Sometimes I struggle with coming up with things to write. But this time, I struggle with keeping up with all the things that have happened over the last couple of weeks. 😵💫
I'm going to talk about a new app, new puzzles, and a bunch of awards and a call to action to vote for me in these awards!
So let’s dive straight into it:
🌱 Art of Flora: Pre-Order now!
I already teased it in the last post, but Art of Flora is now officially announced and available for pre-order!
Let me give you a bit of background about the project...
🌱 What is Art of Flora?
It is the sibling of Art of Fauna, just focused on the beautiful world of plants. 🌸
Some of the things in the app will be very familiar. The puzzle mechanic is going to stay the same, the art is again from historical books, 20% are donated to nature preservation and there is a focus on accessibility. But there are also a bunch of new things, like:
- 🌻 110 new puzzles in 5 locations, from the Mediterranean to Madagascar
- 🧑🎨 Deep dive into the artists behind the drawings, like Marianne North
- 🌍 World map to show where the plants are native and where they have been introduced
- 🧩 Enhanced puzzle mechanics, to prevent those rare but suuuuper annoying situations where you can get stuck
🤔 Why now already?
The idea for Art of Flora is as old as the one for Art of Fauna. The first folder I've ever created over three years ago was even called "Flora & Fauna". And I've told people that building Art of Flora is going to be the next step, like in this interview with Futurezone.
I also planned to build and release it mid to end of 2026 - to give myself a bit of a break and to focus more on my other apps, like Study Snacks and PocketShelf. Buuuuut....
In August, I searched for Art of Fauna on the App Store and found a copycat. An app that was based around plants, had the name Flora in it, used AI-generated plant pictures and copied Art of Fauna in obvious ways. You could really see that the developer tried to make it look like I've built that app.
The UI looked similar, setting screens looked almost identical, the pricing was the same, texts were copied (and only slightly adjusted). The only thing that I liked was that they pledged to also donate 20% of the proceeds to nature conservation, although I can't say if they were ever going to do it, or just wanted to sound like I’d built the app.
I reached out to Apple and got it removed from the App Store. But then in October, the second copycat came out. Not as insulting as the first attempt, but it still felt like an attempt to use Art of Faunas’s success to cash off. And while that was also taken down quickly after I contacted the developer, I did make a decision there.
I decided to elevate the timeline for Art of Flora, announce it soon, and release it at the start of next year. Because it's what you have requested anyway, and it allows me to give a halt to copycats.
🔮 What does this announcement mean for Art of Fauna?
Only good things! Both apps are built on the same foundations, so enhancements to things like the puzzle mechanic will come to both projects. And I will also continue to release more puzzles for both. I even want to do some crossovers, like with those images from Maria Sibylla Merian, that feature both beautiful plants and insects.
Art of Flora is going to be released on March 19th of 2026, so I will share more about its development in the coming weeks. 📅
If you have a favourite plant that you want to see in the app, let me know! I might be able to make it happen, either as an app icon or as a puzzle.
But lets go back to Art of Fauna for now...
😱 Art of Fauna is a finalist for the App Store Awards!
This one came pretty unexpected. I was minding my own business, preparing the announcement for Art of Flora, when I suddenly got a mail and then a call from Apple.
They told me that Art of Fauna is going to be a finalist in the Cultural Impact category of the App Store Awards. 😱
You have to understand this: Apple is giving away only two kinds of awards for apps every year - The Apple Design Award and the App Store Awards. Art of Fauna did win the Apple Design Award for inclusivity this year, and I still can't really believe that this happened. But now having a shot for the the App Store Award too? I can't even find words... 🥹
And I'm nominated with so many other great apps, like Structured, DREDGE, Be My Eyes, Is this Seat Taken and Chants of Sennaar, to name a few.
At this point in time, I have no idea if I won or not, nor when the winners will be announced. But I will keep you posted on this matter!
Speaking of awards...
🗳️ Please Vote!
The award season is in full swing, and incredibly, Art of Fauna is nominated for three more awards! You can vote for two of those and help me secure them.
