![A Woman Who Lost Both Legs and Was Transformed into a “Mermaid” Escapes an Abandoned Aquarium: “Mermade” Demo Play Report / We Asked Game Developers: Have You Ever Met a “Preachy Old Man”? / Development Interview for ‘Bellwright,’ a Medieval Survival Game Where You Recruit Allies to Lead a Rebellion [Weekly Spalan, Sept. 25–]](/imgs/p/_zOaUlRqojxBw0ee6C2849PQ-N8W3dzb2tnY/22841.jpg)
![A Woman Who Lost Both Legs and Was Transformed into a “Mermaid” Escapes an Abandoned Aquarium: “Mermade” Demo Play Report / We Asked Game Developers If They’ve Ever Met a “Preachy Old Man” / Development Interview for ‘Bellwright,’ a Medieval Survival Game Where You Recruit Allies to Lead a Rebellion [Weekly Spalan, Sept. 25–]](/imgs/p/_zOaUlRqojxBw0ee6C2849PQ-N8W3dzb2tnY/22842.jpg)
![A Woman Who Lost Both Legs and Was Transformed into a “Mermaid” Escapes an Abandoned Aquarium: “Mermade” Demo Play Report / We Asked Game Developers If They’ve Ever Met a “Preachy Old Man” / Development Interview for ‘Bellwright,’ a Medieval Survival Game Where You Recruit Allies to Lead a Rebellion [Weekly Spalan, Sept. 25–]](/imgs/p/_zOaUlRqojxBw0ee6C2849PQ-N8W3dzb2tnY/22843.jpg)
![A Woman Who Lost Both Legs and Was Transformed into a “Mermaid” Escapes an Abandoned Aquarium: “Mermade” Demo Play Report / We Asked Game Developers If They’ve Ever Met a “Preachy Old Man” / Development Interview for ‘Bellwright,’ a Medieval Survival Game Where You Recruit Allies to Lead a Rebellion [Weekly Spalan, Sept. 25–]](/imgs/p/_zOaUlRqojxBw0ee6C2849PQ-N8W3dzb2tnY/22844.jpg)
![A Woman Who Lost Both Legs and Was Transformed into a “Mermaid” Escapes an Abandoned Aquarium: “Mermade” Demo Play Report / We Asked Game Developers If They’ve Ever Met a “Preachy Old Man” / Development Interview for ‘Bellwright,’ a Medieval Survival Game Where You Recruit Allies to Lead a Rebellion [Weekly Spalan, Sept. 25–]](/imgs/p/_zOaUlRqojxBw0ee6C2849PQ-N8W3dzb2tnY/22845.png)
![A Woman Who Lost Both Legs and Was Transformed into a “Mermaid” Escapes an Abandoned Aquarium: “Mermade” Demo Play Report / We Asked Game Developers If They’ve Ever Met a “Preachy Old Man” / Development Interview for ‘Bellwright,’ a Medieval Survival Game Where You Recruit Allies to Lead a Rebellion [Weekly Spalan, Sept. 25–]](/imgs/p/_zOaUlRqojxBw0ee6C2849PQ-N8W3dzb2tnY/22846.jpg)
It’s time for the Weekly GameSpark Rankings—or “Weekly Spa-Ran” for short—featuring the top 5 most-read articles published on Game*Spark from Friday, September 25, 2026, through Thursday, October 1, 2026.This is perfect for those who want to catch up on the week’s highlights or just need a quick rundown because they’re busy!
No. 5—What’s the Real Deal with “Preachy Uncles” at Game Events? A Survey of Past Exhibitors
At indie game events, there are so-called “preachy uncles” who, after a playtest, unilaterally offer unsolicited suggestions for improvement or ramble on at length about their own opinions. Game*Spark conducted a survey targeting exhibitors with experience at such events.
Of the 33 valid responses, 23—accounting for about 70 percent—reported having “experienced behavior they felt was disruptive or harassing.” The most common response was “one-sided criticism or demands for improvement” (8 responses), which included comments like “If it were me, I’d make it this way” and experiences where their development approach was dismissed.
Next were reports of “insults, sexual remarks, and safety concerns” (6 cases), which included sexual comments directed at all-ages games and stalking behavior. Additionally, several respondents mentioned “prolonged stays,” where visitors occupied the booth for 40 minutes to an hour beyond the intended playtest time.
On the other hand, 10 respondents reported never having experienced any problems, with comments such as “Basically, only nice people come” and “Most players just share their impressions.” There were also concerns raised that overemphasizing the “preachy old man” narrative could make it harder to receive honest feedback.
4th Place—Developer Interview for “Bellwright,” a Medieval Open-World Survival Game Where You Recruit Allies to Lead a Rebellion
We’re bringing you a developer interview for the medieval open-world survival game *Bellwright*, developed by Donkey Crew. The game tells the story of a protagonist falsely accused of regicide who leads a rebellion to liberate his homeland.A key feature of the game’s design is the close integration of management and combat: a settlement’s economic strength directly translates into combat power, and the “fame” earned in battle enables further expansion of the settlement.
