DON'T SCREAM TOGETHER news & patch notes

• Fixed mic input system for some users
• Fixed issues in Windows 11 requiring Audio Enhancements Disabled
• Fixed audio issues related to WASAPI
• Added help menu to Mic Calibration to help with windows audio issues

• Fixed players falling to death when standing on dead players
• Fixed players constantly restarting into the tutorial watchtower
• Fixed players being able to leave the watchtower without the server host collecting the symbol
• Fixed server restarting not putting players back at the watchtower once the tutorial has been completed
• Fixed players sometimes falling through the watchtower due to level streaming and networking interruptions
• Fixed many community reported stuck areas in the world
• Fixed players not being able to trigger a scream on the menu after server disconnect

Hi, all. PATCH NOTES BELOW Wow. What a twenty four hours it has been since launch. I want to start by saying that I have read all of your supportive comments. They are incredibly kind. When I say they mean more than you know, I truly mean it. Your words have helped me and the four of us get through what has been a very rough launch. If you missed our last announcement and want to read it, you can find it here.

But there is also a voice in my head that needs to be honest with you. Your kindness means the world to us, but it does not erase the fact that the technical problems at launch were on us. Those issues were our responsibility, and we accept that fully. Not everything that happened was within our control, but the parts that were, we own completely.

So while I am grateful for your support, I also do not want it to distract from the fact that we still have lessons to learn. This moment has been a real character building experience for all of us as a team. And I know this might sound strange, but I actually would not change what has happened. This whole experience has taught us so much about ourselves, and you do not truly fail if you learn from it. I know that sounds cliché, maybe even a little cringe, but it is just me wearing my heart on my sleeve. I would not change how the launch went, because it showed us where we need to grow. And growing also means being honest about where we stand. I know there are solo developers and even smaller teams who launch multiplayer games with far fewer issues. I admire those developers. But the truth is, as developers and as human beings, we do not always get it right, even when we give it everything we have. And I want to show you that we are humans behind the screen. We are not robots. So here is a picture of me and my best friend, Teddy. We work hard, we try our best, and we feel everything you say, both the good and the bad. And I think it is important to remember that every game you play is made by real people. We laugh, we stress, we celebrate, and we make mistakes. But we love making games because creating something that entertains you brings us joy. That is the heart of it. That is why we do what we do. I fully understand the frustration and the disappointment. I respect the negative reviews that explain what went wrong and help us improve. But there are also comments that just... cut deep.... One review said they hope we never work on another project again, and there's many more like that. Reading something like that honestly hurts. It does not take away from the fact that the launch had problems. It only reminds me how easy it is to forget that there are human beings on both sides of the screen. But yeah, setbacks do not define us. What we choose after them does. So, what have we learned?

I have been reading all your comments, feedback, and suggestions. In the first twenty four hours we have already shipped several hotfixes and our first major update. You can read the full list below. I also want to make something clear. Many issues you experienced were not things we saw during our testing (truthfully). We tested so much. We played through the game again and again, and nothing major stood out to us. But after sitting down together and talking as friends and as a team, we can now see what we could have done differently. Let's get into it.

Seeing the game through your eyes

Understanding your experience, not just our own

MAJOR CHANGES

MIC & VOICE CHAT SETUP:
• Added a mandatory calibration that must be completed at least once before play is allowed.
• Fixed the calibration screen not appearing at startup.
• Fixed mic calibration issues occurring in the in-game pause menu.
• Fixed a crash related to VOIP debug messages and certain Steam usernames.
• Adjusted in-game VOIP volume so players are no longer too quiet.
• Added voice boost settings for improved clarity and audibility between players.
• Added a vignette effect when speaking over the limit before the game starts.
• Improved mic calibration mode for better voice recognition and smoother onboarding.
• Improved balance for in-game voice detection for more consistent recognition, based on community feedback.

GAMEPLAY

• Fixed audio ducking while in the menu not working.
• Fixed crash bug related to player deaths or during level change.
• Quality-of-life audio improvements in the main menu, in-game, and during transitions.
• Adjusted -dx11 compatibility launch option that will help some users with crashes or driver issues.
• Fixed being stuck in tutorial mode after the first round in a tutorial session.
• Fixed repeated respawning in the Watchtower.
• Fixed hunter effigy showing “Press E” after being picked up.
• Fixed in-game CamVOIP FX attenuation so directional audio now works correctly.
• Reduced Watchtower trigger volume to prevent accidental activation.
• Updated rules screen with clearer gameplay guidance, including avoiding traps and hunters; it now appears at least once per session.

Hi everyone.

So, where to start... Seeing the negative reviews has been really hard. It’s a bitter pill to swallow, and I’m not going to pretend it hasn’t hit us emotionally. Making games is such a vulnerable thing. It feels like sharing something personal, something you love, something that comes from you, and then hoping people enjoy it. We put so much love, time, testing, and care into this game. We really did try our absolute best with the resources and team size we have.

