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Hello everyone, Top Hat Studios, the publisher of Ova Magica, here with an update regarding the upcoming console versions.
As our originally announced release date of September 8th is approaching, we wanted to take some time to address the current situation with consoles. As it stands now, unfortunately we will be postponing the release once more, later this year. While we have been trying our best to deliver the console ports as quickly as possible, we are a small team and unfortunately the port has been much more intensive than our original estimate.
To give some background, the Nintendo Switch port has been in production for over a year now. As mentioned in our last post explaining why we were postponing the console launch beyond the PC 1.0 launch, a nuance in Nintendo Switch 2 affected our original scheduling. However, in transparency, the original Nintendo Switch port has been proving to be an incredible challenge for the team. We will delve into more detail shortly, but before that, we wanted to give some context on where the ports stand.
Firstly, both the PS5 and Xbox variants of the port are actually done (barring a few small changes needed for platform compliance). We originally discussed quite heavily the internal possibility of releasing these versions first on the 8th, and instead only delaying the Nintendo Switch/Switch 2 variants. However, upon closer deliberation, we decided this was not a good idea - not only because it is unfair to Switch players (who make up the vast majority of our console backers), but also because it affected our plans for a global launch - launching only PS5 and Xbox would substantially impact our Asia (mostly Japan) plans, due to differences in launch requirements between regions.
This now brings us to the situation on Switch. In transparency, had we not promised Nintendo Switch to backers already, it is very likely that we would have simply abandoned shipping on the system in favor of Nintendo Switch 2. The reason being is that the game is running very smoothly on Nintendo Switch 2, but is struggling quite substantially on Nintendo Switch. We have been working fulltime for months now optimizing each and every nook of the game - we believed we were done until recently, where we found a massive memory leak. This has lead to a need for us to rewrite entire swathes of the game’s memory management. The game is struggling quite a bit on Nintendo Switch - we have made tremendous progress and the game runs at a smooth fixed FPS without dips, but is currently crashing at certain intervals due to this issue. Eliminating this recently discovered memory leak has been a herculean task for our team - we have been putting in long hours to ensure that the game is in the absolute best form possible.
It hurts a lot for there to be another delay here. We know we are disappointing everyone by announcing this delay, including ourselves. The reason it is coming so late from us is because until this week, we held out hope that we would be able to get the game stable and past certification on Nintendo Switch. However, unfortunately as we still have not fixed the memory leak issue, we need to delay once more. We believe very deeply in only shipping a stable game in the best state possible. It is very important to us that we not only fulfill all obligations to backers, but we also ship the game in the best state possible.
We are still currently deliberating on the final release date, and will follow up in another post shortly announcing such. We do not anticipate the delay to be substantial, as we have positive developments on the Nintendo Switch version as of today. We plan to do everything in our power to ensure a release before the upcoming holiday season.
On the same note, rest assured that everything regarding physical editions is still secured and has not changed. We still remain steady in our plans to fulfill all obligations to all backers in the best possible way and our overall plans have not changed. We know many kickstarters often fall through cracks or fail to deliver, and that changes in planning can cause high alert in backers. However, we want to assure everyone this is not the case here, and we plan to remain as communicative as possible. It is important to us that backers receive exactly what they backed. We know this has been a difficult journey, but we remain committed to fulfilling all obligations from our side.
Thank you again to everyone who has continued to support the game.
Hello everyone!
As you may have seen, we recently announced two important updates: firstly, that the game is coming to Switch 2, and secondly, that as a result of supporting the new platform, our console launch has been delayed to 8th September 2026 (see pic below):
The past few months have been incredibly busy between preparing for our Steam 1.0 launch and planning our console releases, so we wanted to take a moment to explain a bit more about what's been happening behind the scenes. At the same time, we also wanted to transparently answer some of the questions we've seen and hopefully put a few concerns to rest.
First and foremost, we want to reassure everyone that the introduction of Switch 2 does not affect any existing backer rewards, including physical editions. It is also does not affect fulillment or anything else logistically.
