Robin Ward
@eviltrout.com
Check out “The Roottrees are Dead” on Steam. Now working on “The Incident at Galley House.” Previously: co-founder of Discourse
The game: https://roottrees.com
My blog: https://eviltrout.com
The game: https://roottrees.com
My blog: https://eviltrout.com
I tracked all Steam releases before our game came out and it’s been like this for ages. 95% of releases are low effort slapped together assets and don’t stand a chance.
The other 5% are decent looking games with promise, but need those crucial 7k+ wishlists to have a chance of being featured at all
The other 5% are decent looking games with promise, but need those crucial 7k+ wishlists to have a chance of being featured at all
NEW VIDEO ALERT:
230 games came out on Steam the first week of 2026. I looked at every page to see what I could learn about the state of Steam. It made me feel like I was dying.
youtu.be/Yjf-GPp3n5k
230 games came out on Steam the first week of 2026. I looked at every page to see what I could learn about the state of Steam. It made me feel like I was dying.
youtu.be/Yjf-GPp3n5k
January 17, 2026 at 12:41 PM
I tracked all Steam releases before our game came out and it’s been like this for ages. 95% of releases are low effort slapped together assets and don’t stand a chance.
The other 5% are decent looking games with promise, but need those crucial 7k+ wishlists to have a chance of being featured at all
The other 5% are decent looking games with promise, but need those crucial 7k+ wishlists to have a chance of being featured at all
Reposted by Robin Ward
The Roottrees are Dead is now a year old! In this post we take a look back at all the cool stuff that's happened since.
store.steampowered.com/news/app/275...
store.steampowered.com/news/app/275...
The Roottrees are Dead - One Year of Roottrees - Steam News
Looking back at the year we've had since releasing The Roottrees are Dead
store.steampowered.com
January 15, 2026 at 7:10 PM
The Roottrees are Dead is now a year old! In this post we take a look back at all the cool stuff that's happened since.
store.steampowered.com/news/app/275...
store.steampowered.com/news/app/275...
In this age of disposable electronics and ewaste there’s no better feeling than having a useful piece of tech that keeps on chugging along. I have an 8 year old NUC in my closet that’s running home assistant and doing an amazing job. I’m so proud of that little guy. How long will he last?
January 15, 2026 at 12:59 PM
In this age of disposable electronics and ewaste there’s no better feeling than having a useful piece of tech that keeps on chugging along. I have an 8 year old NUC in my closet that’s running home assistant and doing an amazing job. I’m so proud of that little guy. How long will he last?
Evil Trout Inc. was a sponsor of this, and we can't wait to play all the awesome games being developed.
January 14, 2026 at 9:09 PM
Evil Trout Inc. was a sponsor of this, and we can't wait to play all the awesome games being developed.
I was fortunate enough to try out @apthomson.bsky.social's new game Titanium Court early, and I have to say it's a banger. I thought I'd burned out on Match-3 style games but this one has quite a few unique twists. It's a masterclass in how to make games juicy.
January 13, 2026 at 4:54 PM
I was fortunate enough to try out @apthomson.bsky.social's new game Titanium Court early, and I have to say it's a banger. I thought I'd burned out on Match-3 style games but this one has quite a few unique twists. It's a masterclass in how to make games juicy.
Reposted by Robin Ward
We're part of the Steam Detective Fest. You can pick up the game for 20% off right now
January 12, 2026 at 6:24 PM
We're part of the Steam Detective Fest. You can pick up the game for 20% off right now
It's mind blowing how not responding to sales email is not seen as a "no" anymore. People will follow up 3+ times, often daily to "bounce this email to the top of your box" or "just in case you forgot." It drives me nuts! Now if I'm uninterested I have to block the sender right away.
January 12, 2026 at 5:20 PM
It's mind blowing how not responding to sales email is not seen as a "no" anymore. People will follow up 3+ times, often daily to "bounce this email to the top of your box" or "just in case you forgot." It drives me nuts! Now if I'm uninterested I have to block the sender right away.
Reposted by Robin Ward
How have we got to the point where 4/5 of the back of a PS5 box is legal bullshit lmao
January 12, 2026 at 12:41 PM
How have we got to the point where 4/5 of the back of a PS5 box is legal bullshit lmao
I spent most of my adult life building web apps and their activity was always much higher on weekdays. Now that I’m doing game dev stuff the opposite is true. Sales are always higher on weekends, because presumably people want a new game to try out in their free time.