We are only five indie devs. I am not saying that as an excuse, I really hope it does not come across that way. I just want to explain where we are coming from. We tested the game over and over, especially the microphone calibration. We tried different microphones, different software setups, got help from friends and family, and on our end it was working great, like, it genuinely was. And honestly, we had so much fun playing and testing it together. We really believed in it. But when your whole game mechanic relies on a microphone, there are so many edge cases you can never fully prepare for. Every setup is different. Every mic behaves differently. There are so many variables. We did do our best, even if it might not seem like that right now.

And I am so sorry to anyone who feels disappointed or frustrated. It hurts to read that. Truthfully, I have cried over this because it means a lot to us. Anyone who knows our team knows how much passion we put into everything we make. Maybe we missed the mark here in some places. Maybe we could have explained some things better or caught more issues before launch. We are human, and we are learning.

In the end, we just wanted to offer you all a fun, simple horror experience with a cool twist using the microphone mechanic that you could enjoy with friends, at a price point we felt was fair and accessible for what the game is. And maybe we did not think everything through as clearly as we should have. The multiplayer version of DON’T SCREAM has been one of the most requested things from the community, and we made this version for you because you asked for it. We believed we could take the original idea and build something special to share with your friends. But now we are learning, the hard way, that what works great as a single-player tension experience does not always translate perfectly into multiplayer without its own challenges.

That realisation has been painful, because the intention truly came from a place of wanting to give you what you asked for. We tried to deliver something fun, something different, something you could laugh and panic through together. Even if we stumbled in the process, the heart behind it was genuine. I also want to say that I really did try my hardest to explain what this game actually is. It is not a traditional horror game with a story, missions, or complex puzzles. It is a very simple jumpscare experience with friends, and I tried my best to communicate that clearly from day one. I wrote a Before You Buy FAQ, made announcements, updated the page, and did everything I could think of to set expectations honestly, because you work hard for your money and I wanted you to know exactly what you were buying. Even on the Steam page I clearly say the game is incredibly simple and explain exactly what you do in the game, but it feels like a lot of people skimmed past that or it just did not come across the way I hoped. So seeing people upset because it was not what they expected has been really disheartening, especially because I genuinely tried to be as open and upfront as possible. I want to be clear that I am not blaming anyone for this. If anything, I feel like I failed to communicate the game well enough, and that has been hard to accept.

But... We can sit here feeling sad, or we can learn from this and grow. And we want to grow. We want to take this experience, as tough as it has been, and use it to become better developers. We are not running away from the criticism. We are taking it on the chin, accepting it, and doing what we can to improve the game. This launch has taught us a lot, and we are choosing to use it to get better, not bitter.

Here is what we are already working on: (Hotfix has been pushed)

Mic calibration We saw the automatic calibration being too sensitive for some players. We released a hotfix with a mic input slider to help with certain mics and setups. A lot of people also did not realise you can switch to manual calibration if the automatic option does not work well. We are improving how this is communicated, but for now, make sure to click the small arrows to change the calibration mode to Manual. The image below shows exactly where to find it.

HOTFIX: • Added Mic Input Scale option to the Manual Threshold menu. Players can use this to lower their mic input level, which helps with lower quality mics or setups without pop-filters. • Set Retry Mode to be enabled by default in Settings > Accessibility, so players can call out false positives more easily. • Fixed an issue where some mic calibration settings were not saving properly for new users.

• Fixed hunters getting stuck in the watchtower during the tutorial.

Thank you to everyone who gave our small horror game a chance. Thank you to those who shared feedback honestly, even when it was hard to read. It all matters. We love making games. It is what we care about deeply. We are not perfect, and we will not always get everything right, but we are listening, we are learning. Thank you again, truly. I will speak to you all soon. Digital Cybercherries | Joe SOCIALS Discord Facebook Instagram TikTok Twitter (X)

Hello Screamers,

Before we get into it, let’s clear up the #1 question we get: “Does the game count farts as screams?” Yes. Absolutely. 100%. If you fart, burp, laugh, cough, yawn, hiccup, drop your mic, bang your desk, your dog barks, your chair squeaks, or your soul leaves your body, the game will count it as a scream. So don't blame the game. Blame your digestive system. Don't blame your dog, though. Doggy is cute.

DON'T SCREAM TOGETHER launches DECEMBER 3RD, 2025! That’s less than two weeks away. You have roughly 13 days to mentally prepare your vocal cords, your friendships, and your bowels.

Just be prepared, because the game is absolutely going to test your friendships. You’ll quickly find out exactly how much trust your group actually has… and it might not be much. Be safe in the forest. Speak soon. - Digital Cybercherries | Joe FOLLOW US ON STEAM