Hello dear Miners,
You may have noticed that there hasn’t been any news from me about Abyss Idle Miner for quite a while. Is the game dead? Will the developer ever return to it? The honest answer is: I can’t forget this game. And yes – at some point, there will be another update. When exactly? I really can’t say. I know that’s not the most satisfying answer, so I’d like to tell you a little story about how this game came to be – and how it reached this point.

A bit about myself

I’m from Germany, with Indonesian roots. As a child, I loved drawing. Around the age of 12, I discovered PowerPoint – originally for school presentations. But I was fascinated by the click animations and effects, and soon I was using it to create simple clicker games. When I saw how much fun my brothers were having playing those little creations, that was the moment I fell in love with game development. However, it’s always remained a hobby. After training as a communication designer, I now work full-time for a large packaging design company. I’ve never had formal education in game development – everything I know, I taught myself.

My journey with GameMaker

In April 2011, GameMaker 8 was released, and I immediately fell in love with it. A simple tool where you could make games without knowing how to code? Perfect. When GameMaker Studio came along, I discovered my next love – the scripting language GML (GameMaker Language). I’ve created countless game concepts and prototypes with it. But here’s the catch: not a single finished game. All of them exist only on my hard drive. There’s nothing published online. So many ideas – and all unnoticed.

Solo dev struggles

So, why haven’t I finished a game? The answer: ADHD. My motivation for a project is often quickly overtaken by a new, exciting idea. It’s a challenge I’ve never really been able to overcome. But since game development has always been just a hobby for me, I never saw it as a problem. I enjoyed the process of creating and programming, with no intention of making money. But I realize now that this can be frustrating for players.

The birth of Abyss Idle Miner

Thanks to my PowerPoint beginnings, I’ve always loved clickers and idle/incremental games. When Mini Jam 109 came around with the theme “Depth(s)”, I was immediately inspired to create a mining-themed idle game. My favorite manga, Made in Abyss, became a reference point. I managed to submit a prototype by the end of June 2011. It placed 58th out of 146 entries – not bad at all. And when I started receiving positive comments and feedback, it motivated me to stick with the project. I released monthly updates for a while – until, eventually, things slowed down.

The mobile version

In July 2024, my brother and I had the idea of turning the game into a mobile app. Unlike me, he has formal training in game development and uses Unity. We were both super motivated, and you could follow the progress on our Instagram account: @abyss.i.m. We made a lot of changes and added new concepts. But then I started my new job, and development slowed down. Over time, I also began to lose motivation. The game no longer felt like the one I had originally created – like something entirely different. Was it because of all the new features? The vertical layout? I still don’t really know.

Is there a future for the game?

I want it to continue! But time, deadlines, work, personal life, and ADHD always find a way to pull my attention elsewhere. Still, I’ve never forgotten the game. I check in on Itch.io at least twice a month and am always amazed – and grateful – that people are still playing and enjoying it. At the same time, it makes me sad to keep you waiting. That’s also why I’m writing this post: I feel I owe you an honest explanation.

Looking ahead

There’s no fixed date for the next update. But if it does happen, here’s what I’m planning:

• Some features and assets from the mobile version may be adapted into the browser version.
• I will no longer provide downloadable apps – Abyss Idle Miner will remain a browser game.
• The current save system is not optimal and may break with updates – I’ll need to find a better solution.

Final words

Thank you for trying out and enjoying the game. I apologize for my inconsistency. This game means a lot to me, and if I can, I’d love to keep working on it. Thank you for taking the time to read this post.

Warm regards,
KaSurigan