I see, thank you for clarifying that in the main post. It is a lot easier to read now!
Firestarter080
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Yeah, that is one of the risk factors with making such a huge update: so many new systems will all be interacting in different ways. It makes bugs more likely and it makes locating the source of those bugs more difficult.
A "1.0-level update" also sacrifices one of the biggest benefits of early-access numbered updates: the ability to test ideas on a smaller scale before dedicating resources. If the developer, say, made controversial adjustments to the game's art and revamped every scene and every game location, it would grow increasingly difficult to undo those changes. I think Kal is proud of his work, and I don't think he wants to undo that work, but the sheer scale of the update makes it increasingly difficult to correct mistakes.
I have concerns.
For those without Discord: the Starmaker Dev (Kal) posted a work-in-progress image of the entrance to the Peak Central Hospital, writing "Who can guess what I'm working on atm" about 14 hours ago.
I don't know the scope of what Kal is working on rn, but it appears he is still adding more content.
Basically, the update isn't right around the corner. Feel free to check out other games in the meantime.
Sadly, this exchange happened seven days ago:
heysonxx: "Good morning, Dr. Muramasa. I would like to know the current percentage of progress, given that 40 days have passed since the update indicating 70% completion. If this information cannot be shared, please do not worry; thank you for keeping us informed."
Dr. Muramasa: "Hello there, as of now we can only say is more than 70%."
The delay is because the game dev keeps adding more content that was not in the original estimate. I wouldn't anticipate a release until we get confirmation that the dev has stopped adding more content. When that happens, the update will still need to be tested, which might take a while, as this is a massive update.
For the next status update, I'd appreciate knowing which stage of game development Kal is currently in. It appears that Kal is still in the "production" stage, meaning he is adding new content to the game. I would like to know when he switches into the "testing" phase, where Kal stops creating new content and focuses on bug testing and getting the update into it's final form.
If he claims he is doing both, then he is still in the production phase. Any additional content will need to be tested, even if there are sessions of bug testing during production.
I'm loving all the previews I'm seeing, but I don't expect the scope creep to stop until Kal leaves the production stage.
Firstly, I just want to say that you've gotten a lot better with these dev updates. They are professional and gives information to those without access to Discord. Please keep doing them!
I will not lie, my heart sinks a little hearing that "additional [dev] updates will be shared". I was really hoping this would be the final "work in progress" update. It sounds like that isn't the case, especially if the 1.9 update is 70% to completion.
Some questions to help gauge expectations, answer only what you are comfortable sharing:
1: Does the 70% completion rate factor in bug testing time, or is development 70% of the way to a version that would still need additional testing?
2: You were comfortable answering this question before, so I will ask it again: Do you believe the 1.9 update will be released in a matter of days, weeks, or months?
Thank you again for the development update. The wait time is disappointing and frustrating, but the content looks really great (so excited for Alice and Norah content!) Excited to see more.
This is the first time I've seen this claim. Where did you get this information? Was the dev playing 8 hours a day every day, or was it only a one-off thing? Additionally, was the dev doing this recently, after the delay, or was this months ago?
Secondly, even if this was true (and I do not have any evidence that it is), the developer is allowed to spend their free time however they please. The insinuation in your claim is that the dev is playing video games instead of working on the update.
Not only do we not have evidence of this, how many hours of dev work are we entitled to in a week? Is the dev required to work a full 40-hour workweek? Are we allowed to be upset if he only spends 20 hours a week making the game? Are you giving him money to compensate him for that time?
I am frustrated with the development of 1.9 as well, but we have no say over what the dev does during his free time.
I think we are all frustrated because we are waiting on the edge of our seat for an update we were told was just around the corner months ago (before the estimated release window was removed). That is upsetting, but it is important to remember why we are upset. Were you upset when the dev took a month-long break after the 1.8 release? I did not see the same critique of the dev during that time on Itch. The difference in the two scenarios was clear communication about release windows, not how much time the dev spent working every week.
You are allowed to be frustrated that the update is taking longer than expected (I am). But I have no evidence that the dev consistently spends that much time playing games. Additionally, I think the problem is not what the dev does during his free time, but that a deadline was missed.
Starmaker Story is built in a way where it is impossible to get all the content in one playthrough. The biggest example of this is with Anna, who has different content depending on which path you choose to take with the character. There is no way to access that content without another full playthrough.