The game’s most distinctive feature is its NPC AI. Even when the player isn’t watching, villagers work of their own accord, gather resources, and defend the settlement. All characters—including bandits and neutral villagers—act according to a priority system, behaving just like “real people.”
Currently in Early Access, the game is undergoing a major story overhaul, and the development team states, “What we’ve shown players so far is less than half of what we have planned.”The next update is scheduled to add every aspect related to “horses,” including cavalry and logistics. Citing a desire to avoid making hasty promises, the team has not specified a release date for the full version; instead, their plan is to gradually bring the game closer to its final form through major updates released two to three times a year. Please see the original article for a more detailed interview.
3rd Place—Nintendo Wins Lawsuit Over Pirated Switch Copies, Awarded Approximately 710 Million Yen in Damages
On September 23, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington ordered James Williams, known as “Archbox,” who operated a website distributing pirated Switch games, to pay $4.5 million (approximately 710 million yen) in damages.
In this case, which Nintendo of America filed in June 2024, Williams is alleged to have been involved in operating a total of four pirated distribution sites.Nintendo identified Williams through online posts and confirmed his address using repair service records. Williams subsequently failed to respond to the lawsuit, and the court has now granted Nintendo’s October 2025 motion seeking $4.5 million in damages and other relief.
In addition to the damages order, the court has ordered the shutdown of the pirated goods shop operated by Williams, as well as the suspension of pirated games and the social media accounts used for distribution.
No. 2—Steam Autumn Sale Starts October 2
Valve held the Steam Autumn Sale from 2:00 a.m. on October 2 to 2:00 a.m. on October 9, Japan Standard Time.
This is one of the “Seasonal Sales” held four times a year, and it’s customary for most games—excluding the latest releases—to be discounted. Please note that the Halloween Sale is not included in the “Seasonal Sales.” If you miss the Autumn Sale, the next Seasonal Sale won’t take place until December 18.
We’ve featured many recommended titles from the Steam Autumn Sale here.
No. 1—A Gory Horror Game Report: ‘Mermade’ Demo—A Woman Who Lost Both Legs and Was Transformed into a “Mermaid” Escapes an Abandoned Aquarium
A demo for the unique horror game *Mermade*, developed by The Mermakers, is now available on Itch.io. The original article features a playthrough report of the demo, which takes about 30 minutes to complete.
This third-person horror adventure follows a woman who had both legs amputated at an underground research facility and was forcibly transformed into a mermaid. Her goal is to escape an abandoned aquarium where creatures—the failed products of other experiments—roam.
The game’s most distinctive feature is its gameplay system, which incorporates the “mermaid’s body” itself into the controls. In underwater sections, you can swim freely and effortlessly, while on land, you must crawl along the ground by alternately moving your left and right arms.Despite its dark and shocking premise, the artwork and game system are executed with unparalleled polish, resulting in a game that will impress even the most hardcore horror gamers.
This week’s most-read article was about the mermaid horror game “Mermade”! The demo is currently available on Itch.io. It does not support Japanese at this time.
![A Woman Who Lost Both Legs and Was Transformed into a “Mermaid” Escapes an Abandoned Aquarium: “Mermade” Demo Play Report / We Asked Game Developers: Have You Ever Met a “Preachy Old Man”? / Development Interview for ‘Bellwright,’ a Medieval Survival Game Where You Recruit Allies to Lead a Rebellion [Weekly Spalan, Sept. 25–]](/imgs/p/_zOaUlRqojxBw0ee6C2849PQ-N8W3dzb2tnY/22847.jpg)
![A Woman Who Lost Both Legs and Was Transformed into a “Mermaid” Escapes an Abandoned Aquarium: “Mermade” Demo Play Report / We Asked Game Developers If They’ve Ever Met a “Preachy Old Man” / Development Interview for ‘Bellwright,’ a Medieval Survival Game Where You Recruit Allies to Lead a Rebellion [Weekly Spalan, Sept. 25–]](/imgs/p/_zOaUlRqojxBw0ee6C2849PQ-N8W3dzb2tnY/22848.jpg)
![A Woman Who Lost Both Legs and Was Transformed into a “Mermaid” Escapes an Abandoned Aquarium: “Mermade” Demo Play Report / We Asked Game Developers If They’ve Ever Met a “Preachy Old Man” / Development Interview for ‘Bellwright,’ a Medieval Survival Game Where You Recruit Allies to Lead a Rebellion [Weekly Spalan, Sept. 25–]](/imgs/p/_zOaUlRqojxBw0ee6C2849PQ-N8W3dzb2tnY/22849.jpg)