The RETRORONTO Report #18
📅
Monday, May 4, 2026
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☁️
Cloudy 18C
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📃
Vers. 0.47
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📅 Monday, May 4, 2026 | ☁️ Cloudy 18C | 📃 Vers. 0.47 |
Wishlists:
📈 1003
|
Itch.io Views:
👁️ 5,462
|
Discord:
🙌 69
|
Instagram:
📷 233
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Wishlists: 📈 1003 | Itch.io Views: 👁️ 5,462 | Discord: 🙌 69 | Instagram: 📷 233 |
This is The RETRORONTO Report, your go-to source for all the latest happenings and updates in the evolving city of Retroronto!
One Thousand Stops Later…
City officials are pleased to report that Retroronto has officially crossed a major milestone this month, surpassing 1,000 wishlists on Steam!
While perhaps modest by the towering standards of today’s games industry, the achievement marks a significant moment for a project that began as a small independent effort centered entirely around the culture, frustrations, humor, and everyday life of Toronto itself.
Recent months have seen the city receive an unusual amount of public attention. Wishlist activity surged noticeably following last year’s Toronto Game Expo, before climbing sharply again earlier this year through coverage from the Toronto Star, CBC Metro Morning, and MobileSyrup. Additional boosts arrived through social media creators and community showcases, helping Retroronto steadily expand beyond local circles and into wider online spaces. While many larger commercial projects measure growth in the tens or hundreds of thousands, developers note that smaller independent games often struggle to reach even a fraction of that visibility. “A thousand people is still a thousand people,” one official remarked. “That’s a thousand individuals willing to stop, look at the city, and say they want to come back later.”
Developers credited much of the game’s growth not only to media attention, but to the broader Toronto game development community itself. Organizations and groups such as IGDA Toronto, Hand Eye Society, Bonus Stage, Interactive Ontario, Ontario Creates, Dirty Rectangles, TVGDM, and many others have continued supporting local creators during what many describe as one of the industry’s most unstable periods in years. Additional thanks were extended toward Mindzai Toys, Noodle Goose Games, content creator body_electricity, and journalists including Raju Mudhar and Bradly Shankar for helping place Retroronto in front of new audiences throughout the year.
Internally, developers remain realistic about the road ahead. In an era increasingly dominated by layoffs, aggressive market trends, algorithmic visibility battles, and rising uncertainty around the future of creative work itself, 1,000 wishlists is not viewed as a finish line. But it is, at the very least, proof that the city’s stories resonate with people. Officials say the goal moving forward remains unchanged: continue building Retroronto into something honest, meaningful, and reflective of the place that inspired it, while hoping enough people continue believing in that vision to keep the lights on a little longer.
- Eliza O’Brien, Staff Reporter
BOOS Bottle Service
Hail to the Cabs
Residents looking to make a little extra cash are being encouraged to hang onto their empties a bit longer. B.O.O.S., the city’s newest government-operated beverage storefront, has officially opened its doors, offering a range of alcoholic products alongside a province-backed bottle return initiative. Under the program, customers can return eligible containers in exchange for small deposits, giving residents a modest but reliable way to earn money back after a long night out. Officials insist the system is intended to support recycling efforts, though some locals have already begun treating stray bottles like loose change scattered across the sidewalks. City workers remind residents that while it may not make anyone rich, “a few empties can still pay for transit.”
- Patricia Greene, Staff Reporter
Getting around the city may have just become a little easier. Local taxi companies have begun expanding service routes across downtown, allowing residents to quickly travel between major destinations for a fare based on distance. The recognizable teal-and-orange cabs have become an increasingly common sight on city streets, especially during late hours when other travel options become limited. Drivers, many of whom reportedly “know the city better than the map does,” now offer one of the fastest ways to navigate between neighborhoods, landmarks, and transit hubs. Officials also note that recent improvements to city mapping and navigation systems have made travel planning considerably more reliable for both residents and visitors alike.
- Marcus Saucier, Transit Correspondent
Monthly Roadmap Recap
April has served as something of a transitional month between March’s successful appearance at Toronto Game Expo and the upcoming return to XP Summit later this May. While the latest update primarily focuses on fixes and balancing, much of the work behind the scenes has centered around fulfilling the roadmap’s larger transportation and delivery ambitions. Developers describe the period as less of a cooldown and more of a staging ground for systems expected to shape the game moving forward.
Taxi services, originally intended to introduce fully drivable vehicles, ultimately pushed development in an unexpected direction. While much of the technical groundwork for driving systems now exists, the overall “feel” of controlling cars within Retroronto has yet to reach a satisfying state. As a result, personal driving mechanics have been temporarily placed on the backburner until larger job systems and activities justify the complexity they introduce. However, the taxi feature itself led to what developers consider one of the update’s most important additions: a complete overhaul of the city map system. Residents can now properly navigate the map, zoom in and out, and set custom destinations with far greater clarity than before, making city exploration considerably smoother.
