- [DEV-BLOG #14] Voice Acting, Steam Demo and Kickstarter - 24 September 2026
Oi flatmates!Last time we left off just before Gamescom and, as you well know, a lot tends to happen during that short window of the year: Between being featured in the prestigious Lookingfor.game newsletter and being selected as a finalist for GameStar’s FYNG, we also got the chance to announce the October launch window for our first official Steam Demo during IGN’s Awesome Indie Games Showcase, alongside a brand-new trailer packed with never-before-seen footage.GLASSHOUSE - DEMOHere we are. After three playtests across 2025 and 2026, we’re finally ready to release the first iteration of the GLASSHOUSE PRE-ALPHA Demo.Compared to our last playtest in March 2026, you’ll find plenty of new additions: new features, boss fights, controller support, voice acting, and much more. But this release is only the beginning; over the coming months, we’ll continue updating, expanding, and polishing t…
- Gamescom 2026: IGN's Awesome Indies Announcement & Newsletter - 21 August 2026
Oi flatmates!Today, we can finally announce that GLASSHOUSE will be at Gamescom 2026 -- an especially important event for us, and the perfect stage to start unveiling our plans for the end of the year.Between our appearance at the IGN Awesome Indies Showcase and the chance to get an early hands-on with our first official demo, we have quite a lot to talk about.Check out our late-August schedule below! PLAYABLE DEMO & COMMUNITY MEETUPFrom August 26 to 30, you can find us at the Indie Arena Booth (Hall 10.2 / E019 – Booth S37) to chat with us devs and get an early hands-on with a section of GLASSHOUSE’s first official Steam Demo.This year, seven members of FLAT28 will be there, from Art to Game Writing, ready to answer your questions, talk about the development of the game and, why not, join you for a cigarette break between halls.The Gamescom Demo Preview is just a small taste of what yo…
- [VLOG #02] Writing Hell. - 1 July 2026
Oi flatmates! Six months after our last episode, we're finally back to tell you what goes on behind the scenes at the FLAT28 Collective. In the most intimate way we know how. This is, without a doubt, the most difficult episode I've ever made.Fresh off our recent international victory at the Neowiz Indie Quest, this time we've decided to open up a little more about our processes behind Game Writing, World Building, and Narrative Design.From the masterpieces that inspired us to the fears that still haunt us today, what we want to show you is a fragile slice of life. An act of resistance against time, decay, and the economy of the defeated.This episode is dedicated to all of you, creatives and creators, who have only recently discovered that you are your own saboteurs.Sorry for the wait. We'll see you again in August with a new Devlog, just in time to get you ready for Gamescom 2026! – Gi…
- Glasshouse wins $70,000 at the Neowiz Indie Quest - 3 May 2026
Oi flatmates!Last week, we secretly flew to Seongnam (South Korea) to attend the Neowiz Indie Quest award ceremony, the first edition of an international contest dedicated to emerging narrative excellence, without publishers or funding.It is with full hearts that we announce we placed first and won a prize of $70,000 -- which, all things considered, represents the first real batch of funding in four full years of development.NEOWIZ describes the contest as “a project designed to discover promising indie games from around the world and provide creators with a practical development environment. In particular, it was created to support the development capabilities of studios working on high-quality IPs that combine creative worldviews with dense narratives.Over the past nine months, more than 600 indie development teams from Korea, the United States, China, and other countries have taken p…
- [DEV-BLOG #13] Turn-based Combat - UI/UX Overhaul - 17 April 2026
Hello flatmates!Yesterday, during the Galaxies Spring Showcase, we released a brand-new trailer focused on GLASSHOUSE’s turn-based combat, which you can watch below:We’ve been listening to your feedback: after 3 playtests and around 700 completed Google Forms, it became clear that the combat system’s user interface needed a complete redesign—and that’s exactly what we’ve been working on tirelessly over the past few months.Today’s devblog is a deep dive into Combat System 1.5.FAREWELL, BATTLE COMMAND MENULet’s start with the most noticeable change: after hours and hours spent analyzing gameplay walkthroughs on YouTube and Twitch, we decided to move away from the iconic JRPG-style Command Menu.We know—it’s a shame. However, GLASSHOUSE features a combat system that is significantly more complex to explain (and understand), and it requires a different approach—one that doesn’t rely solely o…