Letting Mario into the relationship with Emma is one example of this, and it locks you out of some content and gives you access to other content. If you want to undo this choice you must reload a previous save or restart the game.
My advice as to "How to play Starmaker" is to do whatever decision feels right for your first playthrough, and then do a second playthrough later with the sole intent to unlock unseen content. Keep in mind new exclusive content is added with every update, so I am personally waiting until the final release to do a true completion run.
Don't worry about completion the first time through, the second playthrough is much faster than the first.
Hello, Dr. Mura. If you feel comfortable sharing with us, do you expect the 1.9 update to come out in a matter of days, weeks, or months?
If the answer is weeks or months, it might help people relax and explore other projects instead of constantly refreshing this page. I know I am guilty of that occasionally.
Looking forward to the update regardless.
Like Hentaignome said, if you get a skill that generates passive income and leave the game running for a while you can get infinite money very, very early-game.
That money will help you progress quickly through the game, such as by purchasing all of the camera upgrades.
If you want active progression quickly, I've found the best bet is to unlock demon-hunting and get the gold Katana. It costs $6,000, but will earn back that $6,000 every day you hunt, including the day you buy it (I can't remember if those are the exact numbers, but it is a surprisingly large amount of money.)
That all being said, the developer doesn't just add content to the end of the game whenever it updates. He also frequently adds content to the beginning/middle of the game as well. I personally replay the game from the beginning whenever a new update drops. If you want to see the new content in the next two updates, it isn't worth your time to create a "completed" save file, as you will probably need to replay the game again when it releases at the very least.
So for now, maybe just focus on the girls you want to see scenes for and wait until the next update to sink all 20+ hours in again. The playthroughs get faster after your first.
Some people in the Discord have asked if 1.9 will be skipped in favor of 2.0, making reference to some of the things we talked about here. Dr. Mura has now stated today that 1.9 will not be skipped. No shade on you, Ckyman, I just won't want people bothering the Discord about it.
My intent with this post is not to encourage speculation. There have been speculation-worthy messages on Discord, but I do not bring them up because they are ultimately speculation and interpretation of circumstantial evidence. And you are right, that leads to more people asking Kal and putting more pressure on him.
This information I considered different. As you said, that information has been available on Steam and was restated on the Discord by Kal himself, meaning that he is comfortable with that 2.0 possible (50/50) release window being public information. The only speculation I brought to those facts is that 1.9 would release before 2.0, which I feel barely counts as speculation. 1.9 releasing after 2.0 would be virtually unheard of.
These Discord update threads on Itch are for the benefit both of Itch users as well as the devs on Discord. Without clear communication here, Itch users frequently visit the Discord and ask for update news, unaware of how frustrating that barrage of asks must be to the devs. Information here benefits both parties. In the past, I have gotten confirmation from the devs that posts like this reduce the amount of users pestering the devs on Discord, and they told me I could continue posting them. If they ask me to stop, I will stop. Things have chilled out here, but I feel posts like these help lower the temperature further, not ramp them up.
I want to stress that I have no ill will towards you, I just wanted to explain why I make these posts. I think we're ultimately in agreement; we both want less pressure on Kal.
I love your art and I hope we can have that Pizza Party--the day is still young.
Still no news from the Discord regarding the 1.9 Update, but we got some interesting news regarding the 2.0 update. The head Dev, Kal, posted that there is a 50/50 chance that the 2.0 Update will be releasing on Steam in August. Obviously, things could go wrong, Steam could take longer to approve the game for distribution, etc.
Main point: the 1.9 Update would logically need to be done sometime before then.
I again urge you to be patient. Personally, I am waiting until May 31st/June 1st before I tune out and focus on other games. No evidence for that date, just vibes on my part. Maybe tackle your backlog in the meantime. Hang in there, y'all.
Just some info for the people who only use Itch, Arvus Games gave a small amount of info on the 1.9 Update today in the Discord.
"The update is making good progress, but it's not around the corner."
There is still no stated release window. Reminder not to pester Arvus Games for a release window, he will not give one.
Edit (May 21st, 2026): No Additional info has been provided, this is still the most recent news.
