Catmint Cove has reached a milestone we’ve been looking forward to: closed testing is complete.
To everyone who played, sent feedback, or came back to check a fix—thank you. You gave this little project your time, and we don’t take that lightly.
From an idea to a place people could visit
Inspired by Midknight, Catmint Cove began with a simple idea: a little seaside world where wandering cats could find somewhere to call home.
You look after them, decorate their surroundings, and gradually make the Cove theirs. There’s a garden to tend, a café run by cats, and activities for when you feel like doing something. There’s also the option to let it rain and spend a few quiet minutes watching the cats sleep.
Somewhere between that first idea and this milestone, we spent a surprising amount of time working out why a cat was standing in the wrong place. That’s been part of the process too.
This is a personal passion project for us at Midknight Studio Labs. We’ve been learning through making it, experimenting with AI-assisted development, design, and game ideas—and then finding out what happens when someone else actually tries to play.
What testing taught us
When you’ve spent hours building something, it’s easy to forget that a new player hasn’t been there for any of it.
We knew what a button meant because we’d put it there. A tester could look at the same screen and quite reasonably ask, “What am I supposed to do?”
Those moments helped us see where the game needed work. Clearer guidance. Fewer competing buttons. Better feedback when something was happening. More care with how everything fitted on a smaller screen.
The screenshots and bug reports mattered. So did the honest comments about something feeling awkward or confusing.
To those who tested the same thing again after a fix: an extra thank-you. We know that takes patience.
Next comes public launch
With closed testing complete, the next step is public launch, pending Google Play and Apple approval.
We don’t have a confirmed launch date to share yet. We’ll announce it once the reviews are complete and the release is ready.
There’s still more we want to improve. But we’re happy to have reached the point where this little world can soon welcome more people.
If Catmint Cove gives someone a pleasant break in their day—a few cats to look after, something small to make their own—that would mean a lot to us.
Thank you for helping us get here.
Explore Catmint Cove, and follow Midknight Studio Labs for the public launch announcement.
— Midknight Studio Labs