- New Trailer at tonight’s Galaxies Spring Showcase 2026 - 16 April 2026
Oi flatmates!In less than half an hour (8PM UK / 9PM CEST / 12PM PACIFIC), the Galaxies Spring Showcase will go live on Twitch, where we’ll be revealing a new trailer for GLASSHOUSE, focused on the second iteration of our turn-based combat.Don’t miss the showcase—you can watch the premiere on , and a bunch of streamers! That’s not all -- tomorrow, right here on these pages, we’ll be releasing a new devblog diving deeper into some of the updates to our combat, including a complete redesign of the UI/UX. That’s right, we’ve taken your feedback from previous playtests on board, and after months of work, we’re finally ready to show the fruits of it to you.Have a nice show and see ya tomorrow! – Giacomo Montagnoli, Creative Director, FLAT28 Collective
- PRE-ALPHA PLAYTEST #2 | Out NOW! - 9 March 2026
Oi flatmates!Today, from March 9 to March 23, the GLASSHOUSE PRE-ALPHA PLAYTEST #2 begins.Alongside the TurnBasedThursday Steam Fest, we’ve decided to release a new playtest featuring brand-new gameplay mechanics, Combat v1.5, expanded quests, and numerous QoL features requested by you during the previous Xmas iteration.STATUS EFFECTS AND MEDICAL DOSSIERA new essential piece of the Core Gameloop has just been added: Status Effects.At the moment there are three status effects, which can be contracted through the consumption of alcohol and psychotropic substances. Each effect lasts between 15 and 30 minutes in real time and influences the Political Compass statistics.Altering your psycho-physical condition is essential to pass Political Checks and expand your oratory skills during Turn-Based Combat. However, every Status Effect also comes with penalties.In the Unified Menu, you can now co…
- [DEV-BLOG #12] The Cinematography of Glasshouse - 15 February 2026
Oi flatmates!I’m Andrea Marinelli, Lead Technical Artist at FLAT28 Collective, and today I’d like to talk to you about the Cinematography of GLASSHOUSE -- that is, the artistic and technical direction behind its lighting process and tonal consistency.In this devblog, we’ll explore which tools we use and how to subtly provide narrative cues to the player; not only through static and dynamic lighting, but also by leveraging VFX, cloth simulation, and beyond. A sneak peek into the alleys of Lundonstoch, fully explorable in the Prologue. LIGHTING AS A NARRATIVE TOOLI've always believed that lighting is not only something that enhances the visuals of a game but also a key storytelling tool. The right lighting can create mood, atmosphere and even give players subtle hints about what is happening in a particular scene.Something as simple as a warm lamp glow, a swaying spotlight or the flicker…
- XMAS PRE-ALPHA PLAYTEST | Available now! (and a little teasing for 2026) - 24 December 2025
Oi flatmates!2025 is drawing to a close, and considering the success of the last Playtest (which we already talked about in the recent DEVLOG), we’ve decided to release a mega-patch and put it back online just in time for the holiday season. You heard that right, flatmates: the PRE-ALPHA PLAYTEST will be available again from December 24th to January 2nd; download it now and keep it in your library until the next build!I’ll take a moment here to share a few thoughts on the data we gathered from the feedback of the previous playtest: while many of you loved the writing, the game world, and GLASSHOUSE’s distinctive character progression, it’s clear there’s still work to be done on narrative onboarding and on some systems, such as combat and inventory management.We’re listening to you, and that’s why in the next build (a true extended demo) you’ll find:The 3rd iteration of the combat system…
- [VLOG #01] Turning feedback into a better game - 22 December 2025
Oi flatmates! We’ve just published a new devlog on the FLAT28 Collective YouTube channel.In it, we talk about the past few months — between awards and the results of the recently concluded Steam Playtest — and we’ve decided to dedicate this episode to you: the heroes who took the time to fill out the form at the end of the Playtest. Your feedback is truly essential for the future development of GLASSHOUSE.Thank you for the immense support. By now, you’re just as much GLASSHOUSE developers as we are. See you soon!– Giacomo Montagnoli, Creative Director, FLAT28 Collective