New Project Announcement. Changes in Team. comments · Posted in New Project Announcement. Changes in Team. comments
I got progressively more and more excited as I read this announcement! I'm looking forward to the return to Spunkstock and honestly cutting back on exploration and the number of characters is a HUGE WIN for me! I'd prefer fewer, more fleshed out characters than many less-developed characters.
The focused scope, added features (dynamic music and VOCALS!), and the return of some legacy characters are basically a wishlist of everything I'd hope for in a sequel to Spunkstock.
I'll be eagerly awaiting further updates.
Firstly: If you see someone linking to a new update, do not click the link. It is a virus. The newest update will be posted here on itch for free.
Secondly: I see a lot of people asking about the update. This is understandable, as Arvus has pushed back the deadline a few times recently. Arvus frequently posts updates in the discord, but that information rarely makes it to the itch page (Which is what I seek to remedy here).
The 1.9 update was originally slated for "Quarter 1 of 2026", but has been pushed back little by little since then. The old release window, April 5th has been deleted and a new one has not been given. Arvus Games has stated in the Discord that he intends to still release the update in that general timeframe, but has deleted the specific release window to manage expectations. Do not ask Arvus for a more specific date, he will not give one (No, not even 'Will it be tonight?').
The delays can be frustrating, but Arvus has had a very regular update schedule for the last year. Anecdotally, the NSFW Indie Dev scene is plagued with month or even year-long delays with radio silence from the devs--all while those same devs make a significant amount of money from hopeful subscribers. Arvus is an exception to this rule and has handled updates and deadlines historically very well.
I have full faith that the update will come, though it may take longer than expected. I feel Arvus has easily earned some delays and, honestly, even a break.
Please be patient and consider joining the discord if you would like more frequent updates.
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For those of you who have been around a while, you may recognize much of what I have just typed. That is because I published a similar post for the 1.7 Update. For newcomers, Arvus Games had multiple delays for a very anticipated update. It was originally slated for the end of July, but was pushed back to be "In August". Tensions were high, but sure enough, Arvus Games published the 1.7 Update on August 31st.
Arvus isn't the best with deadlines. According to himself, he sets deadlines in good faith, but struggles to finish in time. While that isn't ideal, I want to point out that Arvus has a consistent track record of releasing content-filled, high-quality updates on a regular basis despite occasional delays. For free, I might add. I know the updates are hotly-anticipated, but we are not being dragged along for additional subscription money. When delays are announced, we all feel disappointed, but we are complaining that our free meal will take the chef longer than expected to make.
Arvus is considering abandoning release windows for a "It's done when it's done" approach, which would hopefully mitigate this issue in the future. You can be disappointed: delays are disappointing, but please be civil. The update will come.
Bumping this topic due to an influx of people asking the Discord about the update.
This post is still up-to-date. There has been no adjustment to the release date. Anticipate the update to drop on November 30th, and please be considerate if it is delayed.
As always, don't click any links in the comments.
Hello, everyone.
As we reach the end of the estimated release window for the Starmaker 1.8 update, more and more people are joining the Discord to ask "Has there been any news on the update?"
There have been preview images posted, but the estimated release window has not changed. Please do not join the Discord to ask for a revised release window: Kal (Arvus Games) gets this question frequently and always answers "November" or, jokingly "It gets pushed back every time someone asks". No, he will not be giving you a different answer.
I would set my expectations for an End of November release. Yes, that means November 30th is on the table. I am personally expecting a November 29th-December 2nd release window and would be shocked if the update came out before November 25th.
Hang in there, the updates always come. Arvus Games has a great track record with these things. Maybe try out some alternate titles while you wait.
UPDATE: Please read Dr.Muramasa's post, this information is now outdated.
Starmaker Story community · Created a new topic Starmaker Story 1.7 Update Review: A Triumphant Return to Form
I have followed the development of Starmaker Story since the 1.0c update, and the 1.7 Update is easily my favorite update that has been released so far. In my opinion, the update focused on all the things I feel make Starmaker Story great. I am mostly writing this review to voice my pleasure about the direction of this new update. I hope future updates feature similar content to this update.
