We are a small independent game developer located in Warsaw, Poland. Before The Astronauts, some of us worked on games like Painkiller and Bulletstorm.
Our latest project is Witchfire, a dark fantasy first person shooter set in an alternative world in which witches are real and very dangerous – but so are you, witchhunter.
Our first game was a weird fiction mystery titled The Vanishing of Ethan Carter. The game has won many awards, including BAFTA, and we sold over one million copies. It’s available on PC, PS4 and Xbox One. Click here for more details.
I could begin with some inspirational quote about Patience and Time, but nothing quite fits – so let’s cut to the chase. The wait is almost over, and you’re surely itching for more info on what’s coming.
The Witch Mountain Update has already been previewed in one – or even two – of our earlier posts, but there’s still a lot you don’t know. Fret not, I’m not about to spoil everything. In fact, we’ve been tiptoeing around the subject, trying to tell you as much as we can without… Well, revealing too much. The Mountain is unlike any other level, and we believe experiencing it – especially for the first time – will be a unique adventure, one we’d rather leave for you to live through on your own. That said, we may tease you a bit more by showing you a few more postcards from the level:
By now, you’ve likely heard about the Labyrinth hidden in the wretched underbelly of the Mountain. It has been part of the landscape for thousands of years, and the local people were never eager to visit it – except for a few souls who were as brave as they were doomed the moment they stepped between those cursed walls. About 400 years ago a king decided it’s time to explore what lies under the Mountain and he paid little mind to warnings of the locals, who have seen people stepping into the Labyrinth never to return. He organised an expedition manned by soldiers and scholars, dozens of people who embarked on a quest into the unknown.
None lived, none returned to tell the tale.
Now, your quest has led you to the doorstep of The Witch Mountain. What lies on its slopes and within its vast network of caves is yours to discover.
Of course, we’re not just going to let anyone waltz in without any prior experience only to get their head kicked in. You most likely know the drill by now – before you will be able to visit a new region in the game, you need to obtain the navigation chart; it’s no different this time. The chart in question is in the Cathedral, in the Iron Gate Castle, and if you’re thinking “Isn’t that the building in which the Dimacher resides…?”, you’re right on the money. Get in, grab the chart, get out – battling the knight is strictly optional, but it does offer a certain new reward you may find useful.
Once you arrive on the slope, take your time moving forward. The mountain is worth exploring thoroughly – its many nooks and crannies hide two new spells and a fetish. Duelist, the highly requested revolver, has already been revealed, and it’s accompanied by – yes, you guessed it – a new heavy shotgun, affectionately named Judgment.
Since you’re all eager to get your hands on the revolver, you’ll be able to obtain it by conducting research in the workshop. The shotgun, however, will require a bit more effort, as it’s a reward for forging your path through the level.
We promised to rework the Fallen Preyers, and we’re delivering on that promise. While not much has changed in the Hermitory, their behaviour on the battlefield is vastly different. They now spawn automatically – no need to open the map and deploy them manually. You’ll also notice they’re much more useful, but that’s something you’ll have to experience firsthand.
Last but not least, we’re introducing Shadow Orbs. Adrian has already described this little doodad, so if you want the full breakdown, click the link. If, however, you prefer to embrace the unknown, just wait for one to drop in-game and see for yourself how it works.
The full list of features also comes as a handy picture:
This update also includes numerous bug fixes, improvements, and minor updates – a lot of them implemented thanks to your feedback. So, once again, thank you for speaking your mind and letting us know what bothers you. Your input is invaluable and helps us improve the game, even if said improvements occasionally have the capacity to break your heart and ruin the fun – more on that in a moment, in…
Hermitorium Archives #2
Preyer Transport Agency
We know that things move fast, and those on the bleeding edge of pushing boundaries are always looking for new ways to entertain themselves. A few weeks ago, players were slapping Galley Slave left and right, putting him in his place at breakneck speed. Now, they’ve found a way to harvest his energy, converting it into a technique that allows Preyers to move so fast it appears as if they’re teleporting.
Lodown, a member of our Discord responsible for this breakthrough, has also been hard at work proving that when physics and magic mix, the results can be devastatingly effective in the field of ballistics.
If anyone else wants to give it a go, hurry – the Galley Slave Teleportation Service is being deactivated next week, with no plans for a return. I can hear the booing already, but – that said – I am also sure you’ll find new ways to make physics misbehave in no time.
Knight? More Like a Squire.
I was going to write about how you’ve moved on from disrespecting the Galley Slave and are now crash-testing Dimacher, but that wouldn’t be entirely fair. While the 47-second clip submitted to our Discord on February 22nd certainly is impressive, I took a dive into our subreddit and found something even more stunning.
Less than ten seconds. This is strict tuna, no crust territory. And kudos if you got that reference.
Give Me 24 Hours.
We understand that Witchfire is a work in progress and that more content is coming (reminder: the next piece of the puzzle arrives on the 13th), but unlocking all achievements in under a day seems a bit… excessive. We admire the dedication – make no mistake – but it’s turning playthroughs into literal speedruns. Keep it up, and we might just start working on Witchfire Karting next.
In my previous post, I mentioned that we’re eagerly awaiting the sparks of creativity inspired by your Witchfire experiences. Now, I’m delighted to say we have our very first fanfiction. Head over to Reddit and give it a read if you’d like to see crushinator7755’s spin on the beginning of the Witchfire story.
There are two things you ask about almost daily: co-op and consoles. The co-op question was addressed in the previous post, so let’s repeat what’s been said about consoles and state that nothing has changed so far:
We’d love to bring Witchfire to consoles, we’re actively exploring our options and considering different paths for a console release. Once there’s something concrete to announce, you’ll be the first to know. Stay tuned – consoles aren’t benched forever.
Help Yourselves to Guns and Ammo.
It’s great to see comments like this, but let’s go ahead and reassure you—there are no microtransactions coming to the game. However, there are plenty more weapons on the way. While we have a ton of ideas, we always welcome more. Our Discord server has a dedicated suggestions channel that’s teeming with creative concepts for weapons, items, and mechanics. Head over to Sugar Thread and drop your suggestions there!
