DLC

New Industrious Update And OST For APICO 4.0 Coming to PC!

Text: A banner displaying APICO’s logo.

We have a swarm of news for you today as the final free content update for the bee-loved beekeeping sim APICO is coming to PC this May! APICO Update 4.0: A Hive of Industry will introduce a new automation system, new seasonal events, new craftable materials, and, best of all, pets! All this and more will be available to players on PC on May 20.

Check out what’s coming to APICO in Update 4.0: A Hive of Industry by watching the trailer below:

At the same time, Update 4.0: A Hive of Industry will also be available on Nintendo Switch, along with Update 3.0: What Lies Beeneath, inviting Switch players to dive deep into the oceans of the APICO archipelago to discover new underwater bees, try their hands at fishing, and much more!

Watch the Update 3.0 and 4.0 coming to Nintendo Switch trailer below:

Bee-lieve it or not, that’s not all! As part of Update 4.0’s release, a brand new original soundtrack from Mothense will be available for your listening pleasure. The soundtrack will be available on Bandcamp on May 7. A release date for other platforms will be announced in the coming weeks.

Some of the new features coming to APICO in Update 4.0: A Hive of Industry include:

  • Automation Machines: Craft the Auto-sawmill, Auto-centrifuge, and Auto-squeezer, along with eight new automation machines — Hoppers, Shredders, Loggers, Pickers, Sprinklers, Condensers, Ploppers, and Shippers — on your new Crystal Workbench, which can be purchased from Bobbee, to bring your thriving industry to new heights.

  • New Resource — Honeycore Crystals: Use the newly-added resonance meter and engage in its new mini-game to seek out different sounds throughout the various environments that will help you locate six different types of crystals. Melt them down in the forge and craft new crystal items, including Crystal chests, the Crystal axe, hammer, shovel, and more.

  • Pets: Choose from 16 different adorable little companions to accompany you on your expeditions, including your very own tiny dinosaur! 

  • New Seasonal Events: Celebrate Hivemas, active during the month of December, and Hallowbeen, active during the month of October, in the world of APICO with the NPCs! Each event brings new decor, new paints, and secret easter egg items for you to enjoy. There’s no need to bee patient waiting for each event, as you’ll be able to toggle each event in the settings menu

  • …and so much more: TNgineers have added ten new quests, new decor, paints, new environmental events, and, of course, new bees and pollinators! There’s also a new 100% completion surprise that the most dedicated beekeepers can uncover through the Hive Mother’s door.    

Even more bee-guiling features await you in Update 4.0: A Hive of Industry, so check out full details here: https://wiki.apico.buzz/wiki/Patch_Notes#4.0.0.

About APICO

APICO combines resource gathering, biology, and minigames with ideas from both real-life and fantasy beekeeping and gardening, as it teaches players about the ins and outs of maintaining a healthy hive and the importance of our irreplaceable pollinating pals. The islands of APICO were once abuzz with different species of bees, and it’s up to players to rediscover lost species, cross-breed new ones, and repopulate each unique bee-ome. Progressing further into the game may also uncover some forgotten secrets. 

As well, a portion of the games’ profits goes toward bee conservation. Full details about these efforts can be found here: https://tngineers.com/charity.

Features of APICO include:

  • Play together with up to four in online co-op, with cross-play available on all platforms!

  • Unique crafting and beekeeping minigames that drive gameplay progression.

  • Cross-breed different bees and other pollinators, including butterflies, moths, and solitary bees, to discover over 30 new species.

  • Grow flowers — each with their own special effect on the environment — to keep your pollinators happy!

  • Make and sell honey, Apicola, incense, candles, and other beekeeping products.

  • Repopulate lost species and release them back into the wild.

  • Multiple biomes to explore, each with its own unique pollinator species.

  • A chill soundtrack by Mothense creates a relaxing atmosphere.

  • Uncover the forgotten secrets of the APICO Islands. 

APICO is currently available on PC via Steam, Epic Game Store, Humble Games, itch.io, Utomik, PlayStation 4 and 5, Nintendo Switch™, and Xbox One and Series S|X for $19.99 USD. 

APICO Update 4.0: A Hive of Industry will be available for free on PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, Humble Games, itch.io, and Utomik on May 20, 2024. Update 3.0: What Lies Beeneath and Update 4.0: A Hive of Industry will be available for free on Nintendo Switch on May 20, 2024.

Follow APICO on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and Discord for more updates. 

Keep up to date with Whitethorn Games on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitch; join the official Whitethorn Games Discord, and visit https://whitethorngames.com.

Details about the accessibility features available in APICO can be found here: https://whitethorngames.com/apico/accessibility

Lake: Season's Greetings Available Now on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation!

Lake: Season's Greetings

Jingle bells are ringing — the festive season is here a little early this year! Lake’s holiday-themed prequel, Lake: Season’s Greetings, is out now on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation! Deliver the holiday cheer as Thomas Weiss in this cozy new chapter to the popular mail carrier sim! Grab a nice cup of cocoa and your favorite blanket, and jump right into the winter wonderland of Providence Oaks today!