- STEAM PRE-ALPHA PLAYTEST | Available now! - 22 November 2025
Oi flatmates!Starting today, from November 22nd to December 7th, you can take part in the STEAM PLAYTEST of the GLASSHOUSE PRE-ALPHA.To celebrate this milestone, we showcased a new GLASSHOUSE trailer at the Winter OTK Games Expo Showcase, featuring gameplay from the playtest and never-before-seen sequences from ACT II.The trailer was created in collaboration with professional voice actors Stefanie Joosten, Ryan Cooper, and Andy Mack. As an unfunded project, we can’t currently offer full voice acting, but this trailer serves as a glimpse of what could be — a goal we hope to reach someday, with your support.HOW TO JOIN THE PLAYTEST The Playtest is open to everyone; you should already see the “Request Access” button on our Steam store page. Just click it, and GLASSHOUSE – Playtest will appear in your game library.That’s all. Just keep in mind that after December 7, it will no longer be pos…
- The future of GLASSHOUSE [HUMAN CAN OPENER - PODCAST] - 20 November 2025
Oi flatmates,A few weeks ago, I took part — for the second time — in an episode of Human Can Opener, the go-to podcast for Disco Elysium and “disco-likes”, hosted by David AKA The 41st Precinct.This time, we talked about our Gamescom experience, the failures and future prospects of GLASSHOUSE, touching on distribution strategies and the possibility of a fully self-published release.Mark the date: on November 22, we’ll be making a major announcement at the Winter OTK Games Expo Showcase.Catch ye soon! - Giacomo Montagnoli, Creative Director, FLAT28 Collective
- GLASSHOUSE will be attending the Winter OTK Games Expo - Showcase! - 14 November 2025
Oi flatmates,We’re thrilled to announce our participation at the winter edition of the OTK Games Expo Showcase, taking place on November 22 at 12 PM PT on Twitch and YouTube.It’s not often that small independent projects like ours get the opportunity to be showcased at major events like this, so trust us — we’re going to make the most of this moment.We can’t reveal much yet, but you can expect a new trailer with never-before-seen gameplay footage and important updates regarding the upcoming Steam Playtest, which I’d like to remind you will be open to everyone. See you soon! – Giacomo Montagnoli, Creative Director, FLAT28 Collective
- DISCORD PLAYTEST out now! - 31 October 2025
Oi flatmates!Starting today, from October 31st to November 7th, you can take part in the DISCORD PLAYTEST of the GLASSHOUSE PRE-ALPHA. Anyone can join — just hop into our Discord server!HOW TO JOIN THE PLAYTESTTo participate in the DISCORD PLAYTEST, go to the #PRE-ALPHA_PLAYTEST section and open the link to our Google Drive. You’ll be able to download the build directly as a handy .zip file from our Drive — no limits, no expiration. To launch GLASSHOUSE, simply run the .exe file.DISCORD PLAYTEST CONTENTS ✅ BUILD FEATURESDormitory 73B fully explorable \TIER ONE: 4 floors + 4 apartments]2 Main Quests1 Side QuestKnowledge & Crafting Tab \2nd iteration]Political Compass & Character Progression \2nd iteration]Turn-Based Combat \2nd iteration]Library for consulting newspapers, letters, and booksJournal \2nd iteration]Complete UI OverhaulSave System \1st iteration]Amateur English Localization…
- DISCORD PLAYTEST available on October 31st! - 23 October 2025
Oi flatmates! I’m happy to announce the first in a series of Pre-Alpha Playtests taking place over the coming months: the DISCORD PLAYTEST! Available from October 31st to November 7th, it will be open to ALL members of the Discord Community. HOW TO ACCESS THE PLAYTESTTo take part in the Pre-Alpha Playtest ahead of time, you’ll need to join our Discord Server, where starting October 31st (1:00 PM UTC+1/CET) a special section will appear where you can download the build. No Steam, no access requests: we’ll simply provide you with a .zip file to download from our Drive (and no one will ever take it away from you!). Taking part in the Discord Playtest means joining the collective development of GLASSHOUSE, alongside a community of 500 people who, for over three years, have been watching, criticizing, and proposing ideas to make a better game. During Playtest week, you’ll be able to join the…
- [VLOG #00] Developing an RPG without Budget - 11 September 2025
