The lead developer of the hit Steam title Dressmaker, Jonathan Hau-Yoon, said that he made the game as a way for his partner to enjoy a hobby that has since been stifled by a medical condition. As of this writing, Dressmaker currently holds an overwhelmingly positive rating on Steam as the game continues to see new players create virtual garments of their own.
Dressmaker is the first title released by Cozy Lives, an offshoot branch of indie studio Free Lives. Drawing upon inspiration from real-world dressmaking, players can cut out patterns and sew together various dresses to suit the needs of various clients. Additionally, players may use materials such as cotton, silk, and velvet to craft all kinds of dresses. Although Dressmaker started with a 96% positive rating on Steam upon its release, player reviews have since increased the game’s rating up to 98%.
Dressmaker Was Crafted As a Way To Enjoy a Hobby Again
With more players undertaking commissions in Dressmaker, the game’s sudden success saw a key detail about its concept and development come to light. Hau-Yoon, who previously worked on games such as Terra Nil and Fortnite, said that his newest release was a passion project between him and his partner, Sabrina Becker. Though she once hoped to become a professional costume designer, Becker’s dreams were crushed after she was diagnosed with a connective tissue disorder called Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS). While symptoms vary in each individual case, people with EDS may experience unstable or hypermobile joints, pain, and fatigue. In short, Becker’s EDS symptoms have since made it difficult for her to sew due to hypermobile joints. Instead, Hau-Yoon created Dressmaker so that Becker could experience her hobby in a way that was more accessible and less painful to her. As time and health allow, Becker designed and curated some of the dresses featured in the game.
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Hau-Yoon initially pitched the idea to Free Lives, the developers of games such as Terra Nil and Broforce. Given that Broforce in particular is a retro-inspired action title and a parody of American action movies, going to a cozier experience like Dressmaker was a challenge for the South African studio. In light of the situation, Free Lives chose to create Cozy Lives as a branch studio. Two days after Dressmaker was released, Free Lives released a rogue-lite action game titled Stick It to the Stickman.
The success of Dressmaker has not gone unnoticed by the developers. With a Steam peak player count of 43,298 players as of this writing, Dressmaker‘s count is over double the Steam player tally of Gears of War: E-Day, which currently sits at 20,374. The sudden success of Free Lives’ latest project has also led to an influx of new bug reports and posts about the game. In response, the development team asked players to remain patient as it expands its communication and bug report channels to better accommodate the needs of its growing base.
Dressmaker‘s success is part of a growing trend of cozy indie titles making an impact on Valve’s storefront, with games like Nivalis Nights also contributing to the pattern. Given that Dressmaker is showing no signs of slowing down, time will tell what Cozy Lives has planned for the rest of 2026 and beyond.
- Released
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September 21, 2026
- Developer(s)
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Cozy Lives
- Publisher(s)
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Free Lives
- Number of Players
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Single-player
- Steam Deck Compatibility
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Unknown
Source: Games Press