Physical editions are still on track, and we're currently preparing everything needed for them to enter manufacturing before the end of the year. Our highest priority is making sure that every backer receives exactly what they pledged for, even as plans have evolved since we first launched this campaign many years ago now.
When this Kickstarter launched, Switch 2 didn't exist, and given our original timeline it's not something we could have planned for. Even around the time we were originally targeting our 1.0 release, the platform had still not been officially announced. Toward the very end of development (which, as we've shared previously, had already experienced some delays for separate reasons as well) we were fortunate enough to receive early access to begin development for the new console.
However, while this was a blessing, it was also a bit of a curse as supporting Switch 2 required us to make a number of changes to the game's codebase. While we're incredibly grateful for the opportunity, those changes have inevitably added development time. Unfortunately, because our access to the platform was covered by confidentiality agreements (among other obligations), we weren't able to explain this publicly while it was happening.
As we mentioned in our public announcement, adding Switch 2 support late in development has been the primary reason for the revised console launch timeline.
In regards to how this affects rewards, our current plan is not to distribute separate Switch 2 keys. Instead, we're working toward allowing anyone who owns the Switch version to redeem the Switch 2 version through Nintendo's owner-upgrade system using a 100% owner's discount—a solution that a number of other titles have also adopted and we feel is fair. This is not too dissimilar to how most titles have PS4/PS5 cross-entitlement.
Separately, we don't yet have confirmation on timelines or availability for Switch 2 physical releases like we do for Switch 1. Because of that, we will be proceeding with the Switch physical editions exactly as promised during the Kickstarter campaign. No physical rewards or other backer items are changing as a result of this.
Finally, we just want to say thank you. We know development has taken longer than any of us originally hoped, and we're incredibly grateful to everyone who has stuck with us throughout the journey over the past few years.
We've always tried to be as transparent as we can, however sometimes this has been a balancing act due to NDAs from distributors like Nintendo. We'll continue sharing updates as we move toward the finish line. We're a very small team, and the support you've shown us throughout this project continues to be incredily meaningful to us.
We hope everyone has been enjoying version 1.0 on PC, and we're looking forward to getting the game into your hands on consoles as soon as possible. Thank you again for your continued patience and support! We can't wait for everyone to play on console.
Top Hat Studios & ClaudiaTheDev
Dear Backers,
Today is honestly a very emotional day for us.
After years of development, challenges, improvements, delays, feedback, and so much support from all of you, Ova Magica has officially released in Version 1.0 on Steam — available RIGHT NOW! 💚
And yes — Ova Magica is officially coming to PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch on 21st July 2026! 🎮
This release comes as a little surprise and shadow drop for the community, because we simply didn’t want players to wait any longer to finally experience the full game and all the massive improvements, new content, and localizations added for Version 1.0.
At the same time, we know this news may feel bittersweet for many of our console backers.
Very late into development, we made the incredibly difficult decision to separate the console launch from the PC release. This was not an easy choice at all, and we spent a long time discussing it internally.
The reality is that console development, optimization and certification, requires more time than expected, and delaying every platform further would have meant making all players wait even longer to experience the finished game.
We especially want to thank our console backers for their patience and understanding here. We know waiting longer can be disappointing, especially after supporting the project for such a long time, and we truly appreciate how kind and supportive so many of you have been throughout this journey.
For that reason, we also offer every console or physical backer the option to swap their key to Steam if you do not want to wait for the console release (see details below).
For those who want to read more about the huge Version 1.0 update, new features, balancing improvements, content additions, and changes, please check the full Steam update.
In this update, we primarily want to address some of the questions backers might have, especially regarding the physical rewards and platform releases.
1) How can I access my Steam key?
You need to log into your BackerKit account. There, you should find a “Digital Downloads” button where you can access your Steam key.
Please make sure to use the “Steam Keys” for the full Version 1.0 game.
The “Beta Keys” were only for the old Closed Backer Preview and are not the keys for the full Steam release.
