Devlog #8 – We won Best Indie Game 2026!

[p]Hey everyone.[/p][p]This update is a bit different.[/p][p]We just attended Copenhagen Gaming Week, where DarkBazaar was part of the Tomorrow’s Awesome Games Showcase. [/p][p]And somehow… we won. [/p][p]Out of all the games in the showcase, DarkBazaar was chosen as the best indie game. We even had to go on stage and accept an award, which was honestly surreal.[/p][p]So first of all: thank you.[/p][p]All your feedback, bug reports, ideas, and discussions have helped shape the game into something people genuinely enjoy. That award belongs as much to you as it does to us.[/p][p][/p][h2]Watching you play[/h2][p]One of the biggest takeaways from the event was simply watching people play the game for the first time. It’s very different from reading feedback or talking to players who already know the systems.[/p][p]And one thing became very clear (which many of you have also said): The beginning of the game was confusing.[/p][p]So this update is heavily focused on:[/p]

• [p]Fixing critical bugs[/p]
• [p]Quality of life[/p]
• [p]Making the early experience clearer[/p]

[p]Let’s go through the biggest changes.[/p][h2]Critical bug fixes[/h2][p]Some of the recent bugs were brutal.[/p][p]The worst one could completely lock your run. The camera and player could end up in different states if you clicked too quickly, which made the game think you were in two places at once. That’s now fixed.[/p][p]We also fixed:[/p]

• [p]Upgrades carrying over between runs[/p]
• [p]Missing or incorrect UI info[/p]
• [p]Spelling and description errors[/p]
• [p]Smaller issues like incorrect contract values[/p]

[p]Nothing flashy, but extremely important.[/p][h2]Quality of life improvements[/h2][p]We made several changes based on what we saw at Copenhagen Gaming Week.[/p][p]Shipments are now clearer. There’s a notification when deliveries are ready, and it’s more obvious what to do if there are none.[/p][p][/p][p]Crate access has changed. The one-time fee to unlock crates has been removed. You can now see all crates, their prices, and their contents from the start. This makes decision-making clearer and avoids run-ruining situations.[/p][p][/p][p]We also updated boss dialogue so it’s clearer that you don’t have to pay debt every day and can save money.[/p][p]Lots of small improvements that should make the early game much smoother for new players.[/p][h2]New weapons[/h2][p]We’ve added several new weapons:[/p]

• [p]M1 Garand [/p]
• [p]AU-1 (including Glacier silenced version) [/p]
• [p].44 Magnum [/p]
• [p]PM12 and PM12 Enforcer [/p]
• [p]Luger and Luger "El Dorado"[/p][p] [/p]
• [p]BR-2000 Sniper [/p]

[p]We’re continuing to expand the arsenal, but more importantly, we’re building toward something bigger.[/p][h2]What’s next: The demo[/h2][p]We are now officially moving toward an official demo of DarkBazaar. No date yet, but every update from now on will move us closer.[/p][p]The biggest takeaway from Copenhagen Gaming Week and your feedback is clear:[/p][p]You want more risk and reward.[/p]

• [p]More crazy builds.[/p]
• [p]More jackpots.[/p]
• [p]More rare and exciting weapons.[/p]

[p]So we’re doubling down on that.[/p][h2]The future of Dark Bazaar[/h2][p]The core of the game will revolve around:[/p]

• [p]Rare weapon variations[/p]
• [p]Weapon modifiers[/p]
• [p]A full weapon collection[/p]
• [p]Stronger rarity and bigger payouts[/p]
• [p]Meta progression through weapons[/p]
• [p]Unlockable crates and upgrades[/p]
• [p]Multiple endings[/p]

[p]High rarity items will become much rarer, but much more powerful and valuable. Finding an exotic should feel like hitting the jackpot.[/p][p]We’re focusing on this instead of features like world maps or deep gunsmith systems, because this direction creates more interesting decisions, builds, and long-term goals.[/p][p]Most importantly: We now have a clear vision for the finished game.[/p][p]And that’s incredibly exciting.[/p][h2]Thank you (and how you can help)[/h2][p]We’ll keep doing weekly updates and listening to your feedback. Please keep trying to break the game.[/p][p]And if you want to help us in a huge way:[/p]

• [p]Wishlist the game on Steam[/p]
• [p]Leave a rating on Itch[/p]

[p]It takes seconds, but it massively helps visibility and lets us make the game bigger and better.[/p][p][/p][p]Thank you again for all the support.

See you in the Bazaar.[/p]