Meanwhile, delivery work across the city has expanded beyond its earlier one-off pizza courier concept. Multiple delivery variations are now operational, establishing the foundations for broader overworld employment systems rather than limiting work exclusively to interior spaces. While only a handful of delivery jobs are currently available for testing purposes, officials suggest these systems naturally pave the way toward July’s planned NPC task update, where city residents may begin requesting help more directly from players.
Outside the city itself, preparations for XP Summit are now well underway. This will mark Retroronto’s third attendance at the event and its second time appearing with a public booth presence. Developers state that this year’s focus will shift more heavily toward funding opportunities, publisher meetings, and formal pitching efforts, including potentially participating in a pitch competition during the summit. Additional appearances are also being explored for Toronto Games Week in June, including the possibility of showcasing Retroronto at Giant Video Games, an event for hosting and displaying the project at and across the downtown Malting Silos installation. City officials reportedly remain hopeful that even larger municipal attention may follow.
Still, with conventions, meetings, and public events rapidly filling the calendar, developers caution that July’s roadmap plans may ultimately need to scale depending on how the coming months unfold. What was once referred to internally as the project’s “short-turn” period has instead evolved into a showcase-heavy season for the game. Whether XP Summit becomes a breakthrough moment or another learning experience remains to be seen, but officials agree that much is currently riding on the outcome.
Where citizens say what’s on their mind, and we print it anyway.
The Patio’s Are Already Full
By Kevin T., 29
The second temperatures hit double digits, every patio in the city suddenly becomes impossible to get into. People are sitting outside in jackets pretending it’s summer while servers sprint around carrying drinks through gusts of wind. I respect the optimism, but we all know somebody at that table is freezing…
Playing Chicken With Crosswalks
By Natalie S., 44
I don’t understand why so many drivers treat yellow lights like a personal challenge now. Half the time you’re already crossing before another car suddenly barrels through the intersection... We all want to get home, but maybe let’s stop pretending downtown streets are racetracks!
The Smell of Construction
By Omar D., 35
You can always tell warmer weather has arrived because every street suddenly smells faintly of wet concrete and roadwork. Fences go up overnight, sidewalks disappear without warning, and orange pylons multiply everywhere. It’s annoying, sure, but somehow it also makes the city feel alive again.
Classifieds
YARD SALE SIGNS & POSTERS
Need bright signs for a spring yard sale, community event, or mysterious side hustle? Hand-painted or printed options available, readable from passing cars and mildly judgmental neighbors alike. Fast turnaround before the next rainstorm hits.
AIR CONDITIONER INSTALLATION HELP
Temperatures climbing faster than expected? I install window AC units safely and without damaging ancient apartment frames. Ladder included, complaints about humidity free of charge.
LOOKING FOR WEEKEND D&D GROUP
Experienced player seeking casual campaign somewhere downtown or along the subway line. Prefer storytelling over rules-lawyering, snacks mandatory. Available most weekends unless transit says otherwise.
Obituaries
GREGORY VALE
(1960-2026)
Gregory spent much of his life working in shipping and warehouse jobs across the city, often on schedules that changed faster than he could plan around. He knew industrial backroads better than most maps did and could estimate traffic by the sound of it alone. Coworkers describe him as patient, observant, and the kind of person who always showed up fifteen minutes early “just in case.”
Outside of work, Gregory was an avid collector of old newspapers, concert flyers, and transit tokens, carefully storing small fragments of the city as neighborhoods slowly changed around him. He believed Toronto moved too quickly to remember itself properly and often worried that familiar places would disappear before anyone thought to appreciate them.
Neighbors recall seeing him most evenings sitting outside with a coffee regardless of weather, quietly watching the street and greeting passersby with a nod. Though reserved, he carried a dry sense of humor and a remarkable memory for stories most people had forgotten. His absence leaves behind an unusual stillness on the block he called home for over thirty years.
Events
PARKDALE COMMUNITY COOKOUT
As the weather finally begins cooperating, residents are gathering for an afternoon of grilled food, folding chairs, and conversations that somehow last until sunset. Local musicians, small vendors, and neighborhood artists will be scattered throughout the park, helping ease the city into its long-awaited warmer months. Organizers say the event is less about programming and more about giving people an excuse to actually spend time outside again after a long winter indoors.
MAY LONG WEEKEND FILM NIGHT
A local theatre collective will be hosting an evening screening of cult classics and city-themed short films to celebrate the unofficial beginning of summer. Expect sticky floors, strong opinions about cinema, and the occasional applause at inappropriate moments. Organizers hope the event encourages more appreciation for stories set within Toronto itself, especially as local creatives continue pushing for stronger support of homegrown art and filmmaking.
