Hi! I'm Alex Rybak, co-developer of Cozy Holes. I work alongside Joshua Chapman, owner of Flashpoint Games, and my younger sister, who created all the charming 2D artwork. Joshua and I have previous experience at AAA studios and have also released independent titles. I previously worked with Flashpoint Games on The Quantum Conflict, and Joshua released games like Pirates Showdown and Super vs World.
Cozy Holes is a relaxing exploration game where you play as a sentient shovel uncovering secrets buried beneath an expansive island. The core mechanic revolves around digging; the entire terrain is diggable, encouraging players to search for hidden valuables and piece together a mysterious, heartfelt story through environmental clues.
The idea emerged from our passion for unique storytelling experiences—blending the playful whimsy of games like The Legend of Zelda, the environmental storytelling of Outer Wilds, and the engaging mechanics found in A Game About Digging a Hole. We were intrigued by themes of isolation, reconnection, and discovery, choosing to express them in a cozy, inviting manner through the perspective of a magical shovel.
We wanted the visuals of Cozy Holes to instantly evoke feelings of warmth, relaxation, and playful curiosity. Inspired by the bright, inviting palettes found in retro and vaporwave aesthetics, we crafted a unique cel-shaded look that emphasizes vivid gradients and gentle color transitions. Our goal was to blend a sense of nostalgia with modern rendering techniques, resulting in visuals that feel both familiar and fresh.
The distinctive shader, which I personally developed, uses carefully tuned gradients and rich, warm tones to create an atmosphere that invites exploration and coziness. We were especially influenced by scenes reminiscent of relaxing beach sunsets and dreamy island getaways, which aligned perfectly with the laid-back, magical vibe of our game.
Development began in late February 2025, and as we built and refined our core gameplay loop, the project's scope naturally expanded, enriching the player's experience.
A significant milestone for us was the release of our demo on May 22nd, 2025, where we received tremendous community feedback. This helped us polish Cozy Holes further and amplify the features players found most engaging. We’re excited to launch into Early Access on August 6th, 2025, with plans for a full release later this year.
We chose Unity for its flexibility and rapid iteration capabilities, allowing us as a small team to quickly prototype and refine ideas.
Our biggest challenge was definitely performance optimization. Due to our unique shader-driven visuals and completely deformable terrain, we initially faced significant issues in achieving smooth gameplay across diverse hardware setups. Tackling this pushed us deeper into Unity’s rendering pipeline and taught us valuable optimization techniques. We developed adaptive quality settings that preserved the game's artistic vision while ensuring a smooth, enjoyable experience for everyone.
For anyone starting their own cozy or exploration-focused indie game, I strongly recommend establishing a solid core gameplay loop as quickly as possible. Get your prototype in front of players early and often, then use that feedback to iterate rapidly. Don't get too caught up in adding features before you know what truly resonates with your audience.
Additionally, expect some degree of scope creep! It can be challenging to keep your project's ambitions in check. The key is regularly re-evaluating and prioritizing features based on what's essential to your game's core identity and what your community genuinely loves.
My best advice is to create games that genuinely represent you, rather than chasing industry trends. Your unique voice and passion are what will resonate most deeply with players. Prioritize the joy and fulfillment that comes from seeing your game enjoyed by others—that’s truly priceless.
Thanks for featuring us, and we can't wait for everyone to dive into the cozy world we've created!
Wishlist Cozy Holes on Steam here:
Alex
