Kickstarter Update – 28/11/25
9 months ago
– Fri, Nov 28, 2025 at 11:30:26 AM
Hi everyone! We’re back with another monthly Dragon’s Brew update. November has been a jam-packed month as we gear up for three major releases in December: the extended demo, Update 0.4, and of course the Beta launch! Lots to share, so let’s dive in!
November 2025 Development:
New Coffee Bean System
This month, we introduced a brand new coffee bean system for 0.4! You’ll now be able to:
- Buy coffee bean seeds from Hometown Roasters in Thistledown
- Plant and grow them in your garden
- Harvest unique beans with special traits!
These traits carry through recipes when crafting, meaning if you infuse a special bean into a classic espresso and then use that espresso to craft another drink, the trait continues down the chain. Rarer beans come with stronger or more unique buffs, opening up tons of new recipe and boardgame synergy combos!
You’ll also be able to roast your harvested beans directly at Hometown Roasters, turning them into ready to use coffee beans for your drinks!
Collective & Co. New Shop + Boardgame Upgrade System
Say hello to Collective & Co., a new shop dedicated to boardgame upgrades and crafting!
Inside, you’ll be able to purchase Boardgame Protective Items each tied to a specific boardgame type to help reduce the chance of wear (uses) by 50%:
- Box Protector
- Card Sleeves
- Book Protector
- Foam Crate
- Dice Tower
- Laminated Score Pad
You can fuse these items onto your existing boardgames to extend their lifespan!
Boardgame Special Effects
Boardgame special effects are now ready for 0.4!
These unlock when all six slots on your boardgame shelf are filled with games of the same genre. You can toggle them on or off in the settings, and they offer far more than simple camera filters! Some even affect the visuals inside your cafe!
We’re keeping most effects a surprise, but here’s a sneak peek above at one you’ll see soon: The Glitch Filter for Cyberpunk boardgames!
These effects bring a whole new level of personality to your cafe themes.
The Codex System
The first version of the Codex has arrived ready for 0.4! This new menu lets players browse everything they’ve unlocked across:
- Boardgames
- Recipes
- Furniture
- Decor
- Appliances
The Codex also shows total counts, useful item details, and pairs perfectly with the recipe pinning system, making it easy to check ingredient needs at a glance!
This is only the beginning. Future plans include adding richer item descriptions, expanded categories, and eventually a full NPC section!
Inventory System Revamp
The inventory got a much-needed overhaul! New features include:
- Sort Button - Quickly organise both your main inventory and storage chests!
- Shift-Click Transfers - Instantly move item stacks between open inventories!
There’s still a bit of testing to go, but overall everything feels far smoother and more user-friendly.
Controller Support
Controller support is almost wrapped! Movement and interaction feel significantly better, and the full inventory system now works seamlessly with controller input.
The final big step is integrating controller support into build mode, which we’ll be finishing early next week. Once that’s done, controller support will be good to go for Beta.
Minor Christmas Update! 🎄
Launching alongside 0.4, the Beta, and extended demo, we’ll be releasing a small winter-themed update!
This event automatically sets your save’s weather to winter, transforming the town into a festive, snowy version of itself complete with seasonal decorations and a few little surprises. More info coming next week!
New Newsletter Launches This Weekend!
Our first ever newsletter, Behind the Beans, launches this Sunday!
It’ll feature:
- A snapshot of development progress
- Exclusive announcements and updates
- The start of Cafe of the Month!
Be sure to sign up so you don’t miss the very first edition!
SIGN UP HERE!
What’s Next?
Next week’s focus will be on:
- Finalising controller support + build-mode integration
- Additional testing and bug-fixing
- Polishing all the final pieces for the Beta and extended demo
Everything is still on track for a Beta launch the following week!
As always, thank you so much for your support and excitement.
❤️
Radic Creative
Kickstarter Update – 30/10/25
10 months ago
– Thu, Oct 30, 2025 at 11:17:04 AM
Hey everyone! We’re back with another monthly update for Dragon’s Brew! It’s been a slightly shorter month for development as we were away in Japan for two weeks (and showing at EGX right after), but there’s still plenty to share, including our first public demo launch and the start of work on Update 0.4!
October 2025 Development:
EGX Recap
We had an incredible time at EGX London this month!
It was amazing to finally meet some of you in person and to see new players experiencing Dragon’s Brew for the very first time. The feedback we received was overwhelmingly positive!
We also made some fantastic new contacts and took away a lot of useful feedback that we’ll be using to make the full release even better. If you stopped by the booth, thank you! You made our first public showcase something really special. ❤️
The Dragon’s Brew Demo is Live on Steam!
