Castle of Blackwater News

Howdy villagers of Blackwater! Here is a quick little update with some bug fixes and improvements!

[h3]Werewolf Win Condition Update🐺[/h3]
The Werewolf can now trigger multiple possible win outcomes:

• Scenario 1: The Werewolf wins with the Satanic faction if they kill the last Protector when this is the final objective.
  
• Scenario 2: The Werewolf wins with the Protector faction if they complete the final task and earn enough XP to reach the required threshold.
  

[h3]Bug Fixes & Improvements🦟[/h3]
- Fixed a sound bug with the Dragon in the waiting lobby.
- Added new button animations for the Daily Reward and Wheel of Fortune.
- Fixed an issue where the Golden Rose’s audio and color remained after changing tasks.
- Moved the percentage icon on the Wheel of Fortune for improved clarity.
- Fixed a minor bug where the active ability button stopped working after completing a task.

🎁The Mythical Cosmetic has been added to the accounts of all players who purchased and played Castle of Blackwater.



[h3]Coming Soon✨[/h3]

• New bundles and cosmetics in the shop
  
• Custom Lobby Settings for hosts
  
• Various cosmetic animations (including the Mythical Cosmetic most of you just received!)
  
• Exclusive Wheel of Fortune Cosmetic Set
  
• New characters… and so much more!
  

Stay tuned for future updates! 🏰

Hey Villager & everyone in Blackwater Town! Our latest update brings some exciting new features that will help support our transition to Free to Play, visual improvements, and important bug fixes to enhance your experience in the Castle. 🏰

[h3]🌟New Features[/h3]

• Wheel of Fortune: Try your luck and win exciting rewards! Get your first spin each day for free!
  
• Daily Login Rewards: Log in and claim daily rewards every single day. The quality of reward increases for every cumulative day of the month your claim it, up to a maximum of 20!
  
• Loading Optimization: Improved loading speeds and smoother rematching performance.
  

[h3]WHEEL OF FORTUNE[/h3]



[h3]🐛Bug Fixes[/h3]

• Fixed issues affecting voting, timers, and side forcefields on light surfaces.
  
• Resolved minor issue: soft blocks in the tutorial and improved task tracking.
  
• The werewolf name disappearing issue has been addressed with a temporary tracking fix.
  
• Fixed the Knight Shield Glitch
  

[h3]🎨Visual & Gameplay Enhancements[/h3]

• Updated safe zone visuals and colliders near teleporters and the upper bookshelf.
  
• Improved lighting across various areas for better clarity and immersion.
  
• Fixed visual bugs related to the psychic barrier.
  
• Tweaked teleporter visuals and animations for consistency.
  
• Enhanced map colliders and fine-tuned global lighting values.
  

[h3]🛠️Work In Progress[/h3]
We're still working on:

• Preparing the mythical cosmetic for all players who purchased the game.
  
• Introducing an Exclusive Mythical Wheel of Fortune Set.
  

We're trying to get this in by next week and trust me it will be worth the wait! :wing:

Dear Villagers of Blackwater,

Today, we’re standing at one of the biggest turning points in the history of Castle of Blackwater. After months of updates, experiments, and tough conversations, we’re finally ready to share the decision that will shape the future of this game and its community forever. :heart:

Let’s rewind for a moment.⌛

Over the past few weeks, we launched the Bloom and Gloom update, redesigned the map for more player interactions, added new animations, and completely overhauled the lighting to make the Castle feel spookier and more alive than ever. The response from those who joined during the Steam Summer Sale was incredible. Players were loving it. 🤩

But despite the best version of Castle we’ve ever shipped, one challenge remained: player liquidity. Even with a discount, even with more marketing than ever before, there was still a barrier stopping new players from trying the game. And without a critical mass of players, matchmaking wasn’t as healthy as it needed to be.

We asked ourselves some hard questions. Is our mission just to squeeze out a few more sales? Or is it to create the thriving, chaotic, and hilarious community that Castle of Blackwater was always meant to have?

The answer was obvious.
So here’s the big news: CASTLE OF BLACKWATER IS GOING FREE-TO-PLAY! 📢 ✨

Yes, you read that right. Starting tomorrow on Wednesday, July 23rd 2025, the Castle doors will be open to everyone. 👐

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
[h3] What This Means For Current Players[/h3]
If you’ve already supported us by buying the game, you’re the reason we made it this far. We’re not leaving you behind. In fact, you’re getting some special rewards that free players will never have access to.

• You’ll keep the full collection of 21 starter cosmetics from the tutorial (which will soon be massively reduced for new players).
  
• You’ll also receive an exclusive Mythical Cosmetic, a one-of-a-kind reward that will NEVER be made available again.
  

This is our way of saying thank you. Thank you for believing in us early. Thank you for giving feedback, writing reviews, and helping us reach this point. 🫂

[h3] What This Means For New Players?[/h3]
If you’re new, welcome! The full game is now free. No paywall, no excuses. All we ask is that you respect the community, learn the rules, and help us keep this village fun and welcoming for everyone. The more players we have, the healthier matchmaking becomes, and the more chaotic the Castle will be!😈

[h3] What This Means For Us as Devs?[/h3]
Going free-to-play is a huge shift. It means we can finally scale the player base, fill lobbies faster, and build a sustainable path forward supported by optional cosmetics rather than an upfront price tag.
It won’t be easy. It will mean more moderation, more content, and more technical challenges. But we’re ready, and we’re committed to making this work.

[h3] So What’s Next?[/h3]
Now it’s your turn. If you love this game, share it. Bring your friends. Post the trailer. There’s nothing stopping them from jumping in anymore. We’ll continue hosting weekly game nights, hanging out here in Discord, and working hard to deliver fresh content and improvements.

Villagers, this is just the beginning. The Castle is open.🔥

See you inside.

With love,
Team Blackwater🏰

Some important bug fixes and small visual improvements have been made. Make sure to update the game to the new version! 🙏

[h3]✨ Improvements:[/h3]

• Enhanced rematch logic for better stability and performance.
  
• Updated UI elements in the Safe Zone with new ghost souls cost features.
  
• Improved lobby visuals and lighting, including new sprites and adjustments to the grid layout.
  
• New UI elements for the Safe Zone and Night Popup.
  
• Various prefabs and textures across the game, enhancing visual fidelity and gameplay experience.
  

[h3] 🐛 Bug Fixes[/h3]

• Resolved issues with counting total votes in the voting system (e.g. the 1v1 case)
  
• Fixed the Knight Shield Ability
  
• Addressed music playback issues when transitioning between floors in the Safe Zone.
  
• Corrected hitbox sizes for clickable abilities to prevent unintended interactions.
  
• Fixed the permanent record issue and adjusted colliders in the Safe Zone.
  
• Resolved mini-map bugs during teleportation and ensured accurate floor settings.
  

That's all for today. Thanks for the reports and feedback villagers!🙏

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Building a game takes a team: developers, mathematician, artists, audio designers, and so many others coming together to bring a unique world to life. Meet the people behind Castle of Blackwater.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]