The RETRORONTO Report #20
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Monday, July 6, 2026
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☁️
Cloudy 23C
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Vers. 0.49
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📅 Monday, July 6, 2026 | ☁️ Cloudy 23C | 📃 Vers. 0.49 |
Wishlists:
📈 1,130
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Itch.io Views:
👁️ 6,089
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Discord:
🙌 76
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Instagram:
📷 262
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Wishlists: 📈 1,130 | Itch.io Views: 👁️ 6,089 | Discord: 🙌 76 | Instagram: 📷 262 |
This is The RETRORONTO Report, your go-to source for all the latest happenings and updates in the evolving city of Retroronto!
TGW 2026 Highlights
For the second consecutive year, Retroronto joined Toronto Games Week as part of one of the city's largest celebrations of locally made games. Coinciding with the FIFA World Cup festivities taking place across Toronto, this year's events drew larger crowds than ever before, giving the city-themed life simulator an opportunity to be seen by both longtime residents and international visitors alike. Over the course of the week, Retroronto appeared at four separate showcase events before closing out the festivities alongside much of Toronto's independent game development community.
Retroronto played on one of Hand Eye Society’s Torontron Arcade Cabinents
Retroronto featured in Toronto Games, Amplified, projected on the Malting Silos
The week began at the Toronto Games Week Kickoff Party, where Retroronto once again partnered with the Hand Eye Society to bring the game to one of the organization's signature Torontron arcade cabinets. Special thanks were extended to technician May Yu, whose support ensured the game was running smoothly throughout the evening. Although the game did not appear as part of Giant Video Games' projection on the Malting Silos, it was instead featured across the building through Toronto Made Games Amplified, presented by the Canadian Game Awards with support from the City of Toronto. The showcase also welcomed local representatives, including the Deputy Mayor and MPP Chris Glover, who stopped by to experience the project firsthand.
Retroronto played by dozens of playtesters during G.R.I.D.
The following stop was The G.R.I.D. at George Brown Polytechnic, where developers gathered to receive structured feedback from volunteer playtesters and industry judges. Hosted once again by Antonio Miceli of Mega Power Games, this year's event introduced a custom-built digital survey platform that dramatically streamlined the feedback process compared to previous years. The detailed responses collected throughout the evening provided some of the most valuable playtesting data Retroronto has received to date, offering clear direction for future development while demonstrating how quickly Toronto's developer support initiatives continue to evolve.
Later in the week, Retroronto settled into a quieter atmosphere during Kitten Cup Studio's Tea Party at Allan Gardens, held alongside the Indie Game Emporium. Surrounded by fellow Toronto creators beneath the shade of the park's trees, the event celebrated the city's growing independent development scene in a far more intimate setting. Kitten Cup Studio, whose upcoming title Capybara Castaway shared showcase space with Retroronto at XP Summit earlier this year, also highlighted a variety of creative community projects, from collectible game passports to locally produced cassette-style USB releases. During the event, Retroronto also became part of rabbithole.exe, an initiative connecting independent games from Toronto and Shenzhen, China, allowing the project to reach audiences on the other side of the world.
Communal T-Posing at Allan Gardens during Kitten Cup Studios Tea Party
Retroronto played at the Danu Social House during Seriously Fun Showcase
The city's final showcase for Retroronto took place once again at the Seriously Fun Showcase hosted by Wero Creative at Danu Social House. Returning for a second year, the relaxed gathering offered an opportunity to speak more deeply with educators, developers, and players about the game's educational ambitions and its exploration of everyday urban life. Familiar faces from across Toronto's game community stopped by throughout the evening, including members of Noodle Goose Games, who also showcased the results of their accessibility-focused You Can Play This Game Jam. Organizers Denis Coyle and Adam Clare were once again thanked for creating an inviting space where meaningful conversations about games could flourish.
