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Press release:
Hallstadt, Germany, February 15th, 2024.
The Montpellier-based (France) indie games publisher Dear Villagers and Hallstadt-based (German) indie games developer Studio Windsocke, are today super proud and delighted to announce that their hot-air ballooning survival adventure “Passing By – A Tailwind Journey“, is coming to PC (via Steam) and the Nintendo Switch (via the Nintendo Eshop) on March 12th, 2024.

“Passing By – A Tailwind Journey” lets you befriend fellow travelers and quirky islanders, use your wits to solve immersive puzzles, and gather enough resources to continue to where your journey takes you!

This latest gameplay trailer showcases some of the sights and characters you’ll meet along your airborne excursion. Set in a beautiful and whimsical world of floating isles and a never-ceasing west wind, Passing By – A Tailwind Journey allows you to embark on a memorable voyage as Curly, a young balloonist, who is tasked with delivering a mysterious letter.

In this innovative genre hybrid of 2D puzzle platformer, survival and adventure game, you can explore the world at your own leisure, traveling from island to island by balloon ship and solving various puzzles while having to manage your resources in order to survive. An exciting adventure full of wholesome encounters and meaningful experiences awaits you!

But remember: since the west wind only ever blows in one direction, once you decide to leave an island, this means goodbye for good. Think carefully before you board your balloon ship; are you prepared to make the long trip through the clouds towards an unknown destination?

“With Passing By we wanted to create a cozy adventure that’s low on stakes and high on feelings,” said Ilona Treml, Managing Director of Studio Windsocke.

“There’s plenty of room to make choices that alter your path and how the story plays out, yet it’s not an open-world game in the traditional sense, as you’re at the mercy of the west wind. We found that this relaxed, yet fully forward-facing momentum ensures each pitstop and player decision is meaningful and memorable. Feedback for our prototype on itch.io was overwhelmingly positive, and this expanded commercial release truly blossoms into an airborne expedition you’re unlikely to forget!”

KEY FEATURES:

🎈Explore carefully crafted levels across a large variety of colorful biomes.

⚓Meet quirky island inhabitants and make memorable friendships with fellow travelers.

🏝️Solve each island’s unique puzzles and find ancient secrets.

🎈Customize your balloon ship to your liking using a wide range of designs and attachments.

⚓Discover whimsical details presented in a beautiful 2D low-poly art style.

🏝️Experience a fully dynamic, atmospheric score.

🎈Available in English, Spanish, French, German, and Chinese localization.

About Studio Windsocke:
Studio Windsocke is a young indie studio based in Hallstadt, Germany, which was founded by four passionate game developers in 2021 with the goal to create meaningful games with a wholesome and whimsical atmosphere. Currently, the team is working on Passing By – A Tailwind Journey, a charming adventure combining typical elements of puzzle platformers and survival games. In 2021, the game won both the “Young Talent Award: Best Prototype” at the German Computer Games Awards and the “Ubisoft Newcomer Award” at the German Developer Awards.

About Dear Villagers:
Based in the South of France, in sunny Montpellier, we are a boutique publishing label composed of a team of twenty people. Open-minded and versatile, Dear Villagers offers handcrafted marketing and production guidance. Our mission: We tell memorable stories through memorable games. We love pixels, but we believe in people.