to our screenshots and GIFs?! We’re getting ready for our new demo! A brand-new trailer is coming soon!
Playtest for the new demo is starting now! 🎉
Our community on Discord has begun playtesting today! The purpose of this playtest is to help us identify bugs, report any issues, and provide feedback on game balance and design.
Late Registration is Still OPEN! 🎉
We've prepared extra keys for late registrants! (Round 2 Steam key delivery: Feb 13-14) ⚠️ However, keys are limited! We’ll notify you once they run out! 📝Register here: https://forms.gle/hfYia4vi9myPtBsN9
Help Us with Bug Reports!
You can report any issues using the bug report form in the top-right corner! 🐞 Our team will review the reports and work on fixes.
New Features in This Playtest!
⚡ Speed Mode – Now available in "Very Fast" for experienced players. 🔥 Hazard Mode – Increase difficulty if you're up for a challenge!
More Localization Coming Soon and Wiki page!
Thai is now available! Other languages will follow soon! Once the demo goes public, we'll be sharing some files for localization as well as wiki! Join our Discord if you'd like to help us with localization! 🌍✨
Join the Discussion on Discord!
Share your thoughts here! Northwind Discord Server: https://discord.gg/rMEqbNhkha
😭 We sincerely apologize for the wait, and thank you so much for your patience and support!
The Northwind Team at Barking Kitten Interactive 🐾
New Update: Turn-Based Carnival
Hello everyone! 👋
We’re honored to announce that we’ve been selected for the Turnbased Carnival! 🎉 If you enjoy turn-based games, check out the other incredible games featured there!
We’d also like to take this opportunity to update you on our progress and share some of the exciting features we’ve been working on. Here are some highlights:
Countdown Token Replaces Rampage ⏳
Is that a new UI!?
Yes! We’ve implemented a cleaner, more intuitive UI to make combat easier to understand. Look forward to a brand new tutorial!
As for Rampage: Many players were confused about when Rampage would trigger... Was it immediate or on the next turn??? We’ve replaced Rampage with a Countdown token, which triggers the special move once it reaches 0. (Not the official icon design)
This new mechanic lets you strategize and manage countdowns!
Use certain cards, relics, and perks to alter or delay enemy special moves. Plan your moves carefully! (Fun Fact: The card Taming Technique was designed by one of our interns!)
Expanded Blacksmith Section 🔨
We’ve revamped the Blacksmith to make navigating Merge, Forge, and Fuse services easier for players.
This includes adding blueprints to craft certain cards, so players have more clarity and control when upgrading their decks. We hope this helps you optimize your strategy seamlessly.
Moo Deng 🐾
The pygmy hippo will be part of the perks in the game! 🎉 (In case you haven’t heard of Moo Deng, she’s a global sensation—a pygmy hippo from Thailand!)
Localization Delay 🌐
As we implement updates, especially the new Countdown token, we’ve decided to delay localization for some languages until these mechanics are finalized. We apologize for not reaching out to our volunteers at this time; we want to ensure the game is more stable before reconnecting with them/you.
These are just a few of the exciting changes coming your way, with much more to come. Thank you so much for your patience and support! ːheart_eyes_yetiː
The Northwind Team at Barking Kitten Interactive 🐾
Game Devs of Color Expo x Next Update Coming in 2025!
Hello everyone! 👋
Good news! We’ve been selected as a Game Devs of Color Expo Participant! 🎉 We’re incredibly humbled to be part of this event and to be featured! 🌟
Unfortunately, our new demo won’t be available at the event. 😔
Due to the many changes made in the game and several areas where we felt the need to put in extra effort, we believe it’s best to continue working hard and polishing the game before delivering it to you. 🛠️
Players, you mean so much to us! 💙
We believe you deserve a more complete and refined version of the demo, especially after all the amazing feedback we’ve received. 🙏 The game is currently undergoing significant changes, including a tutorial revamp, addressing localization issues, and improving the UX/UI. 📝 With that, we will take our time to truly polish the game.
- The next update will be in 2025. - The game’s Early Access launch is to be determined in 2025.
Thank you so much for all your support, and we deeply apologize for taking so much time to polish the game. You deserve the best version of our game, and we are working our hardest to deliver it. The Northwind Team at Barking Kitten Interactive 🐾