With showcasing duties complete, attention turned toward the Toronto Games Week Closing Party, where developers gathered to celebrate another successful year of local game development. Between revisiting decades of Toronto Game Jam history, exploring community exhibits hosted by Dirty Rectangles, taking part in HyperGame StoryTime, and celebrating alongside organizers, the evening served as a reminder of how much the city's game development scene has grown. Developers credited organizers Jim Munroe and Marie LeBlanc Flanagan, along with the many volunteers and partner organizations behind the week's events, for continuing to foster one of Canada's strongest independent game communities.
An Aerial Silk Performance at TGW Closing Party
TGW Organizers Jim Munroe and Marie LeBlanc Flanagan
As the week came to a close, Retroronto left with pages of player feedback, new connections, and renewed confidence in its place within Toronto's growing games industry. While much work still lies ahead, the project's second Toronto Games Week proved that the city inspiring the game continues to champion its development in return.
- Eliza O’Brien, Staff Reporter
Call Me Maybe
City officials have announced the launch of a new telephone assistance initiative aimed at helping newcomers find their footing in Retroronto. Throughout the opening days, residents may now receive calls from a familiar family member offering guidance on everyday essentials, from finding a place to live and printing resumes to securing employment, opening a bank account, and paying rent on time. Developers say the new system helps ease players into city life while laying the groundwork for future conversations and phone-based interactions as Retroronto continues to grow.
- Patricia Greene, Staff Reporter
Lending a Hand
Several new faces have begun appearing across the city, each offering residents different ways to earn rewards while getting to know their neighbours. Lost pedestrians may ask for directions, curious historians test local knowledge, journalists inquire about city life, and others simply need help tracking down everyday items. Behind the scenes, the city's dialogue systems have also received a significant overhaul, allowing conversations to branch naturally, award specific or random rewards, and support more varied tasks as Retroronto continues expanding its network of characters and opportunities.
- Robert Sawyer, Editor
Monthly Roadmap Recap
Following an eventful June filled with showcases across Toronto Games Week, Retroronto's development has entered a period of reflection as much as production. While public events naturally reduced the amount of time available for new features, they also provided an invaluable opportunity to gather playtesting feedback, identify bugs, and better understand how new players experience the game. The response has been encouraging enough that developers are now considering tying a future Early Access launch to Toronto Games Week itself, whether through a launch event, crowdfunding campaign, Steam Next Fest participation, or another community-focused initiative celebrating Toronto's growing game development scene.
Once the week's events concluded, work quickly shifted toward July's roadmap goals. NPC Tasks expanded well beyond their original concept, evolving away from simple place unlocks into a more flexible system capable of rewarding players with money, stat increases, items, and other incentives depending on the situation. Supporting these additions required significant improvements to Retroronto's dialogue system, which now allows conversations to branch naturally, start and complete tasks, and deliver a much wider variety of outcomes. While the scripting behind these systems will likely receive another round of refactoring in the future, developers describe the dialogue framework as one of the project's most versatile systems to date.
Not every roadmap objective, however, proved to be the right fit. Plans surrounding Unlockable Places have become less certain as development continues. While gating buildings behind NPC tasks initially seemed like a natural way to encourage exploration, playtesting instead suggested that allowing players to freely discover much of the city creates a stronger first impression. The idea has not been abandoned entirely, but is now viewed as a longer-term system better suited to a larger city with more specialized locations and activities.
A similar story emerged with the Friends milestone, which was added into the roadmap last month. Introduced after following discussions at XP Summit, the feature was an ambitious addition to the roadmap. Although the underlying systems for relationship progression have begun taking shape through NPC interactions and tasks, fully realized friendships remain closely tied to the game's broader "Connection" pillar and will likely be explored further beyond the scope of the current demo. For now, establishing a strong foundation for varied NPC interactions is considered the more immediate priority. The Friends milestone is likely to be a more released feature in the game’s early access version instead of the current demo-in-development.
