The Dimension of Health: Why We're Taking a Step Back to Move Forward
When people think of Owlchemy Labs, they usually think of polished, delightfully chaotic simulator games. Whether it's Job Simulator, Vacation Simulator, or now Dimensional Double Shift, there's an expectation that when you reach out and grab something in VR, it just works.
That's a standard the team has spent years earning.
It's also the standard CEOwl Andrew Eiche says Dimensional Double Shift hasn't consistently met. Yet.
In our latest Developer Update, Andrew sat down to have an honest conversation about where the game is today, why the team is shifting priorities, and a tease at what comes next.
The message wasn't about making excuses, it’s about keeping the conversation honest and transparent. We also think it’s a rad way to show how your player feedback has helped shape how we look at DDS.
"We love Dimensional Double Shift, and we love the game that we're building. This simulator-esque version of multiplayer with all the chaos that we could possibly put into it."
That chaos has always been part of the vision. Unlike Owlchemy Lab's previous simulator experiences, Dimensional Double Shift wasn't designed as a solo sandbox. From day one, it was imagined as a cooperative workplace where the funniest moments happen because your friends are right there beside you, accidentally creating problems just as quickly as you're solving them.
But building that kind of systemic, freeform multiplayer experience also comes with its own unique challenges.
When Chaos Stops Being Fun
One of the realities of developing a live service game in Early Access is learning where the cracks are. Sometimes those cracks don't appear until thousands of players approach the game in ways the team never expected.
"Our game is so systemic and built so freeform that... we've come across a number of bugs," Andrew explains in the above video.
Those bugs haven't gone unnoticed, players in Discord and Reddit, as well as those sharing feedback on social media and leaving reviews on the Meta Quest Store. And rather than brushing those concerns aside, the team has spent the last several months listening.
"I think a lot of you have been really, really good about pointing out to us that our game doesn't meet the standards of Owlchemy Labs." That's not an easy thing to say as a developer, it can be even more complicated to say as the head of the studio, but it's an important acknowledgment because it reflects something that's always been true about Early Access.
Your feedback isn't just welcome, it's a vital part of development.
A New Dimension… of Health
Instead of spending the next quarter creating another Dimension, Owlchemy has been doing something a little different. We’re naming it a dimension, it’s just not the kind players might expect. We want to focus on something we're calling the Dimension of Health.
The name isn't just a clever play on Dimensional Double Shift's worlds.
It's intentional.
"That's why we've named this period of development an entire Dimension," Andrew says. "On the same level of focus as Hexas, New Joysey, and Sporelando, we are focusing on increasing the overall health of our video game."
Rather than treating bug fixing as something squeezed between content updates, the team is giving it equal importance and we’ve been thrilled at seeing that dedication be felt by players already. Since Sporelando’s launch, we’ve seen a significant reduction in player conversation and official reports about in-game bugs. That’s exactly what our Quality Assurance teams love to see (so thanks for being a part of that good news!).
What that has meant and will continue to mean is tackling longstanding issues, improving overall stability, and continuing to refine the overall experience so it feels worthy of Owlchemy's reputation.
Not just for players, either, for the developers too.
"While you experience all those bugs, we also experience all those bugs," Andrew says with a laugh. "We need to get through that to the other side, where we have a game that meets this insanely polished standard that Owlchemy Labs has always brought in all its games."
Early Access Is a Conversation
One of the biggest takeaways from Andrew's update isn't about bug fixing, it's genuinely about trust.
Early Access asks players to join a game before it's finished. In return, developers get something incredibly valuable: honest feedback from the people spending the most time with their game and it’s important to honor that this type of relationship only works when both sides are willing to listen.
Andrew makes a point of thanking the community for doing exactly that.
"I've been so enthusiastic about how much space you've given Owlchemy to experiment and how much grace you've given us to kind of stumble and fall... because we really do want to give you the newest features as fast as we can."
It's a balancing act every live service game faces:
Players are excited for what's next.
Developers are excited to build it.
Sometimes, though, the healthiest thing a game can do is slow down long enough to make sure its foundation is solid.
Or, as Andrew puts it:
"There comes a time where we all have to eat our broccoli, and this is that time."
It's a very-Andrew way of saying that sometimes the less glamorous work is also the most important.
Looking Toward Launch
The Dimension of Health isn't about pressing pause on Dimensional Double Shift. It's about making sure the game is moving in the right direction as it continues its journey toward full launch.
Alongside ongoing bug fixes and quality of life improvements, the team will continue sharing updates through a newly released roadmap, giving players a clearer picture of what's being worked on and what's coming next.
And yes, there will still be some fun along the way.
"It's not just going to be four or five huge bug fix patches," Andrew says. "It's also going to include some fun stuff,” including our first-ever Summer C.A.M.P event with Camp Counselor ALICE (arguably the best ALICE), which ends today July 13.
That balance feels fitting for Dimensional Double Shift:
Keep improving.
Keep experimenting.
Keep surprising players.
Most importantly, keep listening.
The game you see today has already been shaped by the conversations happening across Discord, Reddit, social media, reviews, and countless bug reports. As we inch closer to launch, those conversations become even more important. Every update reflects not only the team's vision for Dimensional Double Shift, but also the community that's been helping shape it since day one.
So whether you've submitted a bug report, left a review, shared your thoughts in Discord, or simply spent time creating chaos with friends, thank you.
Your feedback hasn't just helped improve Dimensional Double Shift, it's helping define what it becomes. Here’s to continuing to make really cool things together.