Rift Miner News

[p]
Hey everyone!

As a solo developer, I juggle a lot of different roles - coder, game designer, artist. But there is one layer of the game that is so critical to the immersion that I am glad to have an expert handling it: the music.

Without the right sound, the Rift is just a dark hole. With the right sound, it becomes a place that feels like it is watching you. That is where Lost Beats comes in.

Before we dive in, a quick update for your calendars:
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• [p]Demo: Coming for Steam Next Fest in February 2026.[/p]
• [p]Release: We start drilling on April 16, 2026.[/p]

[p]>> Wishlist Rift Miner on Steam <<
[/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][h2]Who is behind the sound?[/h2][p]
Lost Beats isn't new to rhythm. He started traditionally around age 10 with flute and guitar before moving on to rock the clubs as part of a DJ duo in the 2000s. Since 2023, he has shifted his focus back to full digital production and songwriting on PC.

He released his debut album "Dark Emotions" in July 2025. While that album is a standalone project unrelated to the game, Rift Miner marks his very first soundtrack for a video game. I am incredibly happy that I could get him on board for this, as he absolutely nailed the vibe I was looking for.
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[/p][h2]Why the audio matters[/h2][p]
I wanted you to feel the difference, not just see it.
In the Hub, you are safe. You organize your inventory, plan your next round. [/p][p]The music gives you room to breathe. But the moment you descend into the Rift, everything shifts. The tracks become more driving, the pressure rises. It creates that subtle tension in your neck telling you: "Don't stand still for too long." Lost Beats manages to hit that perfect balance between focus and dread.
[/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][h2]Genre DNA: More than just EDM[/h2][p]
While Lost Beats has his roots in EDM (inspired by legends like Tiësto or Mauro Picotto), he doesn't let genres box him in. He blends Rock and Metal influences into his tracks whenever the mood calls for it. That flexibility is exactly what I need for this game because the Rift is unpredictable.
[/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][h2]Listen here[/h2][p]
If you want to dive deeper into his sound, check him out here:
>> Lost Beats on Spotify <<

If you want to reach out to him for your own projects, you can contact him at [email protected].
[/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][h2]What do you think?[/h2][p]
What kind of soundtrack pulls you into a game the most? A driving beat that pushes you forward, or an eerie silence that is only broken occasionally?

Let me know in the comments!

>> Wishlist Rift Miner on Steam <<

See you next time in the Rift!
Lars[/p]

[p]
Hello everyone!

Today I want to introduce you to one of the most powerful tools in Rift Miner: The Hand Drill. While your pickaxe is reliable and precise, the drill is the tool of choice when you need to chew through massive amounts of rock quickly.

But the drill isn't just "faster." It's a complex instrument that you can adapt to your needs and strategies. Let's take a look at how it works.

>> Add Rift Miner to your Wishlist now! <<

[/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][h2]The Drill Console: Your Customization Center[/h2][p]
At the start of your journey, the drill is not yet available. Later in the game, you will unlock access to the Drill Console in the Hub via an upgrade. This is where you decide how efficiently you dig in the Rift.

The heart of this console is the Customization Panel. [/p][h3]Shape Your Destruction[/h3][p]The panel shows you a 3x3 grid. Imagine this grid as the wall of blocks standing directly in front of you in the Rift. [/p]

• [p]Each square in the grid represents a block in the world. [/p]
• [p]You can distribute Drill Points across these squares. [/p]
• [p]A set point means: The drill will mine this block.
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[p]But it gets even better: You can place multiple points on the same square. Each additional point increases the drilling depth at that specific spot. This means you don't just mine the block right in front of you, but also the one behind it – and the one behind that! [/p][h3]Where do the points come from?[/h3][p]You start with a fixed Base Point in the center, which cannot be removed. You unlock further Drill Points gradually via the general Upgrade Panel. The further you progress in the game, the more complex and powerful drilling patterns you can create.

[/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][h2]Strategies and Examples[/h2][p]
To show you how flexible this system is, I've prepared four examples demonstrating how your settings in the panel directly affect the action in the Rift.

[/p][h3]1. The Precision Drill (Standard)[/h3][p]Here you see the starting state. Only the base point in the center is active. The drill behaves similarly to a very fast pickaxe, mining exactly one block in front of you. Ideal for surgical precision.

[/p][p][/p][h3]2. The Tunnel Digger (The Cross)[/h3][p]In this setup, I kept the base point in the center and added three points horizontally in the top row. To fully clear the path, I also placed a point in the bottom center. The result? You not only clear the path ahead but also create headroom. Perfect for digging tunnels you can walk through comfortably.

