Spiral Waltz Ceases Regular Updates: Studio Accused of Abandoning its Original Fanbase

Recently, the dress-up game 'Spiral Waltz' announced that due to long-term financial losses, it would cease regular event updates. The game will now only release 2-3 sets of varying quality per month and rely on re-running old paid item sets, a move that has sparked significant outrage among its veteran player base.

Long-time players argue that this 'stoppage' is not just a result of poor business performance, but a classic case of 'kicking the ladder'—abandoning the loyal fan base that built the studio's reputation. 'Spiral Waltz' (Spiral 1) once held a unique position in the dress-up genre thanks to its distinct European-style design and rich narrative, with players forming deep emotional bonds with the protagonist, Magda.

The conflict intensified with the development of the sequel, 'Spiral Waltz 2: War of Roses'. During the latter stages of the first game, the studio allegedly diverted high-quality art resources to the sequel. Simultaneously, while the first game suffered from stagnant main stories and recycled events, the developers broke their promise that 'player-voted sets would be drawn by original artists,' fueling accusations of betrayal.

In community discussions, many veterans reflected on their experiences: some felt deceived by the sudden shift toward 'BL (Boys' Love) tropes' within a game marketed as an Otome, while others noted the high cost of microtransactions and bizarre gameplay mechanics in later updates, all of which contributed to the game's eventual decline.