Changelog
Changes/Fixes:
Changed Trash Bins to now house random trash items the player can pick up, for a random amount of times
Updated all places with Trash Bins, with some trash bins housing different items, sometimes based on locations (Recycle, Trash, Compost)
Changed Trash Bins at home and work places to not give players random trash items
Adjusted some bar environments to fit Trash Bins and move TVs
Door to Roommate's bedroom can no longer be opened
Updated Pizza Delivery Minigame to require multiple deliveries, and a return to pizza place to replenish
Fixed a bug where the game would start on the wrong day
Fixed a bug where cars would still spawn and move when paused and map was active
Fixed a bug where players would immediately get sick after highlighting any sick NPC, they now need to 'interact' with a sick NPC for that to happen
Fixed a bug where task objectives would remain on screen and cover minigame UI
Disabled NPC interactions in overworld if the player is currently working
Fixed a bug where minigame music wouldn't start in fast food places if the player does a delivery minigame prior
Fixed a bug where pedestrians would spawn in but stay invisible
Buses and Trams now charge 2 dollars to ride, and have added sound effects for interaction and spending money
Additions:
Added 'B.O.O.S.' stores which sell alcoholic items and house bottle recycling stations, where players can give trash bottles in exchange for small amounts of money
Added ‘Bag’ items to City Fits, where players can store extra items in their inventory. Comes in a variety of colours like other clothing
Updated Map to now be navigable and scrollable, adjusting icon sizing, and changing input for face filtering from arrow keys to now using Q/R1 and E/L1
Players can now set their own target arrows in the map screen to point towards locations in the overworld by selecting a place in the map. They can remove the target arrow by selecting the place again, or by visiting it
Added Taxi Vehicles, that enable fast travel to any point on the map, allowing the player to jump to that location for a fee based on distance
Added some new generic dialogue lines to NPCs
Added a telemetry system to track player data anonymously: session time, locations visited, and money earned
Added Mail deliveries, given to the player by a randomly spawning mailman NPC in Hotel lobbies
Added Poster deliveries, given to the player by a randomly spawning volunteer NPC in Parks
Got feedback, questions, or concerns about the development of Retroronto? Join our discord server below!
EDITOR’S NOTES
Hey everyone,
I recently celebrated my birthday, right as the cherry blossoms began blooming around Trinity Bellwoods. I spent part of the day walking through the park on my way to one of my favourite restaurants in the city, which felt oddly fitting considering how much of Retroronto is rooted in moments exactly like that.
Still, I won’t pretend I’m riding high lately. If anything, I’m incredibly anxious about XP Summit and the year ahead. Earlier this month I attended a Game Business Masterclass seminar, and while it was genuinely helpful, it also reinforced just how overwhelming modern game development can feel. I already understood the risks of solo development going into this project, especially the creative burnout, but what’s been harder to prepare for is the emotional exhaustion of constantly needing to market yourself, network, build visibility, wear every possible hat, and somehow keep moving forward financially at the same time. Even after taking a vacation to Japan last year, I don’t think I fully escaped how heavy all of this has become.
I’ve wanted to work in games for roughly fifteen years now. Retroronto, in many ways, feels like my biggest attempt to finally carve out a place for myself in this industry after years of trying to break in traditionally alongside so many others. A lot of my anxieties, hopes, frustrations, and experiences living in Toronto have inevitably bled into the game itself. Beneath the pixel art and local references, the game is fundamentally about trying to find stability, connection, purpose, and belonging in a city that can often feel overwhelming to survive in. I love Toronto, and I love making games, but there’s always that lingering fear that passion alone may not be enough to sustain either long-term.
Still, I know I’m not doing this entirely alone. The support from friends, family, fellow developers, and everyone following the project continues to mean more than I can properly put into words. So genuinely, thank you. Wish me luck at XP Summit this month, and hopefully I’ll have some exciting things to share when we meet again in June.
Cheers,
Sean “Shramper” Browning
P.S. I’m getting more comfortable sharing photos and using Instagram lately, if you’d like to follow me :)
“WE DON’T WANT YOUR DEVELOPMENT. WE LIKE THE CAFE, POTTERY STUDIO + AUTOBODY REPAIR. YOU ARE TURNING THIS CITY INTO AN ELECTRIC RAZOR. POWER TO PEOPLE, NOT DEVELOPERS!” - Anonymous Toronto Citizen
Obligatory pic of my 14 year old dog ‘Lupa’
Disclaimer:
The names, classifieds, obituaries, and events featured in this publication are entirely fictional and not associated with any real people or entities. While the content is loosely inspired by the development of Retroronto, it is largely embellished for the sake of engagement and fun. The goal is to present the city and its progress as closely to a newspaper as possible. Please don’t take it all too seriously!