Why should you vote? Well winning the awards = more people know and buy Art of Fauna = me being able to make more content for it! 🥹
📱 PocketGamer Award
Art of Fauna is nominated here in two categories: Mobile Puzzle Game of the Year and Mobile Game of the Year! 🥳
Pretty strong competition there - I love Sunset Hills, DREDGE, Chants of Senaar, to name a few. So I won't judge if you pick another one. But it would be incredible kind if you vote Art of Fauna.
🥨 Deutscher Entwicklerpreis
You can't vote for this one, but it's incredible nonetheless.
Art of Fauna is also nominated for the Deutscher Entwicklerpreis in the special jury category. The nomination comes because of its efforts in accessibility and nature conservation. Winners are going to be announced in Cologne on December 2nd.
And in case you are thinking: "Klemens is from Austria, not Germany", you are right - but this price is open to all developers in DACH 🇩🇪 🤝🇦🇹🤝🇨🇭
📰 Kleine Zeitung Köpfe des Jahres
This one is from a popular local newspaper here in Styria called the Kleine Zeitung (which means “Little Newspaper" in German). The category I'm nominated in is "Economy" in Graz, and I'm up against some pretty big local companies, like the biggest bakery chain we have here, Sorger (they make good bread, so I can see why 🍞).
You have to search for my name (Klemens Strasser) there in this long list and then confirm your vote via the mail that you get.
You could even vote here every 24 hours - although I know you have better things to do than that!
Enough of the awards, lets go back to something I definitely know that you like: More free puzzles for Art of Fauna!
🐕 Friends of Fauna in November
I can't write a newsletter without telling you about the latest Friends of Fauna puzzle - Especially if its based on such a good boy!
This months puzzle is based on Quamillo, a Lagotto Romagnolo sent in by Elisabeth. Isn't he a cute one?
Quamillo has also an Instagram account. So if you want to follow a good boy on his adventures, you can do it here:
Did you know that Lagotto Romagnolos are water retrievers? I'm just telling you that fact because water is exactly what our next topic is about... (Sorry for these terrible segues 🥹)
🌊 New Puzzles: Hudson Canyon
A couple of months ago, I got an e-mail from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Archives. They told me that they love Art of Fauna and were asking if there is any room for a collaboration.
On a call, I was introduced to the Hudson Canyon. It's located about 100 miles southeast of New York City and is the largest submarine canyon on the U.S. Atlantic Coast. It is currently under consideration to become designated as a National Marine Sanctuary. And the idea was to inform people about it in Art of Fauna.
So I'm happy to tell you that next week, on the 27th of November, everyone will get a six puzzles designated to the Hudson Canyon for free.
The puzzles are based on incredible drawings from the WCS Archives, which were made during the Arcturus Expedition. I can highly recommend watching this video from Madeleine Thompson, the Executive Director of the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Library and Archives. It's about the expedition and these beautiful drawings. Just know that they will spoil the puzzles for you!
But speaking of videos...
🎥 Social Media Push
Lastly I need to talk marketing. I’m a developer by trade, a designer by heart and a terrible marketing person in real life. 🙃
But marketing is part of the deal when building apps alone, so I have to make it work somehow. And my latest push is currently happening on TikTok and Instagram. I try to do videos there every one to two days, in the hope that something will make a splash sooner or later.
Why? Well, I've been fortunate enough that Art of Fauna has been so successful without me doing TikTok dances. It's not insane money, but it kept me well afloat for the year and will hopefully do so in the next one as well. Especially together with Art of Flora.
But as I don't have any recurring revenue with it (because no subscriptions), I have to spread the word and find new people that buy the game. And as long as I do so, I can continue working on new puzzles like the ones mentioned above.
So if you are one of those platforms, subscribing, watching the videos, and liking them can really make a difference. ♥️
And that’s it again! Thank you very much for reading this freaking long Newsletter and thank you for your support! 💚
The next issue will already show you another puzzle pack: Svalbard. 🐻❄️
I hope you enjoy the Hudson Canyon puzzles, are excited for Art of Flora, and please vote for Art of Fauna in the Pocket Gamer Awards! 🥹
Cheers,
Klemens