January 10, 2026 at 3:13 AM
I spent most of my adult life building web apps and their activity was always much higher on weekdays. Now that I’m doing game dev stuff the opposite is true. Sales are always higher on weekends, because presumably people want a new game to try out in their free time.
Reposted by Robin Ward
💎 Here's 10 cool-looking indie games (hopefully!) coming out in 2026!
📽️ www.youtube.com/watch?v=-T0q...
📽️ www.youtube.com/watch?v=-T0q...
January 9, 2026 at 3:47 PM
💎 Here's 10 cool-looking indie games (hopefully!) coming out in 2026!
📽️ www.youtube.com/watch?v=-T0q...
📽️ www.youtube.com/watch?v=-T0q...
Delighted to announce that William Rous' excellent game Type Help (Which we're remastering on Steam as The Incident at Galley House) is nominated for an IGF award for Best Narrative!
It also received honorable mentions for Excellent in Design and Nuovo Award categories.
It also received honorable mentions for Excellent in Design and Nuovo Award categories.
January 9, 2026 at 5:44 PM
Delighted to announce that William Rous' excellent game Type Help (Which we're remastering on Steam as The Incident at Galley House) is nominated for an IGF award for Best Narrative!
It also received honorable mentions for Excellent in Design and Nuovo Award categories.
It also received honorable mentions for Excellent in Design and Nuovo Award categories.
Reposted by Robin Ward
The Roottrees are Dead is nominated for Outstanding Video Game at the 37th Annual GLAAD Media Awards: glaad.org/releases/gla...
GLAAD ANNOUNCES NOMINEES FOR THE 37th ANNUAL GLAAD MEDIA AWARDS | GLAAD
“HEATED RIVALRY,” “STRANGER THINGS,” “PLURIBUS,” “ABBOTT ELEMENTARY,” “THE HUNTING WIVES,” “HACKS,” “SEVERANCE,” “LAS CULTURISTAS CULTURE AWARDS,” “I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER,” “ON SWIFT HORSES,”...
glaad.org
January 7, 2026 at 7:45 PM
The Roottrees are Dead is nominated for Outstanding Video Game at the 37th Annual GLAAD Media Awards: glaad.org/releases/gla...
Does anyone know a good web designer who can make some really nice looking but also functional static sites? I'd like to improve the official Roottrees and Evil Trout Inc. websites, plus make one for Galley House. Contact info is on eviltrout.com! Bonus points if they're a puzzle game fan.
Evil Trout Inc.
eviltrout.com
January 6, 2026 at 5:22 PM
Does anyone know a good web designer who can make some really nice looking but also functional static sites? I'd like to improve the official Roottrees and Evil Trout Inc. websites, plus make one for Galley House. Contact info is on eviltrout.com! Bonus points if they're a puzzle game fan.
Paul is also the composer for The Incident at Galley House and I can’t wait to share more of the spooky music he game up with.
Paul Alexander, the composer for The Rise of the Golden Idol, has been posting some "making of" videos. Pretty cool insights!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-5F...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-5F...
How I Composed "Warehaus' for The Raid - Rise of the Golden Idol DLC - The Sins of New Wells
YouTube video by Paul Alexander Audio
www.youtube.com
January 5, 2026 at 1:13 PM
Paul is also the composer for The Incident at Galley House and I can’t wait to share more of the spooky music he game up with.
Reposted by Robin Ward
2026 has the potential to be an even better year for detective games than last year, which had at least 46 releases! I made a thread here for upcoming games I am aware of. If I have played the Demo or Playtested it, I will describe the games a bit, as well as when they state their release dates.
January 2, 2026 at 9:13 AM
2026 has the potential to be an even better year for detective games than last year, which had at least 46 releases! I made a thread here for upcoming games I am aware of. If I have played the Demo or Playtested it, I will describe the games a bit, as well as when they state their release dates.