[/p][p][/p][h3]3. The Area Clearer (Full Grid)[/h3][p]Here, I've assigned a point to every single slot in the 3x3 grid. The result is massive destruction. You remove a complete 3x3 wall in a single drilling operation. This is extremely efficient for creating large rooms or exposing ore veins.

[/p][p][/p][h3]4. The Depth Drill (Focused Center)[/h3][p]Instead of going wide, I reinforced the middle horizontal row here. The left and right slots have 1 point each, while the center is stacked with 3 points. The result is a stepped tunnel that reaches very deep into the rock in the middle. Ideal for quickly checking what lies behind a thick wall.

[/p][p][/p][h2]The Price of Power: Fuel[/h2][p]
Of course, such power comes at a price. Unlike the pickaxe, the drill consumes no Stamina. Instead, it runs on Coal.

Every Drill Point you place in the grid increases the coal consumption per second.
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• [p]A simple pattern is economical but slow. [/p]
• [p]A massive 3x3 grid with high depth eats through rock at lightning speed but also drains your coal reserves in record time.
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[p]It's up to you to find the balance between mining speed and resource management.[/p][p] [/p][h3]A Glimpse into the Future[/h3][p]The system offers even more depth (pun intended!). There are special Echo Cards later in the game that further modify your drill's behavior and can temporarily add extra mining points. But I won't reveal too much about that today – you'll have to discover it for yourselves!

[/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][h2]What's your favorite?[/h2][p]I hope you enjoyed this look at the Drill System. Now it's your turn: Which drilling pattern would you try first? The efficient Tunnel Digger or do you prefer total destruction?

Let me know in the comments!

>> Wishlist Rift Miner on Steam <<

See you in the Rift![/p]

Hey everyone,

let me start with the most important bit: if you’d like to support Rift Miner, please consider adding the game to your Steam wishlist:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/3989120/Rift_Miner/

For a small solo indie project, every single wishlist makes a huge difference. 💛

[h2]Five new languages added[/h2]
I’ve just finished a major localization pass, and Rift Miner is now fully playable in five additional languages:

• Brazilian Portuguese
  
• Chinese (Simplified)
  
• Chinese (Traditional)
  
• Korean
  
• Japanese
  

The UI, menus, tutorials and the store page have all been localized so players around the world can dive into the rifts in their own language.

[h2]A total of 16 languages[/h2]
With this update, Rift Miner is now available in 16 languages:

• German
  
• English
  
• French
  
• Italian
  
• Spanish – Spain
  
• Portuguese – Portugal
  
• Polish
  
• Russian
  
• Turkish
  
• Danish
  
• Dutch
  
• Korean
  
• Brazilian Portuguese
  
• Chinese (Traditional)
  
• Chinese (Simplified)
  
• Japanese
  

If you know someone who prefers any of these languages, feel free to send them the store page and ask them to wishlist the game. :)

[h2]Localization as a foundation[/h2]
For a roguelite with lots of tooltips, options and Echo Cards, solid localization is essential so the game feels welcoming right from the start – no matter where you play from.

To me, having Rift Miner feel “at home” in so many languages is a huge milestone on the road to release.

[h2]What I’m working on right now[/h2]
Now that the localization work is done, I can shift more focus back to content: at the moment I’m working on new maps for more variety and on a pickaxe layout that fits Rift Miner even better.

Thanks a lot for reading, wishlisting, and generally supporting me and Rift Miner.