Quality of Life - The 1.7 Update implemented many quality of life features. The faster loading times, Skip Button, and the "Skip to Friday" buttons make exploring Peak City a breeze in comparison to previous updates. Starmaker Story is a very replay-able game, and the skip button helped minimize the amount of time I spent watching scenes I'd previously seen (both in current and previous playthroughs.) Often times a long scene would pop up and I would sigh, knowing I would need to spam through the scene, only to be reminded that I get to painlessly skip the scene instead. The "Skip to Friday" feature is a godsend, basically allowing players to view late-game holiday content for the first time without grinding. I'd love to see the addition of a "Start at a random date" option, which would add replay value without (hopefully) requiring too much devtime. I have seen Anna's birthday countless times, but have yet to see many of the late-game holiday events.
Side Character Content - The 1.7 update brings many new scenes to characters from older updates. Though many characters only gain one or two additional scenes, I am happy dev time seems to be spent fleshing out existing characters rather than introducing many more.
Plainview - While I believe Arvus should slow the introduction of new areas in favor of fleshing out existing areas, I think Plainview is an example of how to do a new area right. The new area introduces three new characters, but only one is fleshed out with many scenes. Instead, the focus of Plainview is mostly on giving existing characters more content with a new kink (Lactation content). If I compare this content with the content from The Badlands, I heavily prefer Plainview due to it's focus on existing characters (You could invite existing characters to ride on the back of your motorcycle, but that is far less content than what is present at Plainview.)
New Tabletop Minigame - Wow. This minigame blew me away. Once a day, the player can be invited to play a game of Dungeon Master with Tasha. The game allows you to invite characters you've befriended in Peak City to become members of your party. All 25+ characters come with their own custom class, with different skills and attacks. You then battle through a series of enemies, using mana, rolling dice, and earning upgrades as you play.
This minigame is absolutely astounding. I had lukewarm reactions to previous minigames (dancing, working out, bike races). The best minigame previously was the Coffee Shop Tower Defense Game, which was fun for a short while, but Dungeon Masters has legitimately compelling gameplay. I found myself theorycrafting new builds and trying to get girls I usually miss in order to earn their classes. When I finally earned all the rewards from playing the minigame... I played a few more rounds, just for fun.
I would play an entire game based around this system, full-stop. I'd pay money to play an entire game based around this system.
Additional Main Character Content - My favorite part of Starmaker Story has always been Anna. I prefer Starmaker Story as a "Trainer Game" with the compelling Subscriber Gameplay loop, rather than the Sandbox City-life Sim gameplay (a la Summertime Saga). This update probably added the most content for Anna from 0-5 hearts since the Weekend Update (another of my favorites). Arvus appears to enjoy adding late game content to Starmaker Story, but the 0-5 heart grind is the part I replay the most and the part I feel Starmaker Story is at it's best. I loved the new randomized Anna scenes and the Outdoor Photography system is probably one of my favorites gameplay rewards in the game, despite appealing to a kink (Exhibitionism) that doesn't interest me. The Adrian and Joseph PCs flesh out their characters and I am very excited for the "Anna's Tablet" feature. The 1.7 Update featured a wealth of 0-5 heart content, and I hope development continues in this direction.
I don't know how the update has been received more broadly, but this has been my favorite Starmaker Update yet. Well done, and more of this, please!
Starmaker Story community · Replied to Dr.Muramasa in Starmaker 1.8 Release Window Updated to END of Oct-Nov
I sympathize with you, but I think you just found the game at the wrong time for you. NTR isn't for everybody, and even within NTR there are many subgenres which may be mutually exclusive for people.
Starmaker Story would generally be considered "Netori" (where you "steal" another person's partner). However, I choose to think of the story from a more wholesome perspective.
Even before the player and Anna start their Starmaker page, Anna isn't happy. She used to be full of life, living a hedonistic, party-filled lifestyle. Then, when she married Joseph... All of that was gone. While Anna gravitated to some parts of her new life, there was a large part of herself she felt she had lost. The player helps her feel wanted again when Joseph doesn't.
The player, Anna, Joseph, and Adrian are all flawed characters, with their own weaknesses and vices to overcome. You, as the player, can help them overcome those vices, or cause them to lean into those vices. It seems like the choices you made caused those characters to lean into those vices.
I am sorry the game had this effect on you; it has icked me out a few times as well. You asked if this is a common experience with the game and I would guess not. The title of the game is "Starmaker Story" and the inciting incident is you agreeing to help Anna make a Starmaker Page behind Joseph's back. I feel that lays out pretty well what kind of game this is (Netori). Most people who would be affected by Netori would probably stop playing.
