Frogwares, the Ukrainian developer behind The Sinking City and the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, has given its followers an insight into the realities of living through the Russian invasion. From blackouts, freezing temperatures, and constant bombings, the Kyiv-based studio says the past few months have taken a mental toll on the team, as the attacks sometimes feel like they will "never end."
The Frogwares Twitter account shares images of life in Ukraine alongside these comments, showing how the team copes when they are forced into hiding during attacks, sometimes with no way to check if their family and friends are safe. They call the Russian government "useless cowards" who have ramped up the attacks on ordinary civilians like themselves, resorting to freezing and starving Ukraine whenever they have a victory against Russia.
"The last couple of months have been quite difficult on our team here in Ukraine," the Twitter thread opens, sharing an image of a destroyed apartment building, with rubble all over the streets. "After a summer of relative 'calm'…the wave of missile and suicide drone strikes that started in October have taken quite a toll on us mentally."
With civilian attacks increasing in recent weeks, the team has been spending more time hunkering down to avoid the devastation in the streets. "You gather your family and pets and go huddle in basements, shelters or bathrooms. Surrounded by a sea of air raid sirens, anti-aircraft fire, and missile blasts, all you can do is sit there, wondering if this is your time."
Even after the attacks end, the developers can't return to work. "You go about checking the news, the team Discord channels and your messaging apps to see where was hit and if anyone you might know could be one of the casualties that day."
On top of this, they have experienced internet and power outages, with even access to water being cut. Yet they are determined to remain positive, celebrating Ukrainian victories, and continuing to work on the upcoming Sherlock Holmes The Awakened.
Despite the ongoing conflict, Sherlock Holmes The Awakened is still set to launch sometime in February 2023. Following the Russian invasion, fundraising for the game moved to Kickstarter, where it saw huge success, raising an additional €250,000.
Yet these fundraising efforts have at one point proved divisive. In September, Frogwares held a giveaway on its Twitter page, with three winners getting the chance to write their own messages on a 152mm howitzer shell. While some jumped at the chance, others found the sweepstake morbid, criticizing the studio for using the conflict in a marketing campaign.
In any case, there's been no word of a delay on the game just yet. Given all of the interruptions to daily life though, it's likely we won't have a specific release date until we approach the February launch window.
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