One of the biggest moments this month has been the launch of the public Steam demo! This demo is a short, standalone slice of the game designed to introduce new players to the world of Dragon’s Brew while giving our existing backers a first chance to experience the gameplay for themselves.
We’ve been so grateful for all the kind words, feedback, and reports since launch! It’s been wonderful seeing players share their cafes and their first impressions!
We know it’s a short experience, but we’re already planning to extend the demo length in the future and will be keeping it updated alongside the main alpha builds as development continues.
Alpha 0.3 Released
We also rolled out Alpha version 0.3, plus a follow-up hotfix (0.3.0.1). This update introduced several major new systems and improvements, including:
- Critic System – Random critic visits that rate your cafe across four key categories, complete with newspaper -reviews the following day.
- Weather System – Sunny, cloudy, rainy, snowy, and foggy weather types now bring more life to the world.
- Phone System – Delivery quests, random calls, and fun surprises.
- Accessibility Options
- Gamefeel & UI Improvements
... and more!
You can read the full details in the Steam changelog!
Update 0.4 Development Has Begun!
We’ve now officially started work on Update 0.4, which is shaping up to be one of our biggest yet and the foundation for the Beta launch in December!
Here’s a quick look at what’s coming in 0.4:
- New Coffee Bean System,
- Protective Boardgame Items,
- Special camera visual effects when you have all 6 shelf slots filled with the same boardgame theme (toggleable in settings),
- A new Codex UI, showing details on; unlocked furniture & decor (with re-usable wallpapers!), Boardgames, Recipes and NPC lore)
...and more!
We’ll share more visuals and details in next month’s update as we move deeper into development!
As always, we can’t thank you enough for your ongoing support and feedback. If you’re playing the Alpha or Demo, please continue reporting any bugs or feedback either through the in-game feedback form or via our Discord.
Your feedback helps shape every update, and seeing your enthusiasm for the demo has genuinely fueled our motivation these past few weeks!
Thank you again for being part of this journey!
❤️
Radic Creative
Kickstarter Update – The Dragon’s Brew Demo Is Live on Steam!
10 months ago
– Tue, Oct 28, 2025 at 08:39:48 AM
Hey everyone! We’re thrilled to announce that the Dragon’s Brew demo is officially live on Steam and ready for everyone to download and play!
👉 Play the Demo Now on Steam
This is a limited slice of the game that gives everyone a first chance to finally try Dragon’s Brew early!
For our wonderful backers:
This is a great chance for those waiting on beta access (coming this December!) to try the game early, see how it’s shaping up, and help us polish it even further before launch. Your feedback is invaluable and every comment and bug report helps us refine the final experience!
We’d love for everyone to:
- Grab a cup of coffee
- Download the demo
- Dive in!
- Share your thoughts via the in-game feedback form or in our community Discord!
This demo also includes our new mini Halloween update, so you can enjoy a bit of spooky seasonal fun while you play 👻
Thank you again for all your support over the past year. We’re so excited for you to finally get hands on with this mini slice of Dragon’s Brew and we can’t wait to hear what you think!
❤️
Radic Creative
Kickstarter Update – 26/09/25
11 months ago
– Fri, Sep 26, 2025 at 10:41:57 AM
Hey everyone! We’re back with another monthly update for Dragon’s Brew! Let’s dive into what we’ve been working on this month.
September 2025 Development:
Critic System Complete
We’ve finally finished the Critic System, and it’s looking fantastic! Critics will now randomly arrive at your cafe and rate you across four categories:
- Boardgame Selection
- Food Selection
- Drink Selection
- Speed of Service
The following morning, you’ll receive a newspaper with your review and rewards. The system is now in the final stages of testing and everything is working as intended. We’re excited for you to see it in action in 0.3!
All New Furniture Sets In-Game
Exciting news: all of our new furniture sets are now fully in the game, including the brand new rug item type!
Alongside these, we’ve added 53 brand-new miniquests, designed specifically around unlocking each new item. This has been a long process, but we’re finally past the bulk of the work.
New Weather System
We’ve started work on a new weather system! Now, instead of just clear skies or snow, the game will feature:
- Sunny
- Cloudy
- Overcast
- Light Rain
- Heavy Rain
- Thunderstorms
- Light Snow
- Heavy Snow
- Fog
Each season will have different chances to encounter these effects.. for example, winter will favor snow, autumn - fog, summer - sun, and spring - rain.
Alpha Demo
We’re excited to announce that we’ll be launching an Alpha Demo on Steam this October! This will give the wider community and new followers a chance to try a short, limited slice of the game.