See you in the next devlog,
Lars

[p]Hey everyone![/p][p][/p][p]The support and excitement for Rift Miner have been absolutely incredible, and I'm so grateful for this amazing community. If you haven't already, wishlisting the game on Steam is the single best way to help us reach even more players. Thank you so much for that![/p][p]Today, I want to pull back the curtain on one of the most crucial systems in Rift Miner: the Echo Cards. They are the heart of the rogue-lite experience and the key to turning an ordinary dive into a legendary run. Every time you enter the Rift, you're starting fresh, but the Echoes you find are what will define your strategy and power.[/p][p][/p][h3]Permanent Progression: The Rift Modulator[/h3][p]Back in the safety of your hub, you'll spend a lot of time at the Rift Modulator. This is where your permanent progression with each card happens. By spending Echo Points (EP) earned from synthesizing resources, you can permanently unlock higher rarity tiers for each Echo Card you've discovered - from Common, to Rare, Epic, and ultimately, Legendary.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Unlocking these tiers is crucial, because it makes those more powerful versions available to you as potential finds inside the Rift. But just because you've unlocked Legendary, doesn't mean you'll find it right away. That's where the in-run strategy comes in.[/p][p][/p][h3]The In-Run Gamble: Leveling Up Your Echoes[/h3][p]Here’s where the real rogue-lite fun begins. Each time you collect a Rift Anomaly, you're presented with a choice of Echo Cards. Every time you choose a specific card during a run, you're effectively increasing its "level" for that run only.[/p][p]Let's say you're offered "Seismic Charge" as a Common card. You take it. Later on, you find another Anomaly, and "Seismic Charge" appears again, perhaps this time as a Rare version. You take it again. You are now committing to that ability, powering it up for this specific descent.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]My design philosophy here was to create a sense of commitment and specialization. Do you spread your choices thin and become a jack-of-all-trades? Or do you go all-in on one or two Echoes, hoping for a massive payoff?[/p][p][/p][h3]The Ultimate Payoff: The Legendary Draw[/h3][p]And that payoff is the Legendary version. Here’s the rule: Once you have chosen a card enough times to hit its maximum level within a single run, the very next time that card is offered to you, it is guaranteed to be its ultimate, Legendary form.[/p][p]This mechanic is designed to create those incredibly satisfying, run-defining moments. Suddenly, your simple tunneling pickaxe might start shattering entire columns of rock, or your small drone fleet might become a screen-clearing force of nature. It’s the reward for your strategic commitment during that run, turning your humble mining game into a display of cataclysmic power.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Breaking the Rules: Unique Echoes[/h3][p]Of course, every system needs exceptions to keep things interesting. That's where Unique Echoes come in.[/p][p]Unlike other cards, Unique Echoes don't have rarities or levels. You unlock them permanently in the Rift Modulator just like any other card, but their function in a run is very different. When you find one, you're offered its one and only powerful effect, and you can only choose to activate it once per run. After you've used it, it won't appear again until your next dive.[/p][p]A perfect example is the "Portal Indicator" card.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Choosing this Unique Echo immediately activates a compass on your HUD that points directly to the hidden green exit portal. It doesn't make you mine faster or hit harder, but it provides incredible strategic value, especially when the timer is ticking down and the portal is nowhere in sight.[/p][p]This design creates a fascinating strategic dilemma. Do you take the guaranteed utility of the Portal Indicator to secure your escape? Or do you pass it up, hoping to find a card you can level up into a Legendary powerhouse? It's a single, high-impact choice that can completely change the course of your run.[/p][p]I can't wait to see what crazy combinations you all come up with when you get your hands on the full system. The way these Echoes synergize is what makes every single run in Rift Miner a new and exciting puzzle to solve.[/p][p]Until the next devlog,
Lars[/p]

[p]Hey Miners, [/p][p]Here’s a short, but meaningful update for everyone following the development of Rift Miner. [/p][p][/p][h2]Where we are[/h2][p]Rift Miner is feature complete and in Beta. Right now I’m focused on: [/p]

• [p]Squashing small but annoying bugs[/p]
• [p]Integrating new languages (translations)[/p]
• [p]Fine tuning full gamepad support[/p]

[p] [/p][h2]Languages at launch[/h2][p]Rift Miner will ship with the following languages: [/p]

• [p]German[/p]
• [p]English[/p]
• [p]French[/p]
• [p]Spanish[/p]
• [p]Portuguese[/p]
• [p]Italian[/p]
• [p]Polish[/p]
• [p]Turkish[/p]
• [p]Dutch[/p]
• [p]Danish[/p]

[p]Is your language missing? Drop a comment, I’m open to adding more. [/p][p][/p][h2]What’s next[/h2][p]Once Beta wraps up, I’ll switch to a public demo, which I’m aiming to release around Steam Next Fest in February. If everything goes smoothly, the full release will follow shortly after. [/p][p][/p][h2]How you can help[/h2][p]I’m an indie dev, which means marketing is the toughest part. If you want to support Rift Miner, the best things you can do right now: [/p]

• [p]Add Rift Miner to your Steam Wishlist[/p]
• [p]Tell a friend who might enjoy a fresh mining experience with rifts, upgrades, and progression[/p]

[p]Every wishlist matters and helps push Rift Miner, thank you! [/p][p][/p][h2]Thank you, playtesters ❤️[/h2][p]Huge shoutout to all the dedicated playtesters, your feedback and crash logs caught issues I would’ve missed. You’re the best. [/p][p][/p][p]See you in the next devlog, Lars [/p]