Japanese solo developer Shigefusa Works, who’s at present engaged on their turn-based roguelike RPG Dungeon Overdose, just lately made an replace on X relating to the sport’s publishing. Within the put up, the developer opened up a few current expertise that they had with a sure home writer, explaining how they walked away from a contract after negotiations have been one-sidedly dragged out for greater than a 12 months.
The put up went viral on the Japanese facet of X, incomes sympathy from different indie and solo builders, lots of whom shared their own stories of unlucky experiences with publishers.
In accordance with Shigefusa, the writer in query first reached out to them after they have been exhibiting Dungeon Overdose on the Tokyo Recreation Dungeon 8 occasion, which befell in Could 2025. Negotiations began virtually instantly, and the 2 events deliberate to signal a publishing contract round July or August of the identical 12 months.
Forward of signing the contract, the developer had already shared Wishlist numbers, the anticipated launch date, progress of the construct, and all different related info. However though discussions relating to income sharing and different particulars of the contract have been underway, the writer determined to postpone the signing for September resulting from inside circumstances.
The signing was pushed again as soon as once more, this time for January. In response the writer’s requests, the developer commissioned an artist to make new promotional visuals for the sport, however when the January assembly got here spherical, they have been requested for the signing to be postponed to February.
The contract signing was constantly postponed in the following couple of months till Could 2026, when the developer was requested by the writer to exhibit the title at a sure online game occasion. Nonetheless, Shigefusa says that they didn’t get any help from the writer relating to the occasion.
After one other few months of suspending the signing, Shigefusa confronted the writer, asking them to make a particular determination by the tip of August. Finally, the response they received from the writer was that the “sport had too few Wishlists to count on a revenue,” and that the “publishing contract could be troublesome to realize.”
As they clarify, the largest supply of their frustration was the truth that the writer had been main them on for greater than a 12 months, solely to reject them over Wishlist figures which they shared as quickly because the negotiations started.
“If having over 10,000 Wishlists was the minimal situation for the contract from the beginning, I want they’d mentioned so upfront. In case you’re going to assert to ‘stand by builders,’ I want they’d really handled builders’ time and lives with just a little extra care,” Shigefusa writes.
Whereas Shigefusa says the expertise was “heartbreaking,” they clarify that they’re glad that they didn’t find yourself signing the contract, and are dedicated to publishing the sport themselves.
Dungeon Overdose is at present in growth for PC (Steam), with a launch date set for late 2026. Whereas the Steam Retailer web page at present doesn’t point out an English launch, Shigefusa has confirmed English support for the game.