Oi flatmates! A few months ago, we promised you a series of devlogs on YouTube to give you a closer look at the FLAT28 Collective, introduce its members, and share the production philosophy driving the development of GLASSHOUSE.Today, we’re officially launching the FLAT28 Collective YouTube channel — and right below, you can watch Episode Zero:In the next episodes, we'll go into detail, exploring the technical and creative processes behind Narrative Design, Level Design, Lighting, Coding and much more.Even though the road to release is still long, we want to bring you along with us, through the good and the bad; taking another step toward complete transparency in communication. Thank you all, see you soon (yes, with news about the Gamescom Demo playtest)! Giacomo Montagnoli, Creative Director FLAT28 Collective
- [DEV-BLOG #11] PRE-ALPHA DEMO: Turn-Based Combat and Political Compass - 13 August 2025
Hello comrades,With less than a week to go before Gamescom 2025, we’d like to open up a bit about the contents of the playable demo we’ll be presenting at the Cologne fair. We’d like to remind you that this demo will then be released on Steam as an Open Pre-Alpha Demo, preceded by a short playtesting session that will take place exclusively on our Discord. POLITICAL COMPASSForget dexterity, strength, and agility — in GLASSHOUSE, the character progression system is made up of five ideologies that define language, attitude, and physical inclination.Feudcratism: reasonableness and mediationHolisticism: sensitivity and progressivismAnarchism: subversion and citizen rights cultureConfeudcratism: negotiation and liberal spiritColonialism: aggressiveness and conservative forceIn the Open Alpha Demo, you’ll be able to assign 7 PoVs (Points of View) to one or more of these ideologies and create…
- PRE-ALPHA DEMO playable at GAMESCOM 2025! - 1 July 2025
Hello flatmates, we promised you big news for this year and so, between terror and excitement, we're kicking off the dance with a major announcement: this year we'll be present at GAMESCOM 2025 with a Pre-Alpha Demo of GLASSHOUSE! No tricks, no deception -- it will be completely open and you can come try it live in Cologne, from August 20th to 24th. GLASSHOUSE - THE PRE-ALPHA DEMOAfter roughly two years of silence since the Concept Demo, we're finally ready to show you the first 30 minutes of ACT I of GLASSHOUSE. Much has changed since your last visit to Dormitory 73B and we can't wait to show you the progress we've made thanks to your feedback as well. Everything will be new and never seen before, nothing from what you tried on ITCH will be included in the Pre-Alpha Demo. If the 2023 Concept Demo was a standalone echo of our potential, the August one will be GLASSHOUSE's definitive for…
- [DEV-BLOG #10] Video Tour and Demo coming soon - 19 May 2025
Hello flatmates, Let's start with an important announcement: this year we'll release the first Demo of Glasshouse on Steam. Due to circumstances beyond our control, we can't reveal the date yet -- just know that we've almost completed work on ACT I and this demo will be taken directly from a portion of it. Now comes the most exciting part of development; we're implementing dialogues, assets, and mechanics, and what once seemed like an impossible puzzle to complete is now a wonderful interactive canvas. We want to celebrate GLASSHOUSE's 3rd birthday with a video tour of Dormitory 73B, one of the main settings, now finally connected between almost all its parts. SHARED SPACES: FROM GROUND FLOOR TO 3RD FLOOR Dormitory 73B consists of four floors and six apartments; its past as an industrial slaughterhouse has allowed us to build an intricate and unpredictable level design, architecturally…
- [DEV-BLOG #9] Visual Upgrades - 7 April 2025
Hello flatmates, I'm Andrea Marinelli, Lead Technical Artist at FLAT28, and I am temporarily ousting Giacomo to create my first devblog. A techno-junkie one. Over the past few months, we’ve been focusing heavily on improving the visual side of Glasshouse. Our goal has been twofold: to define a clear visual identity and to set a benchmark for visual quality—a standard we aim to hit with every environment in the game. To achieve that, we’ve been moving forward on multiple fronts. On one side, we kept working on new assets and building out the Dormitory 73B scenarios to maintain production momentum. On the other, we explored new pipelines to speed up development while increasing overall visual fidelity. CLEANER EDGES & ROOM BORDERS We’ve reworked the borders of every room and apartment in Dormitory 73B. The goal was to get a softer, more natural separation between the interior and exterior…