To celebrate the release of Lake: Season’s Greetings, gift your friends or family Lake on PC at a discount this holiday season! From November 15 through 21, the base game will be available at a 60% discount on Steam and a 50% discount on the Epic Games Store. PlayStation players in Europe can also pick up Lake for PlayStation 4 and 5 for a 50% discount from November 15 to 29!

Also, in case you missed Lake the first time around, you’ll be able to pick up both games on Xbox and PlayStation as part of the Lake: Special Delivery Bundle! For Xbox Game Pass holders, the Lake: Special Delivery bundle (includes the base game and Season’s Greetings DLC) is 40% off. 

Watch the release trailer for Lake: Season’s Greetings:

Make this a December to remember! Lake: Season’s Greetings takes place during 1985’s holiday season, one year before the original Lake game. Players take on the role of Thomas Weiss, an amiable mail carrier and father to Lake’s protagonist, Meredith Weiss. Changing the perspective from Meredith to her father, players will gain an understanding of the Weiss family dynamics and an insight into a snow-covered Providence Oaks from a long-time resident’s point of view. Not only will players learn more about the familiar faces they have grown to love from the main story, but Season’s Greetings introduces five completely new characters to the town of Providence Oaks, each with their very own storylines.

The DLC will also provide more background to some unanswered questions that were teased in Lake. Following the ideals of the base game, Season’s Greetings will continue to focus on slice-of-life themes and relaxing vibes, this time embedded in a comfy holiday setting. So, curl up with some hot cocoa and a copy of Season’s Greetings because it isn’t Christmas until Thomas Weiss has delivered the holiday cheer.

Thomas Weiss delivering a package in downtown Providence Oaks

Key features of Lake: Season’s Greetings include:

  • Travel back to 1985 and discover what Providence Oaks was like before Meredith through her father's eyes during the winter holiday.

  • Enjoy a variety of after-work activities that include hanging with friends, staying in for a night of television, and going out like it’s 1985.

  • Experience a branching story that doesn’t shy away from slice-of-life themes. Like life, there are no right or wrong answers.

Mail truck in Providence Oaks

Lake is available now on PC via Steam, or Epic Games Store, on PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox One and Series X|S for $19.99 USD. Lake: Season’s Greetings is available now on Steam, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox One and Series S|X for $9.99 USD. Purchase Lake and Lake: Season’s Greetings on Xbox One or Series S|X by picking up the Lake: Special Delivery Bundle for $24.99 USD.

Follow Lake on Twitter, Facebook, and visit the official website, for more updates.  

For more updates from Whitethorn Games, follow the publisher on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitch, join the official Whitethorn Games Discord, and visit https://whitethorngames.com.

Accessibility features for Lake can be found here:
https://whitethorngames.com/lake/accessibility.

Thomas Weiss delivering packages in Providence Oaks

Lake: Season's Greetings Release Date Announced!

Lake: Season's Greetings

Today, Whitethorn Games — publisher of inclusive, accessible, easy-going games, including APICO, Calico, Lake, and Wytchwood — and developer Gamious are excited to announce that the long-awaited Lake prequel holiday-themed DLC, Lake: Season’s Greetings, will be coming to PC, Xbox and PlayStation 4 and 5, November 15, 2023! To celebrate this announcement, Gamious has revealed a closer look at the story players will unravel in Season’s Greetings.

Watch the release date trailer for Lake: Season’s Greetings:

Make this a December to remember! Lake: Season’s Greetings takes place during 1985’s holiday season, one year before the original Lake game. Players take on the role of Thomas Weiss, an amiable mail carrier and father to Lake’s protagonist, Meredith Weiss. Changing the perspective from Meredith to her father, players will gain an understanding of the Weiss family dynamics and an insight into a snow-covered Providence Oaks from a long-time resident’s point of view. Not only will players learn more about the familiar faces they have grown to love from the main story, but Season’s Greetings introduces five completely new characters to the town of Providence Oaks, each with their very own storylines. The DLC will also provide more background to some unanswered questions that were teased in Lake. Following the ideals of the base game, Season’s Greetings will continue to focus on slice-of-life themes and relaxing vibes, this time embedded in a comfy holiday setting. So curl up with some hot cocoa and a copy of Season’s Greetings because it isn’t Christmas until Thomas Weiss has delivered the holiday cheer.

Thomas Weiss delivering a package in downtown Providence Oaks

Key features of Lake: Season’s Greetings include:

  • Travel back to 1985 and discover what Providence Oaks was like before Meredith through her father's eyes during the winter holiday.

  • Enjoy a variety of after-work activities that include hanging with friends, staying in for a night of television, and going out like it’s 1985.

  • Experience a branching story that doesn’t shy away from slice-of-life themes. Like life, there are no right or wrong answers.

Mail truck in Providence Oaks

Lake is available now on PC via Steam, or Epic Games Store, on PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox One and Series X|S. Lake: Season’s Greetings will be released on these platforms on November 15, 2023.

