Apollo Studios - Full Time Announcement

Hi all!

So this is a pretty big moment for me and the future of Apollo Studios. It’s not a decision I’ve made lightly, but it’s something that I need to do. Writing and telling stories is my passion; creating worlds people can escape into and characters we can identify with as a community and individuals is a scary step, but it’s one that I need to take.

Why this decision now?

A few factors have led to this moment. But the trigger was when I went on vacation in the new year. For the first time in six years, I wasn’t working, and I felt a genuine happiness that I don’t think I’ve ever felt before. I got to sit on the beach and write, feeling inspired by the places and people around me… It helped me realize that I wasn’t happy with my day-to-day life.

As many of you know, I have a day job in addition to working on my Patreon content. I’ve been in marketing since leaving University and even worked my way up to Marketing Executive for a really prestigious charity. However, this work was incredibly draining and prevented me from doing what I loved. The passion just wasn’t there, and I’d wake up hating the work because it meant I couldn’t write, which is what my passion really is. It’s led to some challenging mental health issues, and also a breakdown through the month of February.

After seeing my GP, I was also informed that I likely have undiagnosed childhood ADHD, which could be resulting in a few other issues I have in my personal/work life. So that’s thrown me through a loop too, but it’s been a relief to know some of the negativity I’ve received was due to something I can’t fully control or understand yet.

All of that was just too much for me to juggle. So I made the decision that happiness is the most important thing for me. For my health, and for my life going forward. It was a hard decision, but I’ve left my day job and will be pursuing writing full-time - and bringing my full, undivided attention to Apollo Studios.

What changes will there be?

I have soooo many ideas! And I’m excited to finally have the time to explore them. The tiers will be reworked at the end of April to reflect the new type of content that will be coming. Don’t worry, you can still expect to see monthly CG sets and short stories, they won’t be going anywhere!

Some ideas I have for new content are:

• Quarterly short VNs
• Merch (shirts, mugs, etc)
• Writing prompt challenges (Think Mochaccino - I’ll ask for everyone to submit a prompt/idea and I’ll then turn it into a short story)
• Game streaming
• LGBTQ+ TV show reviews (Myself and Adam sit and watch shows, adding in our commentary and thoughts.)

I’m also very open to hearing your ideas! Let me know what kind of content you’d like to see here.

What about New Hope & Hollow?

Due to mental health challenges, I faced in February, and having to work overtime to finish up all the projects for when I leave my job - production was delayed on both. However, here’s a quick breakdown of both games' current status.

New Hope:

Script: 100% Complete

CGs:

• Scene 1 - 100%
• Scene 2 - 100%
• Scene 3 - 100%
• Scene 4 - 75%
• Scene 5 - 0%
• Scene 6 - 0%

Audio: 25% Complete

Hollow:

This one is a little trickier to give an update on as we still need to revise the overall plot and iron out all of that background stuff. However, V1 will be an adaptation of the demo with new scenes added into the mix to give further world-building and more character introductions.

I’m excited to work with Adam to bring Hollow to life! These characters are incredible and such a delight to work with. We hope you fall in love with them all just as we have.

When will this all happen?

My last day is April 14th, so I still have a few weeks left before I can start to roll out any changes. That’s why I’ll be looking at the end of April, the start of May before I update the tiers. Be patient with me whilst I tie up all my loose ends, I promise it will be worth it!

But hey, don’t take my word for it. Want proof? I’ve spent my free time this month on a special project to see how quickly and professionally I can put together a short Visual Novel, Eternity. With over 200 images, an immersive soundtrack and stunning visuals this is the standard I will be upholding in all future projects. I will have the time to create countless short VN’s just like Eternity, so check it out and let me know your thoughts! Download Eternity here!  

Final thoughts:

I just want to say thank you to everyone here that’s supported me. Without you, I wouldn’t be in the position I am today to be able to go after my dreams and find true happiness. And even though this is incredibly cheesy, you’re all my wings <3

I hope to see you all in this next chapter, and we continue this journey together.

Love, Blayke x