My final top ten list for 2025. I didn’t see as many movies as I usually do but here are the ones I loved:
1. Weapons
2. One Battle After Another
3. The Perfect Neighbor
4. Kpop Demon Hunters
5. Sinners
6. Together
7. Wake Up Dead Man
8. Pee Wee as Himself
9. Bugonia
10. Sorry, Baby
1. Weapons
2. One Battle After Another
3. The Perfect Neighbor
4. Kpop Demon Hunters
5. Sinners
6. Together
7. Wake Up Dead Man
8. Pee Wee as Himself
9. Bugonia
10. Sorry, Baby
January 1, 2026 at 1:13 PM
My final top ten list for 2025. I didn’t see as many movies as I usually do but here are the ones I loved:
1. Weapons
2. One Battle After Another
3. The Perfect Neighbor
4. Kpop Demon Hunters
5. Sinners
6. Together
7. Wake Up Dead Man
8. Pee Wee as Himself
9. Bugonia
10. Sorry, Baby
1. Weapons
2. One Battle After Another
3. The Perfect Neighbor
4. Kpop Demon Hunters
5. Sinners
6. Together
7. Wake Up Dead Man
8. Pee Wee as Himself
9. Bugonia
10. Sorry, Baby
Reposted by Robin Ward
I just want to give a huge shoutout to @roottrees.com, a game that completely changed my 2025.
First off, the game: the combination of search with fill-in-the-blank deduction hit the spot for me and made me eager for more. It kicked off a year of playing, thinking about, and making deduction games.
First off, the game: the combination of search with fill-in-the-blank deduction hit the spot for me and made me eager for more. It kicked off a year of playing, thinking about, and making deduction games.
December 31, 2025 at 9:48 PM
I just want to give a huge shoutout to @roottrees.com, a game that completely changed my 2025.
First off, the game: the combination of search with fill-in-the-blank deduction hit the spot for me and made me eager for more. It kicked off a year of playing, thinking about, and making deduction games.
First off, the game: the combination of search with fill-in-the-blank deduction hit the spot for me and made me eager for more. It kicked off a year of playing, thinking about, and making deduction games.
Reposted by Robin Ward
It's Thinky Awards season! The fine folks at @thinkygames.com invited me to be a juror again, so here's my brief impressions of all the nominees I played. There are a few days left in the Steam winter sale and many of these are discounted, so check them out!
A 🧵
david.reviews/articles/thi...
A 🧵
david.reviews/articles/thi...
Thinky Awards 2025 Nominee Impressions
First impressions of many 2025 Thinky Award nominees.
david.reviews
December 31, 2025 at 4:26 AM
It's Thinky Awards season! The fine folks at @thinkygames.com invited me to be a juror again, so here's my brief impressions of all the nominees I played. There are a few days left in the Steam winter sale and many of these are discounted, so check them out!
A 🧵
david.reviews/articles/thi...
A 🧵
david.reviews/articles/thi...
I watched a lot of great TV in 2025. Here's my favourites:
1. The Rehearsal S2
2. Adolescence S1
3. The Pitt S1
4. Plur1bus S1
5. Game Changer S7
6. The Studio S1
7. Such Brave Girls S2
8. Andor S2
9. Severance S2
10. The Chair Company S1
1. The Rehearsal S2
2. Adolescence S1
3. The Pitt S1
4. Plur1bus S1
5. Game Changer S7
6. The Studio S1
7. Such Brave Girls S2
8. Andor S2
9. Severance S2
10. The Chair Company S1
December 30, 2025 at 5:00 PM
I watched a lot of great TV in 2025. Here's my favourites:
1. The Rehearsal S2
2. Adolescence S1
3. The Pitt S1
4. Plur1bus S1
5. Game Changer S7
6. The Studio S1
7. Such Brave Girls S2
8. Andor S2
9. Severance S2
10. The Chair Company S1
1. The Rehearsal S2
2. Adolescence S1
3. The Pitt S1
4. Plur1bus S1
5. Game Changer S7
6. The Studio S1
7. Such Brave Girls S2
8. Andor S2
9. Severance S2
10. The Chair Company S1
I helped Jenna Fischer put her bag in the overhead compartment on a plane. She had a broken arm and the flight attendants said they couldn’t help??? She was super nice.
