Independent game developer Cotton Game from Shanghai, China has won the Best Visual Art at Indie Game Award 2025 for their beautifully crafted title Sunset Hills. With a team of ten passionate creators, Cotton Game has previously released nearly 20 beloved titles such as the Isoland series, Mr. Pumpkin series, One Way, and Dad’s Monster House.

Their entry title, Sunset Hills, once again touched the hearts of judges with its heartwarming visuals, endearing canine characters, and emotional storytelling. The project lead, Robin, shared that the game’s style was inspired by a moment in a bookstore, where he came across a picture book that sparked the concept of a “gentleman dog with a suitcase” — a sketch that would eventually become the origin of Sunset Hills.

One of his real-life dogs, also named Nico, became the prototype for the game’s protagonist. Robin noted, “I wanted to convey themes of anti-war and friendship through this story. Although the narrative is fictional, it incorporates our understanding and emotions from that era.”

Learning from Missteps and Rebuilding Trust Through Action

While the game’s development progressed smoothly and was highly anticipated by fans, Sunset Hills faced a wave of negative feedback shortly after its release in August due to misunderstandings about its DLC content. Cotton Game responded swiftly by adjusting their plans and announcing free content updates and additional storylines. Robin recalled, “It was largely a communication issue. We were so focused on development that we unintentionally overlooked the information gap between us and the players.” This experience taught the team to be more transparent and timely in communicating with their audience. “We believe that only by satisfying our players can we achieve true success,” he added with a smile

“We’re always enthusiastic about attending in-person game shows,” Robin shared. “Not only do they allow us to engage more closely with players and understand their feedback directly, but they also help us clarify our development direction.” Cotton Game’s sincerity and care for its community extend beyond just game development. The team regularly participates in exhibitions, interacts with players through surveys, merchandise giveaways, and on-site activities, and values the immediate feedback and meaningful conversations that physical events offer — something online demos simply can’t replicate. These events also serve as an opportunity to connect with other developers and accelerate the creative process.

Heartfelt Support from Fans Fuels Continued Creativity — New Chapter Now Available

One of the most memorable moments for Robin during Sunset Hills’development came in the form of a heartfelt letter from a long-time fan. The fan shared that Cotton Game’s titles had accompanied him through much of his childhood, having played them exclusively on mobile. Learning that Sunset Hillswould launch first on PC, and having just entered college, he bought his first laptop and expressed a desire to purchase all of Cotton Game’s Steam games for 200 ￥CNY. The team gladly obliged and sent him activation keys.

Shortly after, the fan sent 500 ￥CNY in return with the message: “I really love your games. I’ve been looking forward to Sunset Hills for so long. I know you’ve been working on it for years, so I want to support you more — please don’t ever shut down!” He also included a laughing-crying emoji, a small but touching gesture that left a deep impression on the team. “In this world, there are always those who love you deeply, yet quietly,” said Robin.

Following its recognition at the Indie Game Award, Sunset Hills officially launched a free update yesterday, featuring the long-awaited conclusion to Chapter 1, a fan-requested OST and wallpaper pack, as well as a first glimpse of the upcoming area, “Winkle.” The team also teased that more story content is on the way this summer, and revealed they are currently exploring new themes in hopes of delivering even more surprising and delightful titles in the future.

“Winning Best Visual Art at Indie Game Award 2025 is not only a recognition of our team’s technical and artistic efforts, but also a tremendous source of motivation,” said Robin. “It proves our hard work wasn’t in vain and encourages us to continue striving for excellence in our future projects.”

• A full video interview is available now on the Taipei Game Show official YouTube channel, and for more updates, fans can follow the team’s Steam page

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John Freeman

John  is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.

He’s the writer of  comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.

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Tags: Cotton Game, downthetubes News, Sunset Hills