Goodbye 2020, Hello 2021!
We're so close to the New Year! It's safe to say that 2020 hasn't been an easy year for anyone. The weight of the pandemic put a huge strain on our team, but we've been pushing through! We wanted to share one more blog before we greet 2021. So gear up for information overload as we wrap up this year.
WORKING FROM HOME
As we mentioned in the beginning of this pandemic, we've continued to prioritize the health of our team members. Some of us are balancing homeschooling children, taking care of sick family members, or feeling unwell ourselves. Due to the strain of the situation, we've unfortunately had to delay several books into 2021, and as a result we know we’ve had a lighter release schedule than before. Even with the challenges, we’ve kept up our drive to deliver you more great stories! Be on the lookout for more genres and books with new game features in 2021!
BOOK UPDATES
We know at times our answers can be vague on social media. But we genuinely do wait until we have concrete information to share with you all. As soon as the team is confident with updated news, we are readily open to sharing it. With that said, we'll dive into some updates:
The Mystery Book: You might have seen our sneak peek of an upcoming multi-gender book (there's even been a funny meme on Reddit about it vanishing). We had originally planned to launch it this year, but due to stretched resources and the prioritization of our team members' health, we made the decision to release this mysterious book in 2021. But don’t take it from us... take it from Andrew, the Book Lead!
“I’ve loved working on mystery Books for Choices since the days of Most Wanted, and I think fans of the genre are going to love this one. In Crimes of Passion, a truly terrifying serial killer stalks New York City, and it’ll take a pair of very unlikely partners to bring him down! You can expect spooky thrills, exciting action, plenty of crime scene investigation, and that special wonderful blend of snarky slow-burn that you only get with two partners bickering over a crime scene.” - Andrew
Blades of Light and Shadow, Book 2: As Blades Book Lead Andrew mentioned in our Blades Q&A, you meet new villains, explore fantastic locations, gain new skills... and even add some new members to your party! Because of the large amount of resources Blades requires, we estimate it won't be released until 2022. It'll be a quest worth waiting for, so as always, thank you for your support.
VIP Books: In case you missed it, the VIP book Hot Couture is out for everyone just in time for the holidays. For those of you who are VIP subscribers, we're gathering special ingredients for a whole new VIP book that we hope will satisfy your tastebuds... Any guesses?
New books in the works: While we’ve had to push back some of our 2020 books, the good news is, that just means an even fuller, more exciting slate for next year! We’ve already teased the book about solving crimes... but how about a Book where you argue them in court? In this brand new title, you’ll compete for status in one of New York’s most high-end law firms, navigating controversial cases, outwitting scheming rivals... and discovering just how steamy the laws of attraction can really be!
As a special holiday treat, we’ll also mention one other Book we’re working on... one that falls in one of our most-requested genres ever. Let’s just say it involves making tough choices for a rugged group of survivors... in a world where the dead have begun to rise!
And finally, because many people have asked: we will have multiple books where you’ll be able to select your gender.
NEW GAME FEATURES
Some of you keen-eyed fans have noticed that The Royal Romance has a Spanish language option now. Currently, we're focusing on Spanish and plan on translating a few other Choices books (maybe even one with a Hollywood red carpet). We hope to branch out into other languages in the future!
LIMITED EDITION HOLIDAY ITEMS
Did you miss it? We released our limited edition merch items on our merch store. Don't miss them because these hot new items will only be available until January 13th, 2021. Make sure you get your Queen B hoodie, Blades beanies, and Choices tees while supplies last! Have questions? Check out our Merch FAQ info here.
LOOKING BACK
While we look forward to a new year, we can't forget to take a quick moment to remember where we've been. We traveled to the lands of orcs and elves, learned how to survive life as a pirate, and dethroned Poppy to become the Queen B on campus. Many have enjoyed bonding with the twins in The Nanny Affair, and some will have newborn twins of their own in Gracetown. We've made many Choices memories, and have enjoyed seeing your reactions on social media.
We're grateful for all of you, our Choices Community, and we'll keep striving to entertain and make a difference through our games at Pixelberry.
From the bottom of our hearts, thank you… We look forward to making more memories with all of you in 2021 and beyond. Until our next time, happy holidays and happy New Year from our home to yours.
Love, The Pixelberry Team