On those days when you would rather just unwind and play something at your leisure, there are plenty of cozy titles to sink your time into. So, if you’re a fan of those chill-back gameplay experiences from the likes of Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley, you might be drawn to the upcoming Cozy Caravan.
With Cozy Caravan’s release on May 16, 2024, just around the corner, we had the privilege of speaking with Dean Ferguson. Dean is the co-founder and Director of 5 Lives Studios, the team that previously released Satellite Reign and Windbound. Our conversation allowed us to dig a bit deeper to understand what players could expect with Cozy Caravan and some of the inspirations that the development team had as they crafted this title up.
Gameranx: How would you describe this game for those just coming across Cozy Caravan?
Dean: Cozy Caravan is a cozy, single-player, top-down, crafting game where the player, a fresh faced Guild Merchant Rookie, embarks on a journey to spread kindness and joy throughout the world. Players (along with their best mate Bubba) set off to explore the world at their leisure via their trusty Bee-Powered Caravan, adventuring to a host of charming towns and locations on their travels.
Along the way they’ll be able to join in a range of activities, meet new friends as well as collect resources, items, and recipes with which to craft items they can then offer at local weekend markets. All with the express goal of enriching the lives of folks they befriend on their adventures.
Gameranx: What were some of the inspirations behind Cozy Caravan?
Dean: The initial inspiration came from a simple thought I had during a particularly stressful period for the team.
What if we could make a game geared around all the staff’s favourite things to do at work, as well as the favourite things they enjoy outside of work. Something joyful to craft, not a chore.
I collated everything I knew they enjoyed, both in their work, and in what they loved to talk about.
Ultimately I wanted us to make something where all of us felt a sense of ownership, and just enjoyed coming to work each day to craft the world. A collaborative title which allowed them to be creative and joyful.
I honestly believe if you enjoy making it, the passion shows, and that passion is felt by the people who play the final product.
Another core inspiration for Cozy Caravan was something which I feel sets us apart from others in the Cozy genre. I really wanted to explore the idea of a mobile home. I love the aspect of nesting in many cozy titles, but have always wished I could pick it all up and take it with me on an adventure. A Caravan seemed like the obvious solution, and it was the key lightbulb moment for me deciding upon you being a traveling merchant spreading happiness throughout the world.
And while the game shares obvious inspiration from other titles, namely Animal Crossing, Cooking Mamma, Stardew Valley, it was at its core always about making a game which revolved around kindness and joy, and finding the mechanics and tone which fit this principle.
Gameranx: When did development start for the project, and has it changed significantly since you first started?
Dean: The initial idea I had been toying with for several months prior to pitching to the team, however proper development started only around 9 months ago. Having such an extremely talented, and invested team, and a very clear vision has allowed us to develop rapidly during that period. It’s truly been a labor of love for us all and it’s been fantastic to watch the game take shape so quickly. We can’t wait to get feedback from Early Access and reach the potential we know Cozy Caravan truly has.
Gameranx: From my understanding, once we reach a new town, we’ll set up a market over the weekend. Do we have to gather resources to stock and manage the market, or how does that exactly work?
Dean: Yes, markets are held on weekends at selected locations, and the player will want to explore during the week, search out what the locals are keen to grab from the markets, as well as gather resources via activities, gifts, foraging, or rewards for helping folks. Many of the items for your market stalls will require you to find recipes, and/or upgrade your crafting stations in order to complete. But there is no rush, what you want to sell, and how long you want to gather before setting up a market is entirely your choice. The locals are a patient bunch, and are just excited to finally get their treasured items.
Gameranx: Are we able to decorate inside the caravan as well?
Dean: For the initial release you’ll have the ability to upgrade a number of the crafting stations inside the caravan. You’ll also be able to upgrade your market stall, increasing the available slots for items, and the happiness they provide. Visual customisation will initially just be on the caravan exterior, letting players choose colour schemes to their liking. We’ll continue to expand on the available options, while we plan for more granular customisation further down the line. It’s something we really want to listen to the community on.
Gameranx: Cozy Caravan is launching on Steam through early access. What could players expect during its early access stay?
Dean: The initial launch of Early access will see the player exploring the first half of our farming region, Harvestvale with the later half coming shortly after. Here they’ll have access to the first selection of activities, quests, and NPCs to help out.
Over the course of Early Access we will be updating the player with a whole host of new content; from new activities (eg. Fishing), characters, outfits and outfit variations, and additional regions – each region will contain new folks to meet, quests, items, recipes and crafting opportunities.
Gameranx: Is there any chance we might see console platform releases later on?
Dean: While Early Access will be PC (Steam) only, we’ve been developing Cozy Caravan from day 1 with consoles in mind. It’s a perfect fit for those lazy days on the couch, or handhelds when you’re out and about, so hitting as many consoles as possible is definitely something we are aiming for post Early Access.
Hopefully, some of these answers helped fill any blanks you might have had about Cozy Caravan. Likewise, while we know it’s coming to PC through early access, it won’t be too long before we see the announcement for a launch on console platforms. In the meantime, you can view a Cozy Caravan trailer in the video below.