I'll admit, Starmaker doesn't always get my flavor of NTR right. I want Anna to be sexually liberated and kinky, but only with me. However, many other people play the game and want to corrupt Anna further, sharing her with many other partners. Trying to appease both kinds of players if a difficult balancing act, and sometimes Starmaker is unable to maintain that balance. Sometimes the labels on choices aren't quite clear enough and you see something you didn't expect. I am able to stomach both flavors, but if you can't, it can be distressing.
I am getting the feeling that you were fine with some light Netori, but perhaps not as far as the game goes. Perhaps you were fine with corrupting Anna into leaving Joseph, but perhaps were not okay with her constantly badmouthing him and disrespecting him, or having sex with the player while she is still in a committed relationship with Joseph. If that is the case, I'm sorry things went further than you were comfortable with.
That was a lengthy post, so I will try to summarize. TLDR: 1: All the main characters have their flaws and can work towards correcting them based on player choices. 2: You experience is (anecdotally) not that common, but I sympathize. 3: Starmaker isn't perfect and, like all media, you may find something you didn't expect. Starmaker generally does a good job labeling important choices, but mistakes happen and you might see something you didn't want to see.
I hope things get better for you. Maybe you can return to Starmaker at a better time in the future, but it might not be the game for you right now.
Starmaker Story community · Created a new topic Starmaker 1.8 Release Window Updated to END of Oct-Nov
Just to keep everyone informed, the Starmaker Story 1.8 Update window has been officially changed to the end of October-November.
While this next part is my own speculation, I would anticipate the Starmaker Story update to be released sometime in November and, honestly, late November. Arvus Games is currently focusing dev time on a different project, RoundScape Adorevia, with a release window for that update being October (For RS fans, it is an Art Update, not a content update).
It'll be a wait until the next update, please adjust your expectations for a release date accordingly.
A small bit of news regarding the 1.7 update for Starmaker Story.
Arvus posted at 5:49 P.M. UTC "good news, update will be out before I go to bed". He then followed up with: "bad news, I just woke up 6 hours ago". Please note that Arvus lives in Europe (I believe in Germany) so the update may not be released at a convenient time.
Assuming this is not a joke, we should be approaching the release of the long-awaited 1.7 update. It does not sound like more delays will be coming.
Feel free to calculate exactly how long the average human can stay awake, but Arvus could easily just pull an all-nighter so there is no guarantee the update will come out before you go to bed for the night. The news I wanted to share was that it sounds like there will be no further delays.
Hang in there, and please be respectful if you visit the Discord.
I was misremembering something Dr.Muramasa (A mod) posted in February: "[It] has almost always released by [the] end of the week, latest date, Sundays, Mondays or wednesdays." I misremembered the full sentence as "Almost always released at the end of the week, like Sundays." That's on me, I'll remove the sentence about it generally releasing on Sundays. Sorry, thanks for the correction.
Starmaker Story community · Replied to Dr.Muramasa in Information regarding the 1.7 Update from Discord
Bumping this topic because it has left the front page and there has been an increase in questions about the update. According to the discord, There has been no additional information given about the 1.7 update release window The information in this post is still accurate. The release window for Starmaker Story 1.7 remains "In August".
Now, what I am about to say is purely speculation on my part and should be treated as such. I have no affiliation with Arvus Games: I am merely a lurker in the Discord. I do not believe the update will be release until the very end of the release window. Arvus very much operates in accordance with Parkinson's Law: "Work expands to fill the available time". Arvus has a passion for creating games and, when he has time before the next deadline, often finds additional content he would like to add, scenes he would want to polish, or teasers for next update he would like to plant. This means Arvus generally uploads Starmaker updates at the very end of the release window. I must stress, this is born from a passion for making games, and it looks like the 1.7 update will be a sizable one. Arvus is spending this extra time making the game even bigger and better. But this does mean Starmaker updates are rarely posted early.
Arvus has, to my knowledge, generally releases Starmaker updates on Sundays. If the Starmaker update is not released tomorrow, I expect it to be released on the 30th-31st. I must stress one last time, I have no affiliation with Arvus Games, this is merely my best guess as to when the 1.7 update will drop.
In the meantime, you can always visit mrdeadpool666's post on alternative games to play while waiting for the update.