Beta backers: don’t worry.. this demo is just a small marketing slice. You’ll still get full gameplay access in the beta, which is still on track for December. The demo is simply an extra opportunity to see a small part of the game early!
Steam Cloud Saving
We’ve been working behind the scenes on Steam Cloud and cross-system saving. This is nearly ready and undergoing final testing, ensuring compatibility with devices like the Steam Deck. Cloud saves will officially roll out in 0.3, letting you pick up and play your cafe from multiple devices.
Gamefeel Improvements
We’ve spent a lot of time polishing gamefeel for 0.3, including:
- Subtle bounce effect when selecting inventory items
- UI animations
- Additional UI sound effects
- Bobbing added to crafting machines during crafting
- New furniture placement effect
- Toned down some flooring tilesets and added extra textures to town floors to break up repeating patterns
We’re Going to EGX!
That’s right! Dragon’s Brew will be at EGX this year! We’ll have our own booth to showcase the game and meet you all in person. If you’re attending EGX, be sure to stop by, say hi, and check out the demo in action. We can’t wait to meet the community and hear your feedback firsthand!
What’s Next
We’ll be away in Japan from September 29th to October 17th, so there won’t be updates during this period. EGX and the demo launch will happen shortly after we return.
We had hoped to release 0.3 before leaving, but since controller support is still being finalized and we want to be available after release to catch any bugs, the launch is now pushed to after we return, likely dropping alongside the demo and EGX. Thanks for your patience!
Finally, it’s officially been one year since the end of our Kickstarter! A massive thank you again to everyone who supported us! we wouldn’t be here without you. Your support has made all of this possible, and we’re so excited to share what we’ve been working on for 0.3.
As always, thank you all for your support!
❤️
Radic Creative
Kickstarter Update – 29/08/25
12 months ago
– Fri, Aug 29, 2025 at 09:32:04 AM
Hey everyone! We’re back with another monthly update for Dragon’s Brew! Let’s take a look at what’s new!
August 2025 Development:
Phone Delivery System
The Phone Delivery System (our first Kickstarter stretch goal!) is now complete! This is the first of two major new systems arriving in Alpha 0.3.
While your cafe is open, there’s a random chance each in-game hour that the phone will ring. Most calls will be timed delivery quests, similar to the mini delivery quests you’ve seen on the quest board, but with tighter deadlines, bigger rewards, and a more tailored feel. Completing these on time will earn you both money and Renown XP.
This system is entirely optional, you can ignore or decline calls if you’d rather focus elsewhere. But not every call is what it seems. You may win the lottery, get a surprise tax bill, or even pick up a cheeky prank call. The goal is to add more unpredictability and flavour to your cafe’s day-to-day operations!
Critic System
We’ve started work on the Critic System, where every two weeks, a critic will visit your cafe. They’ll quietly observe and then rate you across four categories:
- Boardgame Selection
- Food Selection
- Drink Selection
- Speed of Service
Each category contributes to your overall score, which then determines your reward. The next day, you’ll find a newspaper containing your review and your prize. The newspaper won’t just be about critics either.. it’ll also feature snippets of local news, some of which will be worldbuilding, while others may lead into hidden easter eggs or mini-quests 👀 More to come soon!
New Crafting System
The crafting system has been completely redesigned and simplified to be more intuitive and bug-free! Here’s how it now works:
- You choose what you want to craft, and the UI closes immediately.
- You can’t re-interact with the station until it’s finished.
- A progress bar appears above the station so you can see progress at a glance.
- When finished, the crafted item spawns above the station.. just interact to collect it and you’re good to go!
This new approach has been testing really well, and should make crafting far smoother and more satisfying. We’re aiming to roll this out in update 0.2.2 early next week!
New Furniture Sets
We’re starting work on expanded furniture sets that pair with the decor themes already in-game: Celestial, Gambit, Vintage, Royal, Retro, and Country.
These sets will help bring more personality and flair to your cafe designs. Here’s a little sneak peek at what’s coming in 0.3 👀
Alpha Update
Since the release of Alpha 0.2, we’ve rolled out a number of patches with new features, changes, and bug fixes. You can find the full patch notes on our Steam events page here:
👉 https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/3168560
We're also aware of a new crafting station lock-up bug, but the redesigned crafting system should finally put that one to rest. Alongside this, expect a few more improvements in next week’s patch.
What’s Next
- Roll out 0.2.2 with the new crafting system (early next week)
- Continue work on the Critic System
- Expand the furniture sets
- Progress more of the 0.3 features (check our Trello for more details!)
As always, thank you so much for your feedback and support! your help makes Dragon’s Brew better every update!
❤️
Radic Creative
