#pixelberry studios

"You are exhausted, my love. And in pain — though I know you are trying to hide it. Now close your eyes. Let me take care of you a little longer. Just rest my love. I'm here."

I stopped playing "Choices" a few months ago and it's WILD to realize I haven't played "Fictif" since it stopped 3 years ago as well as "The Arcana" when it finished around the early days of "Fictif" (I think), but I feel like I'm experiencing the first nostalgic era of the digital age when it comes to mobile games; the mid to late 2010s was the best era of mobile games, it seems. Of course, after doing some digging, it's WILD to hear about the downfall of the companies that made these games. Nix Hydra (maker of "The Arcana" and "Fictif") is a rabbit hole that I can't even begin to explain, and it's content quickly became second priority when acquired by Dorian, despite Dorian saying it would still prioritize NH's content, instead taking the back seat to Dorian's own app--the app of which I liked in concept, but not execution. In any case, some members of the team from "The Arcana" and "The Last Legacy" from Fictif, as well as other games, made the indie Red Spring Studio company, with their first game "Touchstarved" (which had a Kickstarter that FAR EXCEEDED it's OG goals by 8x; one of the goals included a Nintendo Switch port). I think the game comes out at the end of this year, so I'll be excited to see how it goes. Unfortunately, their Kickstarter page has their updates limited to backers (people who helped fund the project) only, which IMO limits the exposure the game gets, but let's hope for the best.

As for Pixelberry, apparently they've had issues for years, and last year they had massive layoffs and were acquired by an AI company, so...there's that. Plus it seems they're still smut-focused and even the early 2024 art was victim of AI usage, maybe before that. To recooperate their costs, PB closed out two of it's other apps, and while still generating content, is losing the trust of fans, especially since, from what I've seen on their newsletters, they're focused on more "content" for established franchises--which doesn't mean sequels or spinoffs, but often a short book. Anyway, three of their creatives have went on to found Candlelight Games: the Head of Design was once the ex-creative director at PB and helped write "Bloodbound," "Blades of Light and Shadow," "Most Wanted," and "Endless Summer"; the Head of Narrative was an ex-head of Choices and helped write "America's Most Eligible," "The Nanny Affair" (man, the switchup is CRAZY), "With Every Heartbeat," "Distant Shores," and "Ride or Die"; and the CEO was the former VP of new games, an ex-head of Choices, and ex-head of Hollywood U. As someone who became disappointed with many Choices books when the decade hit, this feels promising. The company's first project, "Project Spellstruck" (codename), is expected to start releasing this year.

Seems like the mid-2020s may have me more engaged in interactive mobile games that haven't been exciting for half a decade. Check out these stories and spread the word!

I've been playing Choices since May 2017.

Nine years.

And throughout those nine years, I've seen this community go back and forth about almost everything.

People complained that some books had too much smut.

Others wished there were more love interests instead of a single LI.

Some thought a story should have ended after one book, while others wanted sequels that never came.

Sometimes we'd argue about pacing. Sometimes we'd disagree about endings. Sometimes we'd simply accept that a book just wasn't for us.

And honestly?

That was part of being a Choices player.

Not everyone had to like the same stories.

Not everyone had to agree.

But at the end of the day, we were talking about the stories themselves.

We were debating creative decisions.

Now, the conversation feels different.

Now we're asking:

"Why did this end so soon?"

"Was there supposed to be more?"

"Why does this feel unfinished?"

You would think Scream for Me would have been my last straw.

Honestly, I thought it was.

At the time, it felt like the story had much bigger plans but ultimately had to stop far earlier than expected, leaving many players feeling like there was still so much more left to explore.

Since I first started writing this, I did read the latest Choices Insider and saw that Scream for Me will be getting a Part 2. I'm genuinely happy to see that story continue because I know a lot of players, myself included, felt the ending came so abruptly. Seeing it continue is something I'm genuinely looking forward to.

That being said, it doesn't really change the larger point I'm trying to make here.

But somehow... it wasn't.

Ironically, it was Breaking Ice.

And maybe that's funny to some people.

Just like every other Choices book over the years, some people liked it, some people didn't, and that's completely okay.

We've always disagreed.

That's part of being in this community.

But for me?

I genuinely enjoyed it.

I know absolutely nothing about figure skating, yet I found myself invested in the characters and wanting to see where their journey would go.

I genuinely thought it was a cute little story.

And then it ended.

Six chapters.

And my immediate reaction was just:

"Wait... that's it?"

Because where it ended didn't feel like an ending.

It felt like there was still another chapter waiting.

Another conflict.

Another moment.

More story left to tell.

And that's what finally got me.

The irony is that a little figure skating story, one that many players probably disagreed on, ended up being the one that made me realize just how much things have changed.

Because somewhere along the way, stories stopped having room to breathe.

I understand that companies change.

I understand that technology changes.

I understand that Choices is using AI more now, and whether we like it or not, AI is becoming part of creative spaces.

And yes, I use AI tools too, mostly for brainstorming, organizing my thoughts, and helping me process ideas.

But please don't mistake me using AI tools as me agreeing with how Choices is choosing to use them.

Those are two very different things.

I believe there has to be a balance.

Use technology as a tool.

Use it to support creativity, not replace it.

The writers still matter.

The artists still matter.

Human creativity still matters.

People fell in love with Choices because of the stories, the artwork, and the feeling that real people poured their passion into these worlds.

That's something I never want to lose.

And honestly, even the Choices Insiders feel different now.

Maybe it's just me.

Maybe it's nostalgia talking.

But the newsletters feel different.

Even the updates feel different.

Sometimes it almost feels like they're quietly saying goodbye to an era without actually saying it out loud.

I understand that staff changes happen.

I understand that companies evolve.

But as someone who has been here for nine years, it's hard not to notice that something has shifted.

And I don't think I'm the only veteran player who feels that way.

Lately, though, it feels like player feedback isn't being heard anymore.

The company still asks for our opinions.

Veteran players still speak up.

But when stories continue getting shorter, chapters continue getting shorter, and books end before they feel complete, it's hard not to wonder whether that feedback is actually reaching anyone.

And maybe that's why so many longtime players, myself included, are slowly disengaging.

Not because we hate Choices.

But because we miss what it used to be.

And honestly, that's the saddest part of all.

Ironically, my YouTube channel being removed has almost become a blessing in disguise.

Not because it didn't hurt.

It did.

And not because this is how I wanted things to end.

It wasn't.

But it forced me to step back and really think about how I've been feeling about this app for a while now.

For a while now, things have felt different.

The stories feel shorter.

The chapters feel shorter.

The excitement I used to have every week just hasn't been the same.

I still care about this app.

I still appreciate everything it has given me over the past nine years.

But sometimes I wonder if I'm holding onto what Choices used to be rather than what it has become.

I'm still here.

I'm still playing.

I'm still uploading, just much more slowly now and on my own time.

Maybe this chapter looks different now.

Maybe this community looks different now.

But I'm not ready to say goodbye just yet.

For the first time in nine years, though, I'm genuinely asking myself:

When did Choices stop feeling like Choices?

I decided to completely ignore it and binge played the entire The Crown and The Flame series in one go.