The late evening glow seeped through the curtains of their home office as Kazuma and Masako sat side by side at their desks. While brainstorming for Mori Adventure had been exciting and filled with creative energy, Kazuma paused mid-keystroke as a sudden realization hit him. His light blue eyes widened as he looked over at Masako.
"Masako," he began cautiously, "do you realize what we haven't touched in months?"
Masako, who was sketching new character concepts for Mori Adventure, turned to him with a curious tilt of her head. "What is it, dear?"
Kazuma sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "The Exaslia DLC. It's been six months since we originally planned to release it, and we've barely made any progress."
Masako froze, her golden eyes widening in alarm. "Oh no… the DLC! How could we forget?" She stood abruptly, pacing the room as she wrung her hands. "We promised the fans new romance options, costumes, stages, and bosses. They've been waiting for this for ages!"
Kazuma leaned back in his chair, letting out a heavy sigh. "We got so caught up in Spirit Walker and now Mori Adventure that we completely sidelined it."
Masako stopped pacing, her golden eyes narrowing with determination. "Alright, dear, we need to fix this. The fans have been so patient, and they deserve something incredible. What's the plan?"
Kazuma thought for a moment before responding. "Let's start by making a teaser. Something to show them we haven't forgotten and that the DLC is coming soon. We can generate hype while we buckle down and finish it."
Masako nodded, her enthusiasm returning. "That's a great idea. We'll give them a sneak peek of the new content—just enough to get them excited. But we'll need to make sure it's polished. We can't afford to rush this."
Kazuma smiled, his light blue eyes softening as he looked at her. "I love when you get into problem-solving mode, sweetie. Let's do this."
The next week was a whirlwind of activity. Kazuma and Masako divided the workload, with Kazuma focusing on coding and implementing gameplay features while Masako worked on designing the new costumes, bosses, and stages. The new romance options took careful thought, as they wanted each one to feel meaningful and engaging for players.
The couple worked late into the night, bouncing ideas off each other and occasionally taking breaks to share snacks and encouragement. Despite the pressure, their shared enthusiasm kept them going.
Finally, after a week of hard work, the teaser was ready. The couple decided to make the announcement during another livestream, their nerves buzzing as thousands of fans tuned in.
"Hi, everyone!" Masako greeted the audience, her golden eyes shining as she waved at the camera. "We've got some exciting news for you today!"
Kazuma leaned forward, his light blue eyes warm but slightly nervous. "We know it's been a long wait, and we really appreciate your patience. The Exaslia DLC is still coming, and we're excited to give you a sneak peek at what's in store."
The stream transitioned to the teaser, a one-minute video showcasing snippets of the new content. Fans were treated to glimpses of the new stages, each with a unique theme and challenging enemies. The teaser also highlighted the new costumes, ranging from sleek battle armor to fun, whimsical designs. Finally, the video hinted at the new romance options, showing a brief interaction between the player character and one of the new NPCs.
When the teaser ended, the chat exploded with excitement:
"FINALLY! I've been waiting for this!"
"Those costumes look amazing!"
"New romance options? TAKE MY MONEY!"
"This is why I love you guys—your games are always worth the wait."
"The stages look so cool! Can't wait to fight those bosses!"
Masako and Kazuma exchanged a relieved glance as they read the comments. While the positive feedback was reassuring, they couldn't help but feel the weight of the fans' high expectations.
"Thank you so much for your support," Masako said, her voice warm and sincere. "We know the wait has been long, but we promise the DLC will be worth it. Stay tuned for more updates soon!"
Kazuma nodded, adding, "We're putting everything we've got into making this the best experience possible. Thanks for sticking with us."
After the stream ended, the couple leaned back in their chairs, exhaling deeply.
"That went well," Kazuma said, his light blue eyes filled with relief. "But now the pressure's on."
Masako smiled, reaching over to squeeze his hand. "We've faced pressure before, dear. We'll get this done—together."
Kazuma looked at her, his heart swelling with gratitude. "You always know how to keep me grounded, Masako."
She grinned, her golden eyes twinkling with mischief. "And you always know how to make me believe we can do anything, dear."
As they turned back to their workstations, ready to tackle the next phase of the DLC, they knew the road ahead wouldn't be easy. But with their shared passion and unwavering support for each other, they were confident they could deliver something truly special for their fans—and prove, once again, why they were one of the most beloved indie dev teams in the industry.