Right folks. Feeling rather down at the moment so bringing back an oldie
Please Quote this with your most minor celebrity interaction
Please Quote this with your most minor celebrity interaction
December 29, 2025 at 9:17 PM
I helped Jenna Fischer put her bag in the overhead compartment on a plane. She had a broken arm and the flight attendants said they couldn’t help??? She was super nice.
Reposted by Robin Ward
2025 was a big year for me in gamedev! Rose and I normally make a jam game or two a year, but this year I also happened to stumble into a really nice community of narrative deduction game fans and got inspired to dive even deeper.
🧵 This is a Jamwitch 2025 recap thread!
jamwitch.itch.io
🧵 This is a Jamwitch 2025 recap thread!
jamwitch.itch.io
jamwitch
jamwitch.itch.io
December 29, 2025 at 5:06 PM
2025 was a big year for me in gamedev! Rose and I normally make a jam game or two a year, but this year I also happened to stumble into a really nice community of narrative deduction game fans and got inspired to dive even deeper.
🧵 This is a Jamwitch 2025 recap thread!
jamwitch.itch.io
🧵 This is a Jamwitch 2025 recap thread!
jamwitch.itch.io
Reposted by Robin Ward
Reminder to vote for the Thinky Awards! If you're into deduction games that'll have you busting out a physical notebook, @roottrees.com is nominated in a few categories. Also, The Incident at Galley House should be your "Most Anticipated Game."
As for "Best Content Creator," follow your instincts!
As for "Best Content Creator," follow your instincts!
Vote in the 3rd annual Thinky Awards · Thinky Games
Vote for the best thinky game of 2025, your most anticipated game, and your favorite content creator in the latest Thinky Awards.
thinkygames.com
December 29, 2025 at 12:40 AM
Reminder to vote for the Thinky Awards! If you're into deduction games that'll have you busting out a physical notebook, @roottrees.com is nominated in a few categories. Also, The Incident at Galley House should be your "Most Anticipated Game."
As for "Best Content Creator," follow your instincts!
As for "Best Content Creator," follow your instincts!
Released my first game on Steam and it did better than I ever would have guessed. (I would have been happy just to break even!)
Quote this with what you have accomplished in 2025, no matter how big or small
Reading & writing has kept me alive this year.
Somehow, it’s been my most productive year as an author.
Here’s a guide to what I’ve published in 2025, in case you’ve lost track.
Individual links below but it’s all on itch: danifinn.itch.io
And elsewhere: books2read.com/ap/nAApPp/Da...
1/
Somehow, it’s been my most productive year as an author.
Here’s a guide to what I’ve published in 2025, in case you’ve lost track.
Individual links below but it’s all on itch: danifinn.itch.io
And elsewhere: books2read.com/ap/nAApPp/Da...
1/
December 29, 2025 at 12:07 AM
Released my first game on Steam and it did better than I ever would have guessed. (I would have been happy just to break even!)
My Dad has been in the ICU for days because he got RSV, a virus that there’s a good vaccine for. He was eligible, but didn’t get it because all the news and videos he watches told him vaccines are bad and he refused to listen to us.
December 28, 2025 at 1:39 PM
My Dad has been in the ICU for days because he got RSV, a virus that there’s a good vaccine for. He was eligible, but didn’t get it because all the news and videos he watches told him vaccines are bad and he refused to listen to us.
Here’s my favourite games of 2025
1. Blue Prince
2. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
3. Öoo
4. Donkey Kong Bananza
5. Chronoquartz
6. Strange Jigsaws
7. The Séance of Blake Manor
8. Rosewater
9. Old Skies
10. The Drifter
1. Blue Prince
2. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
3. Öoo
4. Donkey Kong Bananza
5. Chronoquartz
6. Strange Jigsaws
7. The Séance of Blake Manor
8. Rosewater
9. Old Skies
10. The Drifter
December 27, 2025 at 1:36 PM
Here’s my favourite games of 2025
1. Blue Prince
2. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
3. Öoo
4. Donkey Kong Bananza
5. Chronoquartz
6. Strange Jigsaws
7. The Séance of Blake Manor
8. Rosewater
9. Old Skies
10. The Drifter
1. Blue Prince
2. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
3. Öoo
4. Donkey Kong Bananza
5. Chronoquartz
6. Strange Jigsaws
7. The Séance of Blake Manor
8. Rosewater
9. Old Skies
10. The Drifter