Follow Lake on Twitter, Facebook, and visit the official website, for more updates.  

For more updates from Whitethorn Games, follow the publisher on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitch, join the official Whitethorn Games Discord, and visit https://whitethorngames.com.

Accessibility features for Lake can be found here:
https://whitethorngames.com/lake/accessibility.

Thomas Weiss delivering packages in Providence Oaks

[Press Release] Christmas Comes Early With a Prequel to Lake – Announced Today During The Mix | Guerrilla Collective 2023 Showcase

Christmas Comes Early to Providence Oaks in New DLC For Mail Delivery Narrative Adventure Lake

Announced During The Mix | Guerrilla Collective 2023 Showcase, the Prequel Story, Season’s Greetings, Introduces New Story Lines and New Characters to the Peaceful Oregon Town  

Erie, Pennsylvania (June 7, 2023) – Today, developer Gamious and publisher Whitethorn Games unveiled the announcement trailer for Season's Greetings: a holiday-themed DLC prequel to the successful and relaxing mail carrier game Lake

In Season's Greetings, players will take on the role of Thomas Weiss, father to Lake's protagonist Meredith Weiss. The story takes place during 1985's holiday season, in the year before the original Lake game.

The trailer was first revealed during The Mix | Guerrilla Collective 2023 Showcase. Watch it here:

"We can't wait for players to jump back into Lake's world, which might look even prettier covered in a layer of snow, and cheered up with lots of Christmas lighting,” said Gamious' Creative Director Jos Bouman. "As far as we know, Season's Greetings might be the first game that doesn't just add a visual layer to make it a 'Christmas game', but is built from the ground up to let players experience a game in the true spirit of Christmas. With the annual bombardment of Christmas-themed music and movies, we think it's about time to add a holiday game to that tradition!”

"Players also don't have to worry that the Lake ending they chose won't be compatible with Season's Greetings, as the prequel takes place nine months before the events of Lake," adds Bouman.

Season's Greetings will offer the same relaxing gameplay as Lake. While this new chapter will star many familiar faces, it will also introduce five completely new characters to the town of Providence Oaks, each of them with their own slice-of-life storylines. Changing the perspective from Meredith to her father, Thomas, presents a new perspective on the relationship Meredith has with her parents for players to explore. Players will also get to find out more about some of the unanswered questions that were teased in Lake, and learn more about life in Providence Oaks and its inhabitants, and the positive role an amiable mailman can play in all sorts of small-town drama.

In Lake, travel back to 1986 and take on the role of 40-something-year-old Meredith, who leaves the fast-paced drudgery of her big city life and returns to her quiet, rustic hometown. During her two-week stay in the beautiful lakeside community of Providence Oaks, Oregon, she’ll fill in for her father – the local mail carrier – where she will not only deliver letters and parcels to new and old friendly faces but will also rekindle old friendships, make new ones, and maybe even find romance.

At the end of her vacation, will Meredith return to the big city, or will she choose a different path for her life? It’s up to players to steer the story how they see fit in this slice-of-life interactive game.

Key Features of Lake include:

  • Travel back to 1986 and escape to a beautiful, rustic town that is free of the stresses of smartphones, the Internet, and social media.

  • Ditch that city life and desk job and go to drive your father's mail truck in rural Oregon, or kick up your feet and let auto-pilot do the work.

  • Choose from a variety of after-work activities that include hanging with friends, helping out your neighbors, or staying in with a good book.

  • Experience a branching story that doesn’t shy away from slice-of-life themes. Like life, there are no right or wrong answers.

Lake is available now on PC via Steam, or Epic Games Store, on PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox One and Series X|S. Lake: Season’s Greetings will be released on PC and several other platforms this holiday season. More info about the precise release date and launch platforms will be revealed in the coming months.

Follow Lake on Twitter, Facebook, and visit the official website, for more updates. 

For more updates from Whitethorn Games, follow the publisher on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, and Twitch, join the official Whitethorn Games Discord, and visit https://whitethorngames.com.

A press kit including art, screenshots, logos, and trailers can be found here: https://cozygames.pub/Lake-Press-Kit

To learn more about the accessibility features available for Lake, visit: https://whitethorngames.com/lake/accessibility

About Gamious

We are Gamious, a game developer based in Haarlem, The Netherlands. We love to create original and accessible games with pure gameplay – games we love to play ourselves. We either self-publish, work with publishers, or a mix between these two, to get the games to the right platforms. For more information, visit: https://www.gamious.com

About Whitethorn Games

We’re an indie game publisher focusing on pleasant, low-stress games that can be played in pieces, that require no special skills or knowledge and that anyone can pick up and play. We’re believers in accessibility, inclusion, and widening the audience that gets to play. We like to consider ourselves the defenders of easy games. While our games might challenge you, they’ll respect your time, they’ll make sure you can play, and most importantly, they’ll never punish you. Learn more at whitethorngames.com.

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PRESS CONTACT

Lisa Mior and Yared Admasse
Whitethorn Games
press@whitethorngames.com
whitethorngames.com