This is a conversation with Kathrin Radtke from Spellgarden Games, the tiny development team behind Sticky Business and Ritual of Raven. We talk about making successful cozy games, scope, marketing and more.
Links to my Guests
➤ Sticky Business on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2303350/Sticky_Business/
➤ Ritual of Raven on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2066520/Ritual_of_Raven/
➤ Spellgarden Website (Social Media links etc): https://spellgardengames.com/
Listen to the podcast on the go (Spotify, Apple Podcasts, etc.):
➤ https://tyrollerjonas.podbean.com/
0:00 - Intro
0:41 - Why People Play Cozy Games
2:28 - Cozy Games on Steam: Size and Growth
5:06 - What Makes a Game Cozy?
7:08 - Spellgarden Origins and Sticky Business in 5 Months
10:20 - From Idea Board to 3‑Week Prototype, TikTok Devlogs
12:38 - Finding Ideas in Trends, Hobbies, and ASMR
14:09 - Designing Stickers with Stickers + Low‑Pressure Creativity
17:12 - Steam Page, Viral Tweet, and Finding a Publisher
19:51 - TikTok Strategy: Language, Algorithm, Results
22:36 - Turning Social Posts into Wishlists
24:31 - Why Simple Concepts Market Better
27:05 - Smaller, Clearer Projects and When to Share
30:05 - Will Spellgarden Stay in Cozy Games?
32:05 - Why “Work” Simulators Feel Relaxing
34:13 - Designing for Intrinsic Motivation (Not Scores)
40:01 - Ritual of the Raven: Automation and Coding
43:52 - From Concept to a Big Narrative
45:28 - Managing Scope Under Publisher Milestones
47:31 - Progression Across Regions, Tutorials, and Pacing
49:20 - Marketability vs Vision and What’s Next
51:11 - Crafting Ritual’s Art Style with One Artist
52:54 - The Pacing Problem in Automation Games
55:20 - Making Designs Click and the Cost of Lock‑In
59:46 - Advice for Aspiring Cozy Devs and Testing Interest
01:03:35 - How They Playtest Cozy and Creative Games
01:07:44 - Marketing Cozy Games: Platforms, Demos, Events
01:11:04 - Sticky Business DLCs: Why, How, and Backlash
01:17:29 - DLCs vs Early Access and Player Expectations
01:22:51 - Post-Launch Support and Cozy Recommendations
01:26:26 - Outro
My game "Thronefall":
➤ Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2239150/Thronefall/
➤ Discord: https://discord.gg/gVYctptyg8
➤ Nintendo Switch: https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/Games/Nintendo-Switch-download-software/Thronefall-2669627.html#Overview
My game "Will You Snail":
➤ Play Will You Snail on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1115050/Will_You_Snail/
➤ Join the Will You Snail Discord: https://discord.gg/G3mRDrK
For the game developers among you:
➤ Join our creative game dev community on Discord: https://discord.gg/Ye6zzfQ