Looking ahead, the schedule appears considerably clearer following several months of conventions and public showcases. With Toronto Games Week now complete, August has the potential to become a larger development cycle than originally planned, despite being scheduled as a hotfix month. Quality-of-life improvements and bug fixes remain the immediate focus, but developers remain optimistic that the remainder of the roadmap can stay largely on course before attention eventually turns toward late-summer events, including the possibility of appearing again during the Canadian National Exhibition in late August.
Where citizens say what’s on their mind, and we print it anyway.
Too Hot Too Soon
By Daniel P., 34
I swear we skipped spring this year. One week I was wearing a light jacket, the next I'm hiding indoors with the blinds shut trying not to melt. Every summer someone says, "This is the hottest one yet," and somehow they're usually right. Maybe we should stop acting surprised.
Beach Day Roulette
By Emily S., 31
You pack sunscreen, a towel, snacks, and somehow still end up sitting beside the one family blasting music through a giant speaker. Toronto's beaches are lovely, but finding a quiet spot on a sunny weekend feels like winning the lottery. At least the lake breeze almost makes the crowds worth it.
Streetcar Saunas
By Marcus T., 45
Somehow every streetcar manages to be either freezing cold or hotter than the weather outside. By the time the doors finally open, everyone looks relieved just to breathe normal air again. Summer transit builds character... or at least a higher tolerance for humidity.
Classifieds
WINDOW FAN REPAIR & CLEANING
Summer heat exposing a fan that rattles louder than it cools? Offering repairs, cleaning, and replacement of worn parts to help stretch another season out of older units. Honest assessments and reasonable rates.
LOOKING FOR JAMMING MUSICIANS
Guitarist hoping to start a casual group for weekend sessions and the occasional local open mic. Rock, folk, indie, or anything in between. No pressure to perform—just looking to make some music and meet good people.
CAMPING GEAR FOR RENT
Tents, sleeping bags, camp stoves, and other essentials available for weekend escapes outside the city. Great for first-time campers who aren't ready to invest in their own equipment. Pickup near subway, flexible return times available.
Obituaries
MARIA ALVAREZ
(1951–2026)
Maria spent more than three decades working as a librarian, helping generations of children discover new stories while patiently guiding students, newcomers, and lifelong readers alike. She believed every question deserved an answer and every visitor deserved to feel welcome, often recommending books with such care that many returned simply to thank her. Colleagues remember her quiet wit, remarkable memory, and unwavering kindness.
After retiring, Maria devoted much of her time to neighborhood walking groups, community gardens, and volunteering at local literacy programs. She found joy in small routines, greeting familiar faces during her morning errands and never missing an opportunity to support local events. Friends say she possessed a rare ability to make people feel heard, even during the briefest conversations.
She is remembered as someone who helped build community not through grand gestures, but through thousands of everyday acts of patience and generosity.
Events
RIVERFRONT SUMMER CONCERT
An evening of live music returns to the waterfront with performances from local bands spanning indie rock, jazz, folk, and pop throughout the night. Food vendors and community organizations will be on site, while visitors are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets and enjoy the sunset before the headlining performance begins. Transit is recommended, as parking is expected to be limited and nearby roads may experience heavier-than-usual traffic following the show.
NEIGHBOURHOOD NIGHT MARKET
Local artisans, independent makers, and family-run food vendors gather for an outdoor evening market celebrating the city's diverse communities and cuisines. Handmade crafts, desserts, live entertainment, and cultural performances will fill the streets well into the evening, offering plenty to explore for visitors of all ages. Organizers also encourage attendees to linger after sunset, when the market's lights and performances give the neighborhood an entirely different atmosphere.
Changelog
Changes/Fixes:
Demo Sequence has been broken up into 6 different tasks that will reward the player when finished
Landlord NPC now shows up every 4 weeks, on the first week of the month
Manager NPCs now evaluate player's individual stats before hiring them
Adjusted positions of Fridges in 6/9 Stores
Interior Locations now don’t show outside environment anymore, and pause all traffic and pedestrian activity
Resume Screen when using computer in Library has been graphically changed to include both player stats and work experience. You can no longer scroll through options and switch between screens.
Changed camera to snap back to player when exiting the map
Changed dispensers in Jimmies and Two Pizzas to not show their fill meters unless a minigame starts
Fixed a bug where players could name their characters as long as possible, going beyond the UI bounds
Fixed a bug where changing your name would also reset it to blank
Fixed a bug where players could toggle on the game map during character customization
Fixed a bug where toggling on and off the game map while indoors would re-enable the overworld building colliders
Fixed a bug where interacting with landmark places would lock the camera on them even after leaving them
Fixed a bug where if the player eats food while they're slowed from hunger, they stay slowed indefinitely
Fixed a bug where places become active after opening phone map through phone (not quick map toggle, works fine)
Fixed a bug where using the map after interacting with taxis, would activate taxi dialogue in other instances
Fixed a bug where the numbers in the timer during a minigame would be invisible after doing a prior minigame
Fixed a bug where bars would be open as late as 7am, now close at midnight instead
Fixed a bug where the player would no longer be tired after midnight
Fixed a bug where dispensers in work minigames wouldn't enable arrows correctly
Fixed a bug where holding boxes in coffee and pizza minigames would enable target arrows at cash registers
Fixed a bug where cash registers in work places would show target arrows when player holds items
Fixed a bug where buying items in food places would sometimes show the player carrying nothing in their hands
Fixed light sprites on coffee place at night
Fixed a bug where the player wouldn't wear a hat in the overworld after buying and wearing one
Additions:
Added Phone calls, namely from a ‘Dad’ character who will give the player tasks aligning with the newly paced demo sequence
Weekly Status UI has been added, which shows up when the player sleeps, showing the current Season, Month, and Week, as well as the amount of weeks left before player has to pay their rent.
Added Fetch NPCs to the overworld, asking the player for a specific item in exchange for a random reward (money, stat increase, or item)
Added Lost NPCs to the overworld, asking the player for directions to a specific place in the city in exchange for a random reward (money, stat increase, or item)
Added Journalist NPCs to the overworld, asking the player their opinion on city living, in exchange for a charm stat increase
Added History Buff NPCs to the overworld, asking the player some trivia questions about the city's history, in exchange for a smart stat increase
Players can now submit a textbook back to the Librarian to get rid of it
Got feedback, questions, or concerns about the development of Retroronto? Join the discord server below!
EDITOR’S NOTES
Hi there,
Man, June ended up being much busier than I anticipated. Toronto Games Week is still a relatively young celebration of our local game industry, and it's honestly incredible how much it's grown in just a year. Imagine spending years trying to make something creative, then having your own hometown put together an entire week dedicated to celebrating people doing exactly that. Especially in an industry that's been through as much upheaval as games has lately, it's hard not to feel grateful to be part of a community that genuinely wants to see one another succeed.
Esteban, Russell, Mike (Freaking Cool Indies), and I at TGW Kick Off
Myself, Antonio of Mega Power Games, and Volunteer Lead Kevin
Now that TGW is behind me, July is going to be all about getting work done. The amount of feedback I came away with was immense, and I've still been processing everything from XP Summit back in May. Between the two events, I feel like I have a much clearer picture of where Retroronto needs to go over the coming months. It's exciting, but it also means there's a lot to build.
As always, thank you to everyone who's continued following the project, whether you've been here since the beginning or just discovered it recently. I know I could probably spend more time marketing the game, posting online, and trying to play the social media game, but I've also learned that the steady rhythm of building something month after month is about as sustainable as I can make it without burning myself out. Making a game asks you to wear every hat imaginable, and some days it feels like you're balancing them all at once.
Hopefully it's worth it in the end. By the time this project is finished I'll probably be a dried-up husk of a person... but at least a skillfully flavourful one, like a dehydrated peach or something.
Enjoy the update, and I'll see you all next month!
Cheers,
Sean “Shramper” Browning
Lucie of Interactive Ontario and I at TGW Closing Party
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!