Happy 2026! I’d like to give a status update on what I’ve been up to recently, some reflections on 2025, and what I’m planning for 2026. I’ve just wrapped up an epic trip through Turkey and Georgia and am now back at my temporary home in Romania, officially back at work.
Romania, you say? Yes! While I’ve just finished my big January holiday, I’ve actually been living and staying in Bucharest since November 2025. So this January trip is really part of a larger adventure where I’ve been both working and living in Europe. It’s been a wonderful experience living the digital nomad life. I’ve now seen Bucharest, Brassov, Brussles, Paris, Venice, Krakaw and more. I looks live I’ve caught the travel bug… and I think this is a trend that will continue in 2026. I will, however, be returning home to Australia in February.
For a long time now I’ve been freelancing and working for hire. My goal for 2025 was to spend more time re-establishing myself as an indie game developer. In that sense, it was a small success, even though things have remained largely silent here on Discord.
So what did I do in 2025 as an indie?
Throw Rocks At Shit
In 2025 I worked with Scooober Steve to make Throw Rocks at Shit for Nintendo Switch. Development on the game is largely complete, but we’re not quite there yet. This will be my priority when I return to Australia. I also returned to PAX in 2025 to showcase this game – and what a blast that experience was! We had a super positive response from almost everyone who played the game. Returning to PAX after 4 years has fueled the game developer spirit within me. I’m so glad I did it.
Various Prototypes
- Jump Crush – A fun little game where you hop on the heads of flying enemies, each one sending you higher and higher into the clouds.
- Throw Rocks at Shit (rogue-like version) – Basically Throw Rocks at Shit, but after each wave you choose 1 of 3 power-ups, which are also upgradable.
- 2D / 3D World Explorer – Built in Flash, this is a simple world you can explore in a “fake” 3D environment, similar to how Mario Kart on the SNES handles distance perspective.
I don’t have solid plans to finish these, but I do hope to clean up the prototypes, fix their bugs, and make them available to play online.
Chess But You Fight
This is a game I prototyped in 2019, a Chess x Fighting game. The potential of this game is strong in my opinion. It’s an ambitious project that I’d love to bring to life. I managed to produced a lot of artwork for Chess But You Fight. All-new character designs and background art for the battle arena. Background art has always felt like a weak point for me, so I’m particularly proud of the progress I made there.
Story Writing
In an effort to create more content, story, and lore for Armed with Wings, I also did some writing. Looking back at what I had drawn for Echoes of Greyna, I was honestly embarrassed. Ziel is still a character I want to re-explore, so I wrote a “draft chapter” from his point of view. It feels like a fresh start for the character, and for the first time I feel like I’m actually beginning to understand how to write.
On a personal note, my biggest success of 2025 was learning Mandarin Chinese. I’m half Chinese, but my ability to communicate has always been pretty pathetic. I finally decided, “Enough is enough—I need to know how to speak, understand, and write Chinese.” After a year of study, I now can. There’s still a long way to go before fluency, but I managed to go to China in September with my family and had many conversations with locals entirely in Chinese. That experience made me realise that I am capable of success when I truly dedicate myself.
So what does 2026 look like for me?
Honestly… I don’t know. I want to do so many things:
- Finish Throw Rocks at Shit ASAP and get it on Switch
- Make a new Armed with Wings game (the first two AwW games were made in the same year—there’s no reason I can’t make more quickly, right?)
- Write more about Armed with Wings
- Start a new series in the spirit of AwW—perhaps even a successor
- Keep going with Chess But You Fight
The same issue that’s throttled me for years still exists: I need to work and make money. Knowing this, I’m aware that achieving all of the above is probably overly optimistic.
Nonetheless, this is where I find myself at the beginning of 2026. I’ll continue navigating my way through this creative life and producing more and more.
The promise I’m making to myself is that, unlike previous years, this time I will be visible. You’ll hear from me far more than before.
In a way, I feel like I’m finally back.