2) Console Backers: How can I switch my digital platform?
If you backed for consoles but would rather not wait and want to play right now, you can reach out to us and we’ll be happy to help! Ova Magica is also fully Steam Deck compatible.
How to reach out:
Please send us a private message here (please no public comments, as we cannot safely reply to private account/order information there). Simply write a short message like:
“I want to swap my digital platform to Steam.”
We’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
3) Physical Kickstarter Backers & Backerkit Preorders: When will the rewards be shipped?
We still need a bit more time before we can give a clear timeline for the manufacturing and shipping of the physical rewards. Our publisher, Top Hat Studios, is handling this process.
However, it is already certain that the physical items will not be ready for the console release on 21st July 2026. The main reason is that manufacturing requires the finalized console builds, and we are still working on completing them.
Delaying the digital release until all physical rewards are ready would likely push the game back by several more months, and with so many backers waiting to finally play Ova Magica, we did not want to delay the experience further.
But please do not worry: Our goal is to ensure that every physical backer can play Ova Magica at release via their digital key while receiving their physical rewards as soon as they are ready.
If you backed the game via Kickstarter:
Every physical Kickstarter tier included a bonus digital key for the platform of your choice.
With this information in mind, if you would like or need to change the platform of your bonus digital key, please reach out to us via private message.
If you preordered the physical game via Backerkit:
BackerKit physical preorders did not include a bonus digital key. However, we also want to ensure that all BackerKit physical preorder supporters can play on release day. Because of that, we will gift every BackerKit physical preorder who reaches out to us a free digital key for the platform of your choice.
Physical backers and preorders: How to request your bonus digital key / platform change:
Send us a message including your Backerkit/Kickstarter account mail (so we can lookup your reward/order) and platform of choice for your digital key.
You can contact us via:
Hello everyone,
I’d like to share a brief status update with all Ova Magica backers and our wonderful community. First of all, thank you so much for your patience, support, and enthusiasm - it truly means a lot to us 💚
Beta Update
The 1.0 Beta phase has been extremely valuable for Ova Magica’s development. Many balancing changes were tested and refined directly based on your feedback, with the main goal of making the game more cozy, less punishing, and less grindy, while still keeping fun and meaningful challenges - and we’re happy to say we achieved that!
This includes rebalancing core systems like energy, completely removing the midnight fainting mechanic (yay!), and fixing many frequently reported issues. As a result, Ova Magica 1.0 will feel significantly better, and I’m very proud of how the game has turned out. I’m highly confident that the final release delivers the experience promised to players and Kickstarter backers.
About the Release Timing
Many of you are understandably asking why the release still takes time now that Beta testing is almost complete.
Over development, Ova Magica grew into a much larger and more complex game than originally planned. The final version contains over 300,000 words (which is roughly comparable to The Lord of the Rings books two and three combined!!), making localization a major effort for a small indie team. All promised languages are in progress - some close to completion, others needing more time - and we are working hard on this every day 🌍
Additionally, Ova Magica is launching not only on Steam, but also on all major consoles. This involves significant extra work such as console certification, store setup, publishing tasks, marketing, and trailer creation ...
As our publisher is a small and passionate indie team, Ova Magica needs to fit thoughtfully into their release schedule so that each published game can receive the care and attention it deserves, while also considering market timing and showcase opportunities.
Release Date
I completely understand that waiting can be frustrating. Please know that this is not easy for us either - game development and localization are extremely costly, and we truly wish we could share Ova Magica with you right now. Every day we’re eager to release and see you enjoy the game, but there are still several moving parts and external factors to consider. That’s why we believe it’s best to only announce a release date once we are 100% confident we can deliver on it.
Please rest assured that we are working hard every day to bring Ova Magica to release and will keep you updated.
Thank You 💚
I’m deeply grateful to everyone who has supported Ova Magica throughout this journey. Your excitement and encouragement continue to motivate us every day.
We hope to share more concrete release information soon. Thank you for reading and for being part of the Ova